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Webroot causing problems on startup


Userlevel 1
Hello,
 
I've had Webroot for about a year now, I had zero issues out of it during that time. However, this past week I've been having some pretty major issues with it.
 
It started about Monday, everything would hang on startup and certain applications would cause the system to lockup entirely (swtor launcher, steam, etc). I completely formatted my system disk and reinstalled Windows 7, thinking there was just an issue with my install. Everything went smoothly until I installed Webroot, then my issues started again. My system would hang on startup for seemingly no reason. 
 
What's strange is booting into safe mode works perfectly, even though Webroot still starts in safe mode. 
 
I uninstalled Webroot and everything was fine after that, I have had no performance issues afterwards. 
 
Does anyone have any idea why this would happen?
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Best answer by brandonb1218 6 May 2014, 09:22

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18 replies

Userlevel 7
Hi brandonb1218
 
Given what you are saying, and it looks like a OS-related issue, I believe that the best course of action is to Open a Support Ticket giving the Support Team all of the details that you have and letting them take a look.  Looks like a job for the experts as you have done a reformat, reinstall of OS and then reinstall of WSA.
 
Regards
 
 
Baldrick
Userlevel 1
Thank you, I'll do just that!
Userlevel 7
Hi brandonb1218
 
You are most welcome.  A pity that there is not more we can do for you.  We are mainly just volunteers in the Community and whilst we can assist with a lot of the issues that get posted sometimes discretion is the better part of valour...and so best to hand over to the professionals.
 
Having said that it would be great, as and when they have sorted you out, if you would post back as to what the solution entailed...that way if a user comes by in the future withthe same or a similar issue then we may be in a better position to assist them...thanks to that information.
 
Regards
 
 
Baldrick
 
 
 
Userlevel 1
I will do for sure, nothing irritates me more than trying to find a solution to a problem and when you finally find a relevant forum thread, the OP says "solved!" but doesn't bother to tell anyone how!
Userlevel 7
I so completely agree with you..and if you provide the detail of the solution then we can give you the 'Solution' tag for the thread...which helps direct future readers of the thread to the solution post.
 
I await your feedback with interest..and thanks again.
 
Regards
 
 
Baldrick
Userlevel 1
Just an update, here's what I've done so far. This is an abbreviated version of my reply to Webroot support. Posting here incase anyone has similar symptoms in the future. 
I had to reinstall Webroot first, then restart and all my problems started again. I let it sit for a bit, then had to force a reboot and got into safe mode. From safe mode I was able to do the logs but obviously I can't upload them automatically since I have no networking. 

What's strange is, every time I would do safe mode with networking, I would get a bluescreen for system service exception almost immediately after webroot autostarted. I had no such problem on regular safe mode, even after starting web root. 

I also tried disabling all my of startup programs besides webroot, it didn't seem to make any difference. 
It's got to be some kind of driver conflict, maybe something to do with networking? From what I can tell as soon as I start to acquire an IP address on startup the system freezes up, add that into the symptom I'm having in safe mode with networking and it makes sense. 
Userlevel 7
Hi brandonb1218
 
Kudos for some excellent detailed information...hopefully Support can make good use of that and get to the bottom of the problem.
 
Keep us posted and if for some reason you do not hear back from the Support Team in a reasonable timescale then please post back here too.
 
Regards
 
 
 
Baldrick
Userlevel 1
I'm going back and forth with support right now, I've given them the logs and now they want me to run a couple other utilities while Webroot is installed but I can't do that unfortunately. 
 
Here's the important bits. 
Hello, 

Thank you for contacting Webroot Support, 

The dump logs are showing lots of driver issues which are causing the problems. 

We recommend you run the windows driver verifier utility. 
You should be able to access the tool by clicking the start button and entering Verifier.exe into the search. 
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/244617 

We would also recommend running a checkdisk: 
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ie/windows-vista/check-your-hard-disk-for-errors 

If you require any further support or have any comments or questions, please don't hesitate to let us know. 

Thank you, 

Webroot Support 

and my reply
 
Thanks for the reply, 

Please remember this is on a fresh install of Windows 7 with all the latest drivers from the manufacture, and all of my disks are in perfect working order according to the tests I've already done. I tested all of my hardware before I even started looking at Webroot as the cause. 

I looked at the logs too and those driver issues are only happening with Webroot installed and running, if you look at the logs collected AFTER Webroot was uninstalled you'll see all those previous driver issues go away, all of the networking services that were failing to start, start without a problem. There's got to be something with Webroot that's keeping the networking drivers and services (and perhaps others) from starting.
I can't function with Webroot installed. As soon as I login to my user account in Windows it hangs as it starts to load everything. The only thing I can do is install it and try running everything from safe mode, but that won't do you any good because all of those drivers that are affected won't be running. 

I honestly really have no idea how I can work around that if I can't get it to function past the login screen. 
 

It's strange indeed, I have not had any issues like this over the past year I've had Webroot. The only thing I can think of is a recent update is causing weird things to happen for some reason. 
Userlevel 7
Hmmm, that does sound strange, especially if previously there were no issues, but you have a fresh install, etc.  It is best we leave you in the Support Team's capable hands for the moment.
 
But just one small question...are you using the same installer that you used to do the original install a year ago or have you downloaded the latest one recently and used that for this latest install?  If not then that is something that you could try...you never know.
 
Regards
 
 
Baldrick
Userlevel 1
Yep, freshly downloaded installer. There's a possibilty my SSD is dying on me, as they tend to present different symptoms than mechanical disks, but it just seems very odd that it wouldn't be doing the same thing regardless if Webroot is installed or not. 
Userlevel 7
OK, well at least that is one option not to consider further.  Hmmm, strange indeed...but I think that you are addressing the issue with the best people available and for the moment would stick with the Support Team.
 
Regards
 
 
Baldrick
Userlevel 1
Alright, looks like the issue has been resolved.
 
My suspicions were correct the whole time. :$
 
All of the evidence pointed to Webroot being the "root" cause of the issue, besides a couple anomalies here and there. 
 
I did some research and had read about the importance of secure erasing SSD's every now and then, to keep them performing correctly. So I updated the firmware on my SSD and did a secure erase using Samsung's utility. 
 
I then reinstalled Windows, and one by one started installing things, with Webroot being the very first thing I installed after my network drivers. I have had zero problems and just about everything is completely up and running again. 
 
I'm sure the conditions had to be just perfect for this to happen, and I just got unlucky, but it's all good now!
Userlevel 7
Hi brandonb1218
 
Well done...nice one.  Some technical super sleuthing on your part.  What you found is very interesting and I for one have never come across that combination of circumstances.
 
Glad to know you are sorted and make use of WSA (and the system) unhindered. :D
 
Regards
 
 
Baldrick
Userlevel 1
I spoke too soon, misdiagnosis!
 
So after I had everything I needed reinstalled and working, I started on Windows updates, and what do ya know? My problems start all over again after the first round of updates.
 
After a painstaking process of elimination I narrowed it down to the Internet Explorer 9 update, not like a security update or anything like that, I mean IE9 it self. It makes absolutely no sense. 
 
I'm honestly flabbergasted. I just don't know what's real anymore. :@
Userlevel 7
Hi brandonb1218
 
Thanks for letting us know...to be honest with you nothing much surprises me in that area anymore...and you are not the first, and most likely far from being the last, to find a seemingly innocuous MS update causing havoc in this way.
 
Unfortunately...it goes with the territory.
 
Regards
 
 
 
Baldrick
 
 
Userlevel 1
Support got back with me, they white-listed some "unknown" process that was being monitored by webroot, it seems to have fixed the problem. :D
Userlevel 7
Hi brandonb1218,
 
That's great to hear that the issue has been solved:D
Thanks for posting the good news!
 
Regards,
 
Mike
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
Support got back with me, they white-listed some "unknown" process that was being monitored by webroot, it seems to have fixed the problem. :D
Excellent, brandonb1218...thanks for this important piece of feedback...the key is in the 'monitored by Webroot'...obviously WSA was monitoring something and due to that (and the journaling that takes place when monitoring is occuring) there was some sort of clash...so the lesson here is to check to see what is being monitored should another user report something similar.
 
Great stuff...another tipnfor the little black book...;)
 
Cheers
 
 
Baldrick

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