How To Waste 4 Hours (Thanks Windoze & Avg)

[ProDave]

Only a short job today so an afternoon off. NOT

last night Mrs PD's lappy, the one I've complained about before, running windoze vista and AVG anti virus, received an AVG update and it then requested a re boot. But it wouldn't boot up, it gets part way and crashes with a blue screen of death.

So my afternoon off was spent fixing it.

I soon found it would boot up in safe mode okay, but would repeatedly crash if you try and start it in normal mode.

After disk checking and stuff like that, nothing found.

So I ran that good old favourite Malware Bytes anti malware.  It crashed when it got to scanning C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEMPROFILE\APPDATA\LOCAL\AVG2014\log\avgmf.log.lock  and it did that twice scanning the same file.

Hmm so it started crashing immediately after an AVG update, and scanning a particular AVG file crashes Malware bytes.

So using MS config, I disabled all referenced to AVG in startup, and now it booted fine.

So AVG has now been uninstalled.  I sent this same report to them to say why I uninstalled it.

So now it's running quicker than a quick thing for once now it has no anti virus software on it.  I've enabled Microsoft security essentials.  Is that enough or should I be looking for a different anti virus program for it?

What puzzles me is it would seem an AVG update bu99ered the computer, but you think the net would be alive with it if they had just sent out a dud update?

EDIT

I've just googled "AVG update crashes my computer" and found this is a problem that's been going on for years.  Sounds like it's best to avoid using AVG at all.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

Anything to save a penny 

 

[steptoe]

Maybe the the Scots bit in me,,, :C

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Maybe the the Scotch in me,,, :C

Blimey....

On the SCOTCH already....

Thought you'd still be on a few cans or bottles this early one?????

Guinness   Guinness   Guinness

 

[ProDave]

Some interesting points.

Yes installing some form of Linux was on my mind, initially fearing it may be a failing HDD or something terminal. but that wouldn't be without it's own problems.  for some while now the DVD drive on the lappy has been dead. That only becomes an issue for installing something radical like a completely new OS.  As long as windoze works it can link to the 'net for downloading stuff and can access the shared drives on the desktop pc.  So if it had been terminal I would have first had to repair / replace the duff DVD drive.

All the time we have had this lappy I have bemoaned it. It has always been slow. It always seemed like it was "busy" doing something. The HDD activity light hardly ever went out. At times it would grind to a complete halt, sometimes for a minute or two and it just would not respond.  It has always had AVG installed since we first got it. I had always been "educated" that you need some form of anti virus software, and I had no problems with AVG years ago on my old windows 98 PC.

But now this lappy has been relieved of the AVG bloatware, it is a different machine.  Boot up times are remarkably quicker.  When idle, the HDD activity light hardly blinks at all. Everything is so much quicker.  So all my past complaint about how carp and bloated Vista is, should really have been directed at how bloated AVG was.

We will let it run as it is for a while using "just" Microsoft security essentials.  Perhaps a weekly scan with Malware Bytes to check it hasn't picked up anything nasty.

There seems to be a lot of lessons here. the main one is do we NEED any extra anti virus stuff over what comes packaged with windoze?

 

[steptoe]

Its not a dell is it PD,? I have an almost new dell DVD writer you can have.

 

[ProDave]

No it's a cheap Acer, so I doubt it would fit.

Thanks for the tip about being able to boot linux from a USB stick. If we ever go that route then I probably don't need to fix the DVD then.

 

[steptoe]

Is the DVD actually broke, or is it a driver issue?

That's how I ended up with a new one, dell replaced it under warranty but it still didn't work when I put it in, turned out a windoze update had corrupted the driver, new driver update and the 'old' DVD was working again, new one put back in box.

I went to Ubuntu soon afterwards.

 

[ProDave]

Put a disk in, it spins up, then it says "no disk"

Never looked any further than that so it could be hardware, it could be a driver issue.

 

[binky]

gave up on AVG years ago after it let 2 viruses through - partly the wife ignoring the warning, but either way not good. Have used Lavasoft Pro ever since, get annoyed with the slightly odd updating sometimes ( you install the free version then add the license for the pro version) bit otherwise very good.

 

[steptoe]

Put a disk in, it spins up, then it says "no disk"

Never looked any further than that so it could be hardware, it could be a driver issue.

try turning it upside down,

seriously, ,,,,,,,,,,

could be the laser has dropped,

my little sister had a PS1 that happened too, I could never be arsed actually fixing it for her, so when she put a game in she just turned it upside down,

its actually an easy fix PD if that is what has happened.

Steps - Hows that PC i sent you ?

MEGA canoe, thank you,

havent been able to properly use it since the wife took over the 'office' ,and turned it into a nursery,

but, I have it connected to the TV and a wireless mini keyboard connected and its brilliant,

loads better and faster than any of the other computery stuff I have, 

 

[Evans Electric]

PD  Should you have disabled Windows Security when installing AVG  ?

Forum IT Dept.

 

[Steve3948]

PD with W8 you just need internet connection, no DVD, no USB

 

[OnOff]

Some interesting points.

Yes installing some form of Linux was on my mind, initially fearing it may be a failing HDD or something terminal. but that wouldn't be without it's own problems.  for some while now the DVD drive on the lappy has been dead. That only becomes an issue for installing something radical like a completely new OS.  As long as windoze works it can link to the 'net for downloading stuff and can access the shared drives on the desktop pc.  So if it had been terminal I would have first had to repair / replace the duff DVD drive.

All the time we have had this lappy I have bemoaned it. It has always been slow. It always seemed like it was "busy" doing something. The HDD activity light hardly ever went out. At times it would grind to a complete halt, sometimes for a minute or two and it just would not respond.  It has always had AVG installed since we first got it. I had always been "educated" that you need some form of anti virus software, and I had no problems with AVG years ago on my old windows 98 PC.

But now this lappy has been relieved of the AVG bloatware, it is a different machine.  Boot up times are remarkably quicker.  When idle, the HDD activity light hardly blinks at all. Everything is so much quicker.  So all my past complaint about how carp and bloated Vista is, should really have been directed at how bloated AVG was.

We will let it run as it is for a while using "just" Microsoft security essentials.  Perhaps a weekly scan with Malware Bytes to check it hasn't picked up anything nasty.

There seems to be a lot of lessons here. the main one is do we NEED any extra anti virus stuff over what comes packaged with windoze?

If considering something Linux then I'd give "Zorin OS" a go - there's 8.1 Core or 6LTS versions available. The closest 'nix thing to Windows I've found so far. Has a "look changer" so you can make the thing look like a Win XP, 7, Vista, Mac, Gnome etc. The files and folders layout will be familiar to Windoze users too. Btw, it's Ubuntu based. Just try a LIVE USB and see what you thing. 

http://zorin-os.com/

 

[UK-Fire]

i used to use avg until about 5 days ago, when it flagged cmd.exe as a virus......

yes avg, an integral windows component is a virus..... removed  and now using avast.

microsoft security essentials has a very poor detection rate by the way. its good for known threats, but for new threats it has somewhere around 60% detection.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/security/386185/microsoft-security-essentials-misses-39-of-malware-in-dennis-test

although apparently kaspersky came out top if you feel like paying for antivirus