Avast has become the most pervasive, unremovable malware I have ever dealt with.
I noted the avast service had stopped running after updating to the new Windows 10 build. Trying to resolve the problem, I decided to revert to a backup from before the windows update so I could remove avast before the update, then reinstall it. But turns out, even after restoring the backup, the service still wasn’t working.
I tried to uninstall through Programs and Features. Nothing happens.
I tried to uninstall in safe mode using latest avastclear.exe running as administrator. Icon circles a few times, then exits without any error message.
I tried overwriting it with latest version of Avast. Again, icon spins, then silent exit.
I tried disabling every feature under Troubleshooting, particularly to uncheck “Enable Avast self-defense module”. I uncheck it, hit ok, and when I click Troubleshooting again, it’s turned back on.
Despite Avast claiming there’s no background service, there IS a background process called “avast ! Antivirus (32 bit)” in Task Manager. Trying to end the task does nothing.
When I try to revert to Default Settings in Troubleshooting by pressing “Reset Now”, I get the only error message I have received in this entire ordeal: “Error during resetting to default settings. The AAVM subsystem detected a RPC error”. Supposedly this has to do with having multiple AV installed. The only other AV I have installed is Windows Defender which had been coexisting fine with Avast for months without issue, and turning it off does not help the issue. Checking security and maintenance confirms there is no other AV installed.
When I go into Account, it helpfully tells me that my device has been disconnected from my account. I log in on my website, and my device is listed right there. Well, I think, maybe restoring the backup had something to do with it. I remove the device listed on the website, then try to log in from within Avast to connect. Successful login, and then “We could not connect your device to your Avast Account. Please, try again later.” I’ve been trying for five freaking hours.
Most infuriatingly, I CANNOT REMOVE AVAST FROM TASK MANAGER STARTUP. So I can’t just uninstall it, I can’t keep it from running as a process.
I paid for and installed Avast in order to not have to deal with infuriating programs that corrupt your system and are difficult to remove. This is virtually impossible to remove. Avast has become exactly what I bought Avast to help prevent. I had a lot of work I needed to do this weekend, and this has stopped me cold. If it isn’t resolved within a matter of hours, I am going to have to wipe my OS and reinstall everything just to get rid of this nightmare of a program. Needless to say, I’ll just rely on Microsoft Security Essentials from that point on. Wish I could get a refund for what I paid.
I just can’t grasp how avastclear.exe could possibly fail to remove this program when running in safe mode.
Note: I have no indications that I have contracted any sort of malware or virus, nor have I done anything risky lately that could cause it. I just need to get to the new Windows build, but I’m not going to chance having to do everything twice (actually, a third time) because this unremovable corrupted process is running during the entire update process, god knows what it could screw up during the upgrade.
