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Tom Archer macbook pro won't launch after installing AVG antivirus and running scan
I installed the free AVG antivirus software on my Macbook Pro but after I ran the scan for virus program my laptop restarted itself but won't launch. I can turn it off by pushing the power button, but when I start it the launch process only gets to the apple symbol and then after a while restarts itself again. There are also small dots that appear on the gray screen during its attempt to launch.
My Macbook Pro is up and running again. With further troubleshooting I determined it wasn't a software problem but a failure of the logic board. It must be the strain (heat generation) of running the virus check was more than the six year old logic board could handle. I reflowed the logic board and everything is working again. My guess is that the virus scan program was never to blame for the problem. I really do appreciate, though, all the assistance you provided. I do have the "diagnostic report" folder if you still want it, but I would need instructions on how to send via FTP (I didn't see the article you referred to concerning sending with FTP).
Again, thanks for your help.
Sincerely, Tom
All Answers
AVG Guru
I would like to let you know that your issue was transfered to our product specialist.
We will keep you informed here.
Thank you
We would like to inform you and propose some steps to take in order to restore functionality of your Macbook.
Additionally, we have some questions to ask that will help us to understand what happened. Please respond to these:
Has the conducted scan detected any infections in your Mac?
If yes, have you deleted them?
The AVG AntiVirus for Mac is designed in a way not to delete any files without user's consent as well as the program would not perform a system reboot on its own, unless there is an unexpected extraordinary situation (system crash, but it is not forced by AVG).
By the words of our development, there are two possible reasons that caused this situation to occur.
There are two possibilities how to get into the corrupted system:
The system should boot normally without functionally running AVG. Thus you will be able to unistall AVG. However, before you uninstall AVG we would like to ask you to send us log files due to the fact that the files should be removed with deletion of AVG. These files will help us to understand what happened and take actions to avoid such situations in the future.
The files we would like to request are located in:
/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports
~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports
/Library/Logs/com.avg.Antivirus
~/Library/Logs/com.avg.Antivirus
Please copy files from these locations and archive them in order to compress file size. Have a look at this article which will help you to upload the file to our FTP. Let us know when you do so, stating the name of the file as well.
Feel free to contact us for further questions. Thank you for your cooperation.
Regards,
Vladimir
I didn't previoulsy have any antivirus software installed.
I don't know if the AVG antivirus scan detected any virus. The screen was frozen and then the laptop restarted.
I have tried booting from the original Apple install DVD and from an OS 10.10 rescue CD, but they don't get any further than booting from the hard drive.
I followed your instructions to access the terminal by starting with command S and entering "mount -uw /" and then entering "rm /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.avg.Antirvirus.services.plist" but I get a message "no such file or directory"
Is there a different file name I should try?
Also, it might be relevant (I don't know) that when I do a verbose restart (command V) one of the last scripts shown before the laptop has a panic reboot is: "BUG in process sehelperd[135] . . ."
I am hoping that there is another command I can give through the command S terminal that will allow me to successfully boot from the hard drive or from an install DVD or rescue CD?
Is there a different file or directory I should remove?
Your help will be greatly appreciated!
P.S.
If I can get to the diagnostic reports I would be glad to send them to you for your study.
Thank you for your reply.
We are sorry to hear that the proposed steps did not cure your situation. Your response was quoted to our development department and we have their comments for you.
You stated that - one of the last scripts shown before the laptop has a panic reboot is: "BUG in process sehelperd[135] . . ." - but unfortunately sehelperd is not a daemon of AVG software nor it looks to be a daemon belonging to system operations.
Nonetheless, we did some research for you and found this topic:
http://www.tonymacx86.com/general-help/143854-yosemite-10-10-bug-process-suhelperd.html
where users say that this problem is probably caused by incorrect extraction of SD card from the laptop. Yet, there is more information to find and something may be useful for you, as well as proposed solutions to this issue. Please, have a close look at this threat.
Additionally, you replied that - ...and then entering "rm /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.avg.Antirvirus.services.plist" but I get a message "no such file or directory" - did not help to remove the files. We found that there is a typo in your submitted command (although, may be just in the forum post). You typed Antirvirus, thus provided an extra letter "r". Please re-try this procedure.
Alternatively, you can delete the whole AVG installation this way. You can try to enter these commands (without quotes):
"rm /Applications/AVG AntiVirus.app"
"rm /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.avg.*"
"rm /Library/LaunchAgents/com.avg.*"
After this procedure, folders
/Library/Application Support/com.avg.Antivirus (1)
/Library/Logs/com.avg.Antivirus
will remain in the system, you can also delete the (1) marked folder. The other folder should contain log files, which we would like to review.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Regards,
Vladimir
I was able to remove the four items mentioned (in two cases different commands were needed, such as "rm -r /Applications/AVG*AntiVirus.app") However, my Macbook Pro still will not boot past the apple logo (there is some conflict that causes it to panic reboot). And I am still not able to boot from the original install DVD or a rescue CD.
I have ordered a firewire cable that will hopefully allow me to start my Macbook Pro in target mode and access the hard drive through a different Macbook Pro. If this works I will retrieve the logs you requested.
If you have any other ideas, I'm willing to give them a try.
Thanks for the help.
Tom
Please accept our apologies for the time delay in our response.
We are sorry that you are still experiencing troubles. Have you succeeded in booting your Mac with help of another Mac? Any news about your issue?
From our precious conversation we understood that the scan of AVG was not successfully completed, was it? If yes, were there any threats detected? Did you confirmed the deletion of any files?
Anyway, we would like to propose you to run a checkdisk utility to see if your hard-drive is not damaged in any way. There is a possibility for hardware failure that took place and is now preventing your Macbook from running.
Please have a look at this guide:
"To repair using fsck Restart in Single User mode (Command+S on boot) OR boot with the Install disc. At the command line, type:
/sbin/fsck -fy
If fsck found issues and has altered, repaired, or fixed anything, it will display this message:
***** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED *****
Important: If this message appears, repeat the fsck command you typed until fsck tells you that your volume appears to be OK (first-pass repairs may uncover additional issues, so this is a normal thing to do).
About the -y flag: Tells fsck that you want to answer 'yes' to all questions about fixing, repairing, or salvaging information. This is the optimal approach, as answering 'no' to any question causes fsck to stop. You cannot determine that all necessary repairs have been made until fsck completes and gives its final report.
The -f flag forces fsck to check 'clean' filesystems when preening."
We will really appreciate the log files from the locations as mentioned before, in order to analyze and investigate the reason for such behavior.
Please, let us know about the progress you have with your issue.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Regards,
Vladimir
My Macbook Pro is up and running again. With further troubleshooting I determined it wasn't a software problem but a failure of the logic board. It must be the strain (heat generation) of running the virus check was more than the six year old logic board could handle. I reflowed the logic board and everything is working again. My guess is that the virus scan program was never to blame for the problem. I really do appreciate, though, all the assistance you provided. I do have the "diagnostic report" folder if you still want it, but I would need instructions on how to send via FTP (I didn't see the article you referred to concerning sending with FTP).
Again, thanks for your help.
Sincerely, Tom
We don't need diagnostic data if it was not caused by AVG.
I am happy to see that your issue is resolved.
Thanks for posting back.