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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
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AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users

By | December 2, 2010, 1:50pm PST

A virus definition update for AVG 2011 Free edition seems to be causing problems for Windows 7 64-bit users.

[UPDATE: I'm hearing from some users of the non-free version of AVG 2011 who say that they are also affected.]

The update was released today at 12:53 AM CET and causes a problem when the system is rebooted, where the following error is displayed:

STOP: c0000135 The program can’t start because %hs is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.

If you’re affected, three possible solutions are presented here. Also listed is a fix for those who have installed the update but not yet rebooted their systems.

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Topics

Microsoft Windows 7, 64-Bit, Microsoft Windows, Network Technology, Viruses And Worms, Operating Systems, Software, Processors, Semiconductors, Hardware, Components, Networking, Security, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

Disclosure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

All opinions expressed on Hardware 2.0 are those of Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Every effort is made to ensure that the information posted is accurate. If you have any comments, queries or corrections, please contact Adrian via the email link here. Any possible conflicts of interest will be posted below. [Updated: February 23, 2010] - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other actual/potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted so far on this blog.

Biography

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology -- whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera.

Adrian has authored/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include "Build the Ultimate Custom PC", "Beginning Programming" and "The PC Doctor's Fix It Yourself Guide". He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Adrian also runs a popular blog under the name The PC Doctor, where he covers a range of computer-related topics -- from security to repairing and upgrading.

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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
djcepheid@... 9th Dec 2010
@touchlinc You can use an Ubuntu live CD, a WinPE rescue disk, or AVG has a live CD you can download. AVG's file manager is clunky though.
View in thread
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
tonymcs@... 2nd Dec 2010
As much as I liked AVG and used both the paid and free editions, now MSE beats it hands down and I've replaced AVG on my computers.

Time for AVG to diversify I think.
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Contributr
RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes 3rd Dec 2010
@tonymcs@... I agree, AVG Free jsut became too naggy. MSE a more sensible choice (until that createa a security monoculture, which is a bad thing).
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
cyberslammer2 3rd Dec 2010
@Adrian Kingsley-Hughes I got tired of having to reboot every time there was an update..it seems they could have done better on that...
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
jscott418 3rd Dec 2010
@tonymcs@... Have to agree, I used to be a AVG Free user for years. But MSE has made me change my mind. After finding how well MSE worked on my Netbook. I was hooked.
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You Redmond tools need to do better
ahh so 5th Dec 2010
Shilling for MSE can be spotted thousands of miles away.
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these did not work for me, this was my solution
OneTwoc21 2nd Dec 2010
FYI: I'm a computer technician and had a client today with this issue, and had a hell of a time resolving the issue, system restore wouldnt work, safe mode wouldnt work, the avg recovery disc wouldnt work, it was a nightmare, but this is what DID work

windows 7 install disc
Command Prompt
cd C: (assuming this is your windows directory)
cd C:\windows\system32\drivers
del C:\windows\system32\drivers\AVGIDSEH.SYS

restart, and should get you into windows, from there i ran the AVG removal tool and installed MSE

hope this helps all who are lost happy

*STATEMENT
Be cautious while doing this, if you do not include the file name and delete your entire drivers folder, your in for a WORLD of trouble.
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
Mythos7 2nd Dec 2010
@OneTwoc21

MSE is all I use now but you never know you'll have to bail out so I just added this to my OneNote, thanks. What a nasty update that was.
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same & np
OneTwoc21 2nd Dec 2010
@Mythos7 we advise most if not all of our clients to use MSE or Avast!, we use to advise AVG, so we still have some clients lingering, fortunately when they buy new computers we get to clean out all the bloat ware and xfer data so we can get them up with MSE at that point.

Always happy to share help on this stuff happy
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Keep up the MSE shilling, this week
ahh so 5th Dec 2010
Your handlers have a good bonus coming to you!

wink
  • Flagged
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
Raju Das 3rd Dec 2010
@OneTwoc21
I know it is nitpicking, but still....

cd C: (assuming this is your windows directory)-> You don't cd to root, so it should be just C: and enter.
cd C:\windows\system32\drivers
del C:\windows\system32\drivers\AVGIDSEH.SYS
Once you cd to C:\windows\system32\drivers, you can just type del AVGIDSEH.SYS, or you can omit the second line.
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your right but...
OneTwoc21 3rd Dec 2010
@rdsm, When i used CMD from the win 7 disc, it wouldnt show what directory i was in, even when i used CD, it kept showing "X:\Sources" i could CD down to "X:" but it would never actually change from that, so i would have to type out the full path to actually delete the AVGIDSEH.SYS file. It was kinda strange im not sure if this is just some issue with CMD from the disc or what but i did not want anybody to run into that same issue and not have the full path to delete the file.

Also, i was showing my full work so people could get behind my mindset while attacking the issue.

BUT i do appreciate your input, i fully agree with you if it were not for the directory never showing when changing it.
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
CaryRW@... 3rd Dec 2010
@OneTwoc21 - Even simpler approach - Allow Win7 to repair itself. After the update caused the issue, I let Windows 7 repair run to see what it'd do. It worked brilliantly!!! First time that I can think of in my decades of use that Windows was actually able to fix itself properly!
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did not work for me sadly
OneTwoc21 3rd Dec 2010
@CaryRW@... whatever happened to the computer i was working on, the self repair of windows did not work, as i stated in the original comment, everything i tried outside of the steps i listed failed. i worked on the computer for 2 hours trying alternate fixes.

I'm not a big fan of going in and deleting drivers through CMD on a hunch when its not my computer but when there are no other options happy
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
touchlinc 3rd Dec 2010
@OneTwoc21 We did not get any windows 7 install disc with new computer.
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hmm
OneTwoc21 6th Dec 2010
@touchlinc well without a windows 7 install disc you can always try and download a copy from a torrent that is just the ISO and burn it to a disc. But that may end up getting a little complicated. Check with friends and family to see if they have any windows 7 64bit disc. that'll get you to the command prompt
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
djcepheid@... 9th Dec 2010
@touchlinc You can use an Ubuntu live CD, a WinPE rescue disk, or AVG has a live CD you can download. AVG's file manager is clunky though.
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Not to defend GridSoft but ....
wackoae 2nd Dec 2010
... if you want free, you have to at least help with an occasional troubleshooting of the application.
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So nobody should ever complain about IE
Michael Alan Goff 3rd Dec 2010
or Chrome, or any other browser.

MSE? Nope.

Linux? Nope.
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
Tholian_53 6th Dec 2010
@wackoae
Except that it is also reported to have trashed paid versions which is totally uncool.
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Just Use MSE and Avast!
BrandonBombshell Updated - 2nd Dec 2010
I am a more than average computer enthusiast and I know my way around a bit a computer pretty well. I use both MSE and Avast! at the same time. Most Antiviruses don't like each other Although these two seem to work very well together and don't cancel out.
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I've used AVG (paid) for years...
jch1966 2nd Dec 2010
The 'update' screwed-up my Windows 7 64bit boot as well, and I run 2011 Internet Security full. I'm on an HP HDX w/dual 300GB HD's. My MBR is on C: which contains a Vista install. D: contains Win7.

I booted to the Win7 Ultimate Install DVD and selected 'Repair Computer'... worked like a charm. Took about 10 minutes.

After booting to Win7 my AVG logs were blank. Windows logs revealed that the '%hs' file in the blue-screen error referred to 'msvcr80.dll' located in 'system32', which was missing. I also had to re-install Firefox because a required Mozilla .dll was corrupt.

This glitch won't make me move to another AVP. I've used Kasper-Sky, Norton, MSE, blah-blah-blah.

AVG has consistently targeted threats that the others have missed.
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Are you sure they were threats?
Michael Alan Goff 3rd Dec 2010
AV are known for sometimes having false positives.
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
dev/null 3rd Dec 2010
@goff256 Sometimes ? You're too kind.
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
Jimster480 3rd Dec 2010
@jch1966 AVG has more false positives than any of the other ones that you mentioned.
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
AVGTechnologies 3rd Dec 2010
This is AVG Technologies,

We?re very sorry for the inconvenience. Over the past 24 hours, AVG has had two update issues. The problems affected Windows 7 users on 64-bit products. As soon as we were first notified about these issues, we immediately began fixing the problems. AVG is taking swift action on this matter. We remain committed to our customers, and, as such, we are taking the following actions:

1-Updates have been issued for both of these issues and are currently being propagated to the broad AVG user base.

2-For the next 48 hours, we are offering free technical support to our entire user base; anyone who has been affected by either of these issues.

3 -Please view the YouTube tutorial for the rescue procedure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fam3-KSfA3A

PAID CUSTOMERS: Support for System crash after the recent AVG 2011 update 3292 (BSOD)

If you have encountered the above mentioned issue with the latest AVG update and FAQ 4079 didn?t help you, please contact our English support team by dialing the following numbers:

1-Home and Free customers: 24/7 support +1-877-367-9933

2-Business customers: 9:30am-6:30pm EST +1-828-459-5436 or skype:avg-nc

You can also email us at updateissuehelp@avg.com.

FREE CUSTOMERS: Support for System crash after the recent AVG 2011 update 3292 (BSOD)

1-If you have encountered the above mentioned issue with the latest AVG update and FAQ 4080 didn?t help you, please contact our English support team by dialing the following number:

2-24/7 support: +1-877-367-9933

You can also email us at updateissuehelp@avg.com

AVG sincerely regrets any inconvenience this issue has caused and we are ready to help you resolve this as quickly as possible.
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
rhonin 3rd Dec 2010
@AVGTechnologies
Nice to see an entry like this..... way to few.
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
ramien43@... 3rd Dec 2010
I just had a thought, all this talk on here on how to fix and it''s sort of a no big deal, what if the user only has 1 computer. Aren't all these tips kind of like, the instructions to open the box are in the box.
So this should be a big deal and AVG needs to do better in the QA department. To have a computer go ten-toes because of an update and the user is clueless as to what to do, I feel, is unacceptable.
Don't you agree?
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agreed &...
OneTwoc21 3rd Dec 2010
@ramien43@... I agree with your closing statement, which is why my company tends to stay away from AVG now n days.

As for posting fixes on here, because giving back to the community is what should always be done. In other words, if somebody has access to another computer and can look up the problem, or if a technician is attempting to search the internet for resolutions because maybe the standard one that AVG is advising is not working, then they may come here looking for help. I use ZDNet for all sorts of information on whats going on in the tech world (among some other sites) so only fair i contribute back.
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Dumped AVG, Went To MSE
cyberslammer2 3rd Dec 2010
Not bad, I'll give it a chance....

Don't need my 64-bit Windows 7 in lockdown mode over some shoddy update.
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
ramien43@... 3rd Dec 2010
@OneTwoc21,
Yes, I agree with you as to getting fixes here, they are always, well almost always, the solution. However I was referring to the 'lone home user' who just bought a computer and has very limited knowledge, and doesn't really have any outside contacts, though I believe these people would be in the minority, but for them, this update must have been totally a mess for them.
This forum/blog is great, but I'd be willing to be most users don't have a clue about this. They get a computer, e-mail, surf, IM and they are happy. Someone tells them AVG is great and the next thing they know, the computer won't boot. But I digress.
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yeah its a shame
OneTwoc21 3rd Dec 2010
@ramien43@... i feel really bad for people that have to go through that. then again we have a different perspective being tech type individuals. When i bring my car to the mechanic i really don't know much and have to put my faith in the guys working on it. Just like computer techs, car techs are a dime a dozen and finding a trustworthy one is hard. Which is another shame of the industry but i guess nothing is perfect.

Hopefully they know to take their computers somewhere other then the geek squad to get it repaired :P
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
mswift@... 3rd Dec 2010
@OneTwoc21
Where does one find these dime a dozen car techs? I have hundreds of shops that would like this information. That trustworthy comment has to do with the owner/manager. The techs do what that person wants done in exchange for a check. A diagnostic tech can break $100k salary in a big city.
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
OneTwoc21 3rd Dec 2010
@mswift... a little off topic no? just using a reference point. Also, its all the mom n pop repair shops that you see that seem to have good deals but you get screwed over by the quote, at least i have, i've had my transmission rebuilt when it was not needed before... ended up being the spark plugs that were the issue... its the stigma of the industry.
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
james347 3rd Dec 2010
Remove Windows, problem solved.
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
ngineer2003@... 3rd Dec 2010
I had this problem on two PC's in my family. It was annoying and a problem, but after a couple of times letting Windows 7, & WinVista 64 try to repair itself, and after trying a couple of successive backwards system restores with no luck, i just rebooted, hit F8, and did a "Last known good configuration". That solved it on both PC's. Had to repair Mozilla Firefox on both also, but not too painful. Scary at first.
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
gundam_0083 3rd Dec 2010
let windows fix itself, rebooted twice, it works.
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RE: AVG 2011 Free edition causes problems for Windows 7 64-bit users
emailads=spam 3rd Dec 2010
Windows 7 64-bit users are not the only ones with AVG problems. I am still with Xp. I downloaded a music program/application with AVG secretly bundled with it.
2 months later I am still trying to remove the AVG garbage.

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