Avast deleted windows files

General Topics
1

I have Windows Vista, and I have recently been having difficulty with the startup–it says files are missing or corrupted, and I have to go through the checkdisk process every time. I got help from the Microsoft people, and they had me uninstall Avast and fix the files. I re-installed Avast, even though they said Avast had been deleting the files (and causing the Windows Update 80070002 issue as well). I don’t want to use Microsoft Security Essentials, as they suggested. I want to use Avast, since I have never had a problem with it before. Is there any way to stop Avast from deleting the important files? It affects startup, windows update, and backup. They said it deletes Windows Modules Installer, and I had to manually re-install it once Avast was removed, if that helps.

Thanks!

2

Never heard of this problem before but we’ll wait to see if anybody else has. I can’t see why it would delet the modules installer unless it was infected. Have you run a scan with malwarbytes.

3

First avast doesn’t just arbitrarily delete files, you would have got visual and audible alerts, did that happen ?

You could start with the file names and locations of the files reported as missing ?

Second, not all files in the system folders (if that is the location) are windows folders, as this is a common malware tactic to scare a user into not moving them.

I fear this is a MS support get out of jail blame something else if you have had no avast alerts. I have had no issues with avast and windows updates either.

4

I had this problem on one of my vista machines, I found a post with instructions on how to fix it, and it had nothing to do with Avast! In fact, the culprit in this case is Mcafee!

This solution was originally posted at http://www.waldrondigital.com/2009/06/30/windows-update-80070002-error-with-vista/ - I have reposted it here in case that site should become unavailable for any reason!

First question: Do you have McAfee installed (or WAS it ever installed)? If so, keep reading. For those of you who don’t have McAfee, this article may help you – check and see if the file %windir%\system32\wuauclt.exe exists. If it doesn’t keep reading.

McAfee at some point decided that the factory SP1 Vista System file c:\windows\system32\wuauclt.exe in VISTA was a virus. On a system I was recently working on, I kept banging my head on the wall wondering what had happened to the Vista system in question. No matter how you tried to apply Windows Updates, it would immediately fail with the error code 80070002. The system was a Dell with the factory McAfee security suite installed.

After trying many fixes from multiple Google searches, such as removing pieces of c:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Downloads & Backup, Windows Updates still wouldn’t work. Somewhere I stumbled on someone who had this same issue – it turns out McAfee will quarantine that file thus removing your Windows Update capabilities.

The fix is simple: restore the c:\windows\system32\wuauclt.exe from your Vista DVD or if you still have McAfee installed, un-quarantine the file.

In case you are lazy like I am, I have provided a SP1 version of the file at the end of this article which you can put into place instead of restoring from the DVD. I have many computers on Vista and I just took the file from a working setup (Service Pack 1) and copied it in. As soon as I replaced the file everything was right in the world and the computer started updating again.

One more reason to hate McAfee products.

(I didn’t include the file at the end of the article, sorry!)

5

I don’t have Mcafee, nor have I ever had it, so I’m not sure why the file would be missing. I replaced the file after un-installing Avast, and everything was OK for a few days. I re-installed Avast, and now the file is gone again. Does Avast always tell you when it deletes a file? I don’t know what else would cause it to disappear all the time.

6

Avast doesn’t take antonymous actions without notification in the form of an audible and visual alert as I said in my first post.

I also asked what this file/s (and location/s) is/are to try and get an idea of what is going on, but that remains unanswered ?

7

I did answer your question. The Windows module installer was deleted. I had to download and install TrustedInstaller.exe and put it into the windows servicing folder.

This is the exact email, and I did everything it said (that fixed the problem until I re-installed Avast):

From the problem description, I understand that Windows updates cannot be installed successfully with the error code 80070002. Thank you for your efforts. In addition, as I know, we have been working with Alex Sang, and the following solution was completed: Use the System File Checker (SFC) to scan system files. If there has been any misunderstanding, please let me know.

I understand the inconvenience you have experienced. Please be assured that I will do my best to help you.

I understand that sometimes troubleshooting can be a bit time-consuming and the fact that the issue is still not resolved can be frustrating. However, by performing the previous steps, we have already eliminated some possible causes of the problem and we are getting closer to a solution. I will do my best to assist you till all the concerns are addressed completely and successfully to you satisfaction. As a Service Support Representative, customer satisfaction is always my first priority.

If there are some steps I will provide you have tried before, please take your time to perform them again just in order to obtain the latest system information for further research. Thank you for your understanding and efforts.

Now, we can start troubleshooting as follows.

Before moving on, I would like to confirm if Avast! is installed on the computer. If it is, our Windows Modules Installer may be accidently removed by Avast!. Thus, I suggest we first uninstall Avast! and then please try to import Windows Modules Installer again. Please be assured that after the troubleshooting, I will assist you to reinstall it back.

Step 1: Uninstall Avast! with the removal tool aswClear5.exe

=============================================

Please download aswClear5.exe onto the desktop with the following link and remove Avast!:

http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility

Please Note: Since the website is not hosted by Microsoft, the link may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Can the Avast! be removed successfully?

After it is removed, I suggest we continue to perform the following steps to import Windows Modules Installer again.

Step 2: Manually replace the corrupt Windows Modules Installer

==================================

Step 1: Change the owner of the Servicing folder

  1. Click Start. In the search bar, type in “%windir%” (without the quotation marks) and press Enter.

  2. Right click Servicing folder and click “Properties”.

  3. Click the Security tab.

  4. Click Advanced.

  5. Click the Owner tab.

  6. Click Edit.

  7. Under “Change owner to”, highlight the Administrator account. Click on “Replace Owner on Subcontainers and objects”. Click OK.

  8. Click OK. You might receive an “Access Deny” error. Just go ahead.

  9. In the Security tab of Servicing folder properties, click Edit.

  10. Highlight Administrators and grant it “Full Control” permission.

  11. Click OK.

Step 3: Manually restore missing file

============================

  1. Save the Fix.zip file attached in this email to the Desktop.

  2. Extract the two files. TrustedInstaller.exe and TrustedInstaller.reg.

  3. Copy the TrustedInstaller.exe file into C:\Windows\servicing folder.

Step 4: Backup Registry

===================

  1. Click Start. Type REGEDIT in the Start Search bar and press Enter.

  2. Select Computer (the root node) in the left pane, click Export under the File menu, choose All under Export range, select Desktop in the Save in box and type backup in File Name. Click Save.

Please Note: The backup file is on the Desktop and named backup.reg. We can simply restore the registry by double-clicking the backup.reg file.

After that, please refer to the following steps to import the register key.

Step 5: Import TrustedInstaller.reg

===========================

  1. Double click the TrustedInstaller.reg file in the fix.zip file.

  2. Click Yes when you are prompted to import it.

Note: If you receive a message "Not all data was successfully written to the registry. Some keys are open by the system or other process.”, please simply ingore it.

Restart the computer and check if Windows Update works. If not, please check if Windows Modules Installer service has been started.

Restart the computer and check if Windows Update can work properly again.

Can the TrustedInstaller.reg be imported successfully?

If it is, please try to install Windows updates again.

Please take your time with the steps and let me know the results at your earliest convenience. If there are any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me.

If the issue still persists, please collect the latest System Information for further research, which is very important for us to find out the root cause. Please be sure that the information does not contain any of your confidential and private information. It’s for troubleshooting purposes only. Thank you for understanding.

System Information

===============

The System Information can provide us with more information about the current status of the system. I would like to check it for you. Please send it to me using the following steps:

  1. Click “Start”, type “MSINFO32” in the Search Bar and press Enter to start the System Information.

  2. On the popup window, on the menu bar, click “File”, and click “Save”, type a file name and then choose NFO as “Save as type”, click “Desktop” on the left pane, and click Save.

  3. Right-click on the exported file, choose “Send To” → “Compressed (zipped) Folder”.

Please send the zip file to v-30magl@mssupport.microsoft.com.

Note: When attaching files to emails, the process will vary depending on the email application being used. While you are composing the email, most applications will provide you with either an “Attach” button or a Paper Clip Icon to click in order to attach a file. After clicking this button/icon you must browse to the file you wish to attach and select it by either double clicking it or clicking it once and then clicking “Attach”.

After obtaining the information, I will research it and get back to you as soon as possible. Please take your time with the steps and let me know the results at your earliest convenience. If there are any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me.