Another CANNOT UNINSTALL thread - Sorry!

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

I have an uninstall issue that I think hasn’t been covered here before. Sorry, but I only went back about 50 threads before I was getting into pre-Avast 4 territory. My Avast is now corrupt.

System specs:
OS: Windows Vista Home Premium (:'()
CPU: Intel Quad Core Q6600
No other Security Programs running (outside of Windows OS foo)
Avast 4 Home

While trying to troubleshoot another issue, I acquired this problem. Before this happened, I did a System Restore to a previous date to try to fix a networking problem. At that earlier config, I uninstalled Avast 4 which didn’t solve the problem. Then I Undid the System Restore, which brought me forward again, but Avast was back and not functioning.

  1. At start up, an Avast error sign popped up.
  2. Tried to run Avast, error.
  3. Tried to uninstall via Control Panel–error.
  4. Tried your uninstall utility–no go.
  5. Disabled self-defense module–no go.

Here is my error log:
8/17/2008 2:58:31 PM SYSTEM 1836 AAVM - initialization error: AavmStart: avworkInitialize failed, 0000A438.
8/17/2008 2:58:31 PM SYSTEM 1836 During the parsing of C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\deftasks.xml XML document, following error occurred: C.

Also got this dialog box: a setiface 2 error has occurred

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks.

2

not a vista user but
did you select “run as administrator”
I do not know if the add-remove programs will run in safe mode but you could try it- you’re on your own unless someone else has some experience here- same with uninstall utility
my guess it is a permissions thing

3

I did. D— Vista always asks first, and the dialog box asked my permission thing first. I hate Vista (only 2 wks on it), and I’m gonna go back to XP Pro or Ubuntu soon!

I actually don’t think it’s a Vista thing. I think the issue is that pieces of Avast are missing are aren’t loading correctly.

Do the error messages mean anything to you? What is a “setiface 2 error”?

4

Did you have any other antivirus before?
Did you download avast from the official site?

I suggest an installation from the scratch:

  1. Uninstall avast from Control Panel first.
  2. Boot.
  3. Download the latest version of Avast Uninstall and use it for complete uninstallation.
  4. Boot.
  5. Install again the latest avast! version.
  6. Boot.
  7. Check and post the results.
5

Did you have any other antivirus before? No
Did you download avast from the official site? Yes

No other security/antivirus programs before Avast. See my first posting.
1. Uninstall avast from Control Panel first. Will not uninstall. See my first posting.
3. Download the latest version of Avast Uninstall and use it for complete uninstallation. Will not uninstall. See my first posting.

These error messages also come up too when I try to Start Avast.
“The AAVM subsystem detected a RPC error.”
“Unknown error. Program cannot load iNews (C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\iNews.htm)”

Any ideas???

6

does the Repair function work?

7

Nope.

8

Boot into safe mode and run the Uninstall Utility from there. avast has a self-defence module that looks like it is still working after your failed uninstall so a vast is still running even if there are some elements not working as they should.

avast doesn’t start in safe mode so the self-defence module shouldn’t get in the way.

9

Thanks, I’ll try that.

10

That worked! The uninstall utility wasn’t initally working even when I turned off the self-defence module. Booting in safe mode seemed to do it. Thanks so much, DavidR! ;D

11

You’re welcome.

I take it you have been able to reinstall, any other problems ?