Computer in automatic repair loop - aswElam.sys is cause

TTSVids105 · 25 Mar 2019

This has just started happening a few hours ago, after I restarted my computer. Trying to restart does not work, nor does Startup Repair. It just continues to loop, it doesn’t boot into Windows at all.

Srttrail.txt (after a startup repair) lists:

“Boot critical file c:\windows\system32\drivers\aswElam.sys is corrupt”

Fixing the file apparently failed.

Quick searching says it’s an Avast ELAM driver.

Also, disabling early anti-malware protection didn’t work. It just goes into the repair loop.

I can’t reset Windows nor update, and I don’t have enough money to get a new HDD. SFC scan: “Windows Resource Protection cannot perform the requested operation”

How do I safely remove this aswElam.sys file or uninstall Avast?

Edit: Searching for a way to disable the ELAM drivers gives this command

bcdedit /set {current} disableelamdrivers yes

In a situation like this, is it safe to do so?

FreeBooter · 25 Mar 2019

How about renaming the aswElam.sys driver to disable it maybe it will work.

Open the Command Prompt and execute:

Code:

ren c:\windows\system32\drivers\aswElam.sys aswElam.bak

TTSVids105 · 25 Mar 2019

Will try and report back.

Edit: The aswElam error has disappeared. Thanks!

zbook · 25 Mar 2019

The specs in the "My Computer" section displayed: Windows 10 1507 x64

If this is correct another option for troubleshooting would be regback.

Update the specs in the "My Computer" section:

System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums | Tutorials
In the left corner below in your post you find 'My System Specs'.
After clicking it you can find a link a little below that says 'Update your System Spec', click on this link to get to the page where you can fill in your system specs.
System Info - See Your System Specs - Windows 7 Help Forums

Include PSU. cooler, case, peripherals and anything attached to the computer by wired or wireless (mouse, keyboard, headset, printer, xbox, USB wireless network card, etc.)

TTSVids105 · 25 Mar 2019

zbook said:

The specs in the "My Computer" section displayed: Windows 10 1507 x64

If this is correct another option for troubleshooting would be regback.

Update the specs in the "My Computer" section:

System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums | Tutorials
In the left corner below in your post you find 'My System Specs'.
After clicking it you can find a link a little below that says 'Update your System Spec', click on this link to get to the page where you can fill in your system specs.
System Info - See Your System Specs - Windows 7 Help Forums

Include PSU. cooler, case, peripherals and anything attached to the computer by wired or wireless (mouse, keyboard, headset, printer, xbox, USB wireless network card, etc.)

Since I’m rarely here, I haven’t updated it, lol - I’m on 1703

I did the regback method too, but I ended up renaming the offending file in the end, as per FreeBooter’s tip

FreeBooter · 25 Mar 2019

TTSVids105 said:

Will try and report back.

Edit: The aswElam error has disappeared. Thanks!

You are very welcome!

zbook · 25 Mar 2019

What steps had you made to block upgrades to 1709, 1803, 1809?

Are you able to boot and uninstall the antivirus software?

Avast Uninstall Utility | Download aswClear for Avast Removal

TTSVids105 · 25 Mar 2019

zbook said:

What steps had you made to block upgrades to 1709, 1803, 1809?

Are you able to boot and uninstall the antivirus software?

Avast Uninstall Utility | Download aswClear for Avast Removal

1. I honestly forgot. I think I disabled the service

2. Nope, can’t boot at all, not even any Safe Mode - just tested right now and it still goes into that auto repair loop

Besides my Avast has been broken as of late - UI doesn’t start at all despite shields being active.

Now NTFS.sys is “corrupt” but I don’t want this thread to contain two issues at once...

zbook · 25 Mar 2019

@FreeBooter may have additional troubleshooting steps.

One option is to perform a reset save files equivalent (reinstall drivers and applications).

FreeBooter · 25 Mar 2019

Please boot your computer with Windows Setup Media and from Windows Recovery Environment start the Command Prompt.

Please type below command into Command Prompt and press Enter key.

The following command scans integrity of all protected Windows system files and repairs files with problems when possible.

Code:

Sfc  /Scannow   /OFFBOOTDIR=D:\   /OFFWINDIR=D:\Windows

Please replace partition letter D: with Windows installed partition letter. When computer boots into Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) environment the drive letter assign to Windows partition may not be C: drive letter because Windows 7, 8 , 8.1 and 10 creates a separate system partition when it's installed from scratch. The system partition contains boot files WinRE assigns the system partition the C: drive letter and the Windows installed partition will be assign any other drive letter usually D: drive letter is assign to Windows installed partition. The Bcdedit /enum | find "osdevice" command can be use to find out the drive letter of the Windows installed partition the output of the Bcdedit command is similar to this osdevice partition=D:. The drive letter after partition= is the drive letter of the Windows partition.

Please boot your computer with Windows Setup Media and from Windows Recovery Environment start the Command Prompt.

Please type below command into Command Prompt and press Enter key.

Following command will fixes errors on the disk and locates bad sectors and recovers readable information.

Code:

Chkdsk D: /r

Please replace partition letter D: with Windows installed partition letter. When computer boots into Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) environment the drive letter assign to Windows partition may not be C: drive letter because Windows 7, 8 , 8.1 and 10 creates a separate system partition when it's installed from scratch. The system partition contains boot files WinRE assigns the system partition the C: drive letter and the Windows installed partition will be assign any other drive letter usually D: drive letter is assign to Windows installed partition. The Bcdedit /enum | find "osdevice" command can be use to find out the drive letter of the Windows installed partition the output of the Bcdedit command is similar to this osdevice partition=D:. The drive letter after partition= is the drive letter of the Windows partition.