Avast & Windows 8

[TeaLeaf]

I've been back on Avast for a while now as a free AV package, but their latest program update sucks.  It worked ok on my own Windows 8.1 PC, but when I did it on my son's it caused a "CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED" error and that's a SOB to get out of as you end up in a reboot loop.

System restore failed.
Refresh Windows 8 would wipe the programs too.
Fixing start up option failed.
Currently trying to get back into the menu to give safe mode boot a go.

He's just got back from school and wanted to jump into Star Citizen's DFM, so that you very much Avast. :angry:

:frusty:

[TeaLeaf]

Can only get into any of these options by booting from a USB drive.   Can't get to Windows's own safe mode on the normal boot SSD.

Via the USB, could not get it to Safe Mode boot.   Used:

bcdedit /set {default} safeboot network

from command prompt and then continued to 8.1 and got the error message again.

Tried the Refresh option (that I wanted to avoid) and that failed, it said there was a problem and nothing had been changed.   Option given to Cancel only and return to the menu.

Any other way of getting Windows 8 to boot to safe mode other than via a USB stick?

Anyone got any suggestions please?

[TeaLeaf]

If nobody has any other suggestions by mid-morning I'll kick off a reinstall of Windows 8 on the boot drive.  I don't want to do it but I'm out of options atm unless someone comes up with another route out of this mess.

[smilodon]

I think you've done everything I would. Amazed that a refresh didn't fix it. So sounds like a format - reinstall is the only way.

My paid AV expires soon and Avast just dropped off the list of possible candidates.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[OldBloke]

A quick Google ...

Have you tried BCDboot?

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824874.aspx

[TeaLeaf]

My paid AV expires soon and Avast just dropped off the list of possible candidates.

Interestingly I originally left Avast when I had update problems, it seems they just can't seem to handle them properly.  This most recent update was one where Windows was telling me that I need to either turn on Defender or Avast, so I checked Avast and got it to do a program update check and it came back with needing an update, which it then downloaded and installed.   After reboot it worked fine on my PC but crashed Andrew's.    On an autoupdate AV package you'd not expect to either have to manually trigger a program update or have the subsequent boot-wrecking crash.

@OB
Thanks, not tried that yet, I'll take a read and see if it can help.

[TeaLeaf]

All failing here, BCDboot is is doing nothing, and none of the Windows 8 repair options do a darn thing.

Reinstall incoming I guess :sad:

[TeaLeaf]

Reinstall completed on Thursday and it all worked fine again.   When all his games are reinstalled I'm going to take an image and put it on the NAS because it's a pain to have to reinstall just because Windows is stuck in a loop.  I maintain current images for my own system, so it's a little daft I don't do the same thing for Andrew's.

[Sneakytiger]

can i ask have u tryed avg anti-virus free version?

[TeaLeaf]

can i ask have u tryed avg anti-virus free version?

Haven't used AVG in a while, I did when it was at a good part of its cycle, but not been back to it within last few years.   Will be reviewing AV over next few weeks to decide what to use as they all seem to go through better and worse periods.

[sulky_uk]

sorry to hear about you issues, I've had a few (less than 10) avast process critical errors since the 8.1 update, i thought it was just me, she seems stable now though. but i didn't get stuck in a boot lop though, luckily. I did send error reports to avast though.  Don't like the new woman's voice either!!

[smilodon]

Right now both Bitdefender and Kaspersky sit at the top of the league tables for Anti Virus products. I question the need to buy a full Internet Security Suite with spam filters, parental controls, password managers etc when I sit behind a pretty decent hardware firewall and use Lastpass, Eraser etc. But I do think if I'm going to splash a bit of money on software then a decent robust AV product that is best in class is going to be at the top of my list. Buy a copy of Kaspersky Internet Security digital download from Amazon and it will set you back about £20 for a single licence and £25 for a three PC licence. The standalone AV product is £19 so it's hardly any more for the full IS product. It's a small price to pay now that AVG, Avast and Avira all have reported issues or endless and annoying in your face pleas to upgrade to the paid copies.

Also bitdefender has released a pretty decent free AV. It gets some decent write ups. But as said for £25.00 I'd grab a paid AV personally.

[lionheart]

I always buy anti virus, mal ware protection, that and the OS are the few things I do .

 Been running NOD32 (or whatever its latest version is called)  for the past 4 years and have never had a problem.........which considering some of the site I find myself on is massive testament to the product

[TheDvEight]

Should I be worried I use avast on Windows 7

[Sneakytiger]

i used before  mcafee as its free with the bt infinity package i have but found it slows my pc down so i use avg, seems ok havent had any viruses get passed it yet.