Avast Seems To Have Banjaxed My Computer / Social // Drowned In Sound

Avast seems to have banjaxed my computer

no-class [Edit] [Delete] 44 replies 13:26, 28 February '13

this is all a bit too specific to google so i'm going to ask you good people for some help. i picked up some virus yoke the other week and decided to run a full-on avast scan on the computer. i think a total of three files were found to be seriously corrupted/infected. avast recommended that i quarantined them, so i did.

anyway, while the computer continued to work, once i shut it down and tried to turn it back on again i got the dreaded Blue Screen Of Death, along with 'registry error', some guff about bad software being installed and something like 'STOP :' and a load of numbers, mostly zero. luckily i'm still able to get on to the internet in safe mode with networking, but what's my next move? do i take the files back out of quarantine? and how, since i can't seem to get into the folder from safe mode? i'm on windows

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i haven't heard anyone use banjaxed in ages

soapy | 28 Feb '13, 13:28 | X

japes this'd this
http://goo.gl/6aAA9

japes | 28 Feb '13, 13:35 | X
Why have you got Avast instead of Microsoft Security Essentials

untrue | 28 Feb '13, 13:38 | X

Gorkys_Forever, japes, and fuck_this_band this'd this
- this is not helpful.
  
  no-class @untrue | 28 Feb '13, 13:38 | X
- MSE doesn't have enough annoying pop ups and voice messages for my liking
  
  ethricdouble @untrue | 28 Feb '13, 13:55 | X
  
  japes this'd this
  - Mine sits quite happily and unobtrusively in the system tray
    
    Only popping up when an unfamiliar program wants to access the internet.
    
    in_limbo @ethricdouble | 28 Feb '13, 15:08 | X
You need to put FAO Theo in the thread title

He thinks of it as his batsignal.

And I do believe he dons a cape.

zxcvbnm- | 28 Feb '13, 13:41 | X
- yeah i was hoping for him or yesiamaduck
  
  might direct him to it.
  
  no-class @zxcvbnm- | 28 Feb '13, 13:44 | X
  - no point
    
    he'll be in a sulk now
    
    zxcvbnm- @no-class | 28 Feb '13, 13:45 | X
    
    cocodaLOL this'd this
slightly annoying answer but

can you give the full BSOD stop code?

wewerewerewolvesonce | 28 Feb '13, 13:48 | X
- :((((
  
  was hoping this wouldn't be necessary. it only stays on screen for about 2 seconds before shut-down, and it's lengthy...
  
  no-class @wewerewerewolvesonce | 28 Feb '13, 13:50 | X
  - have your phone ready and take a photo
    
    zxcvbnm- @no-class | 28 Feb '13, 13:54 | X
    - lateral thinking was never my strong point.
      
      no-class @zxcvbnm- | 28 Feb '13, 13:55 | X
  - You should be able to find it in the System Log
    
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427
    
    Failing that, you want to turn off the option "Automatically Restart" that you'll find somewhere under Startup & Recovery/System Failure in control panel.
    
    colinzealuk @no-class | 28 Feb '13, 13:58 | X
    - Oh I've got this installed
      
      http://www.resplendence.com/whocrashed
      
      That's pretty good.
      
      zxcvbnm- @colinzealuk | 28 Feb '13, 14:04 | X
- ok...
  
  STOP: 0 X 00000051 (0X0000000000000001,0XFFFFF8A000023010,0X0000000000F8B000,0X0000000000000374)
  
  no-class @wewerewerewolvesonce | 28 Feb '13, 14:41 | X
  - Erk...
    
    Your registry's fucked.
    
    colinzealuk @no-class | 28 Feb '13, 14:44 | X
    
    wewerewerewolvesonce this'd this
    - so i'll have to re-install i take it?
      
      no-class @colinzealuk | 28 Feb '13, 14:46 | X
    - what version of windows are you running?
      
      you might be able to do a repair install using your installation media, but tbh, TheWza's solution is probably more hassle free.
      
      wewerewerewolvesonce @colinzealuk | 28 Feb '13, 14:47 | X
      
      colinzealuk this'd this
      - windows 7 home premium.
        
        wza/wwww - where does one obtain an ubuntu/linux mint and are they pricey?
        
        no-class @wewerewerewolvesonce | 28 Feb '13, 14:51 | X
        
        nah you can download the iso image from here
        
        http://www.ubuntu.com/ for ubuntu
        here for mint
        http://www.linuxmint.com/
        
        wewerewerewolvesonce @no-class | 28 Feb '13, 14:53 | X
        
        both are free
        
        you'll need to burn them to CD/DVD or mount them on a USB though
        
        wewerewerewolvesonce @wewerewerewolvesonce | 28 Feb '13, 14:53 | X
        
        ah right, thanks for all your help.
        
        one more thing - the fan has been acting up on the computer and i get warnings about it when the laptop turns on - that would hardly damage the registry would it? just to rule it out
        
        no-class @wewerewerewolvesonce | 28 Feb '13, 14:56 | X
        
        Unlikely.
        
        Although a short circuit of some sort in the machine could change data. It would be a pretty unlikely thing, I reckon.
        
        TheoGB @no-class | 28 Feb '13, 15:00 | X
        
        only if your computer happened to overheat and crashed
        
        just at the same time that the registry was being modified.
        
        colinzealuk @no-class | 28 Feb '13, 15:00 | X
        
        nah
        
        but I would recommend getting it seen to anyway if possible as whilst your machine would usually shut down before any damage occured to your processor, in the long term it can lead to other components being damaged/failing.
        
        Just giving it a blast with compressed air -> http://www.maplin.co.uk/air-duster-25351 is a good place to start.
        
        wewerewerewolvesonce @no-class | 28 Feb '13, 15:02 | X
Boot from an Ubuntu or Linux Mint live CD or USB.

Retrieve your files.
Reinstall Windows XP/Vista/7 (or just install Ubuntu or Linux Mint instead if you like it when you boot it up from the CD or USB).
If you're using Windows, use MSE instead of Avast.
Cheers.

TheWza | 28 Feb '13, 13:50 | X

rainmaker this'd this
- Why all this love for Microsoft?
  
  Surely its too mainstream for anyone here?
  
  Gringo @TheWza | 28 Feb '13, 13:53 | X
  - MSE is consistently rated as being at least up to the job,
    
    or even the best of the bunch.
    And it's less intrusive than Avast, Avira, or *wince* AVG.
    
    TheWza @Gringo | 28 Feb '13, 13:57 | X
    - AVAST Virus database has been Updated
      
      What do you mean intrusive?
      
      Gringo @TheWza | 28 Feb '13, 13:59 | X
      - has a silent mode yanno
        
        ethricdouble @Gringo | 28 Feb '13, 14:07 | X
        
        i like her voice
        
        It soothes me
        
        Gringo @ethricdouble | 28 Feb '13, 14:08 | X
        
        really?
        
        i feel like there's a hostility behind her politeness
        
        ethricdouble @Gringo | 28 Feb '13, 14:13 | X
      - General low level third party grief.
        
        You just know that it's there. Like RealPLOLayer or Quicktime. MSE just sits there politely and does it's thing.
        
        TheWza @Gringo | 28 Feb '13, 14:17 | X
System restore?

colossalhorse | 28 Feb '13, 14:15 | X
i think virus security software on computers

might actually be worse than just getting a virus. toolbars, pop ups, bullshits

cat_race | 28 Feb '13, 14:15 | X
- Bullshits?
  
  Gringo @cat_race | 28 Feb '13, 14:16 | X
  - yeah i know
    
    i had done a comma so i needed to put something else in the list
    
    cat_race @Gringo | 28 Feb '13, 14:25 | X
- You possibly have the makings of a point.
  
  Adblock probably does more to protect idiots from themselves than anti-virus does, these days.
  
  But mums and wankers are always gonna end up complaining that «my computer's running really slowly» cos they download all kings of pointless shit at the merest prompt, and visit too many sites ending in z.
  
  TheWza @cat_race | 28 Feb '13, 14:21 | X
  - mum and wankers :D
    
    i tend to just not download stuff really. i have very specific uses. if something gets fucked then i'll back up by hand database (poker) wipe everything else and start again
    
    cat_race @TheWza | 28 Feb '13, 14:26 | X
    
    ethricdouble this'd this
    - it doesn't take long to do a full destructive reset
      
      and i don't actually have much on my computer that needs to be replaced. hardly any photos. no music that i haven't already put onto my ipod etc
      
      cat_race @cat_race | 28 Feb '13, 14:27 | X
Hey, sorry I was on a conference call of evil at work.

If you've got a disc drive in the machine and your original Win 7 disc then you could whack it in and just reinstall/repair windows. Probably worth trying first, over bothering with a USB load of Linux, as it's the simplest.

And yes, in future, ditch AVAST and other free AV programs in favour of Microsoft Security Essentials and the like. You'll probably find them all listed in the optional updates.

TheoGB | 28 Feb '13, 15:03 | X
- no worries man, cheers
  
  no-class @TheoGB | 28 Feb '13, 15:11 | X
thanks everyone ^-^

no-class | 28 Feb '13, 15:13 | X

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