Avast folks, I made a mistake

General Topics
21

Going this way…"If you go Start → and then right-click with mouse on My Computer, and then choose Properties from the drop-down menu (at the bottom)
the screen will open with the General option in System Properties and amongst the info on that page you should see 32bit

  • meant to be there with all the other general information (but unfortunately sometimes it isn’t)"

What I see that looks close is,
AMD Athlon™ 64x2Dual
Core Processor 4000+
2.11GHz of RAM
…

Going this way. "If you go Start → and then right-click with mouse on My Computer, and then choose Properties from the drop-down menu (at the bottom)
the screen will open with the General option in System Properties and amongst the info on that page you should see 32bit

  • meant to be there with all the other general information (but unfortunately sometimes it isn’t)"

I see one folder called Program Files, no other text.

Is you meaning that if this was a 64 bit system the folder name would be " Program Files" but 2 folders?

Since I have just one folder, then this is the more common 32 bit system?

22

yes yr motherboard is 32bit architecture
In yr System Information under Summary you should see - System Type x86-based PC

  • if 64bit archictecture
    If you went to System Properties as you did when right-click My Computer and selected Properties, then you would has seen this -
    Windows XP Professional x64 Edition

Sorry ages since I powered up my 64bit system, as sitting idle minus a video card at the moment

23

Consider yourself lucky you don’t have XP 64 since it wasn’t very good. The specs of your machine are high enough that it could run Windows 7, 32 or 64 bit, if you are ever inclined to make the switch. My machine might struggle since it only has a single core processor.

24

Thanks. We got that part settled.

Can you go into any detail if I ‘must’ boot up in safe mode and run the avast uninstall?

I have the CCleaner and to me, which isn’t sayin’ much, the old avast appears to be all gone, as does the old ad-aware.

I am unclear on if I ‘must’ when to run the avast uninstall tool I down loaded. Would I run the tool is normal mode and then shut down to boot up in safe mode and the run the program?

Could it be CCleaner wiped these out completely?

Another tool a friend suggested I install and i did is Auslogics Disk Defrag, which seems a nice tool for defrag.

before i ran that the first time maybe a week ago, I hunted high and low for How To Scan disk like in win 98se.

It seems scan disk first is not what xp wants, but I wouldn’t know why?

Once i learn these things, I can be good to go, but getting there, and on a new to me system isn’t easy. I don’t know any IT guys and live very rural.

I did save Avast 5.0 to the down loads folder, so I can wipe it clean and still recover it . The same goes for the Dl for Malawarebytes, other than the old one is still working such as it is.

I emailed them the code I got, a 732, and their answer was remove the program for the updated one.

Before I got rid of the AVG anti virus program I ran it, and came up clean. In their version of a chest there were old files before me, but all of that appears gone too.

All in all I think this system will be ok for my limited uses.

25

Dch48, We sort of cross posted. I got the message still. I can’t even tell what brand this system is. There is no logo or brand name on it anywhere. Friends of mine helped out a kid (30 year old kind), and the kid went bad on a lone, and this was asked for as in partial payment. My friends just wanted something, and then pretty much my friends considered things I have done just because, favors, worthy of giving me this machine. I got a tower, a beater key board and a mouse.

The tower has no A drive but the My Computer thinks it has one and there is marks from screws to hold one too. No big deal to me since I don’t need a A drive. It has a DVD Burner, not the SATA type, and I know this because I was going to add anouter burner and bought the wrong one. There is no place to plug that new drive in, and to return it would cost more in shipping back than the dvd cost new, so I have a nice new dvd burner that will sit in a box and collect dust.

I guess I can buy an adapter to the SATA port and then use the burn if I really want to bad enough. Another guy explained to me why I don’t need 2 burners, and now i see the reason, it makes sense.

26
I emailed them the code I got, a 732, and their answer was remove the program for the updated one.
Go to Control Panel > Internet Options. Click on the Connections tab, then the LAN Settings button. Uncheck Use a Proxy Server and check Automatically detect settings. Then click Ok/Apply and exit out of there. Malwarebytes should update now without giving you the error.

This is fixed in latest version, and if you get the update to work it will download the latest version… :wink:

27

Pondus, I am on Juno 56k dial up. I am looking at where you told me to go and it says:

Local Area Networking (LAN) settings
LAN Settings do not apply to dial-up connections.
Choose Settings above for dial-up settings.

I live so far back in the woods no cable comes here, and satellite is out of the question.

28

There are 2 ways to find the XP scan disk and defrag utilities. If you have installed Auslogics defrag though, I would use that as it’s faster and better. One way to find the utilities is ; Start-All Programs-Accessories-System Tools. In there you will see the scandisk and defrag among other things.
The second way is ; Start-My Computer-right click on the c: drive and choose Properties and then the tab for tools.

You should probably run the scandisk with the option to automatically fix errors. You will have to reboot for it to do it’s job. You will get a blue screen describing what’s going on. Just let it finish it’s job and then the machine will reboot again and this time XP will fully load.

29

Yes I had done that maybe a week ago, after getting rid of things I could see in 'Recent Documents, except the files were missing, just titles and hanging chads of stuff the kid had. When the blue screen first appeared i said Uh Oh. I took it as the blue screen of death I have seen on other xp systems. I was relieved seeing a message i could read and understand.

What i would like to know more about is why booting to safe mode to run Avast uninstall matters after removing the wrong avast with CCleaner.

I am still waiting to remove Malwarebytes, and install the new one. If I must remove the new avast and boot up in safe mode to remove the old and new avast again, I don’t want to confuse the issues with Malwarebytes.

One brick at a time and the road to Rome will be built… maybe LOL

30

@Mac : That’s my name ;D
Malwarebytes is the software’s name
SuperAntispyware is also another software’s name ~_^

Thank you,
Shiw Liang :stuck_out_tongue:

31

Really that is a real name? In the USA um well err, it is a slang word for a part of the male anatomy. That’s ok, as there is a slang word for my real last name.

Down to bee’ wax.

If Ccleaner gets out removed programs, is there any real need to start in safe mode and run uninstall programs?

That is the most important question of the day for me.

There is another question. This is that google chrome was a part of avast’s download for 5.0. I allowed it, and I see no sign of the browser program anywhere.

Google Chrome does not show up in add/remove, nor does it show up in CCleaner’s list, nor in ‘Start’ ‘All Programs’.

Bad down load? I have no idea what icons i should be looking for either, but i don’t see any I didn’t see before and there is nothing I see that isn’t expected.

32

I don’t know if the uninstall functionality in CCleaner runs any differently than Add/Remove Programs does. I suspect that it doesn’t and uses the same routines but is much faster at loading the program list and starting to do what you want to do. If it doesn’t actually uninstall things any differently, then the same remnants that might be left behind by Add/Remove will also be left by using CCleaner. I always run the registry cleanup part of CCleaner after uninstalling something and it usually does find a few now invalid registry entries. You should also check your Program Files folder as sometimes whole folders are left behind. Sometimes they’re completely empty but sometimes they’re not.

33

In my opinion, you only need to reboot into safe mode to run the tool if there was any kind of problem uninstalling Avast in normal mode.
Since it appears to have uninstalled OK, the tool can (and probably should) be run in normal mode.

It’s a pretty intuitive tool to use. I can’t remember what specific prompts it came up with (if any) but I think it asked to be pointed to the “Alwil” folder in “Program files” to do its work. You’ll probably work it out no trouble.

Did you run a removal tool to finish off the removal of AVG, as well? If not, get it by clicking this direct download link (701Kb, direct from Grisoft) and save it to your desktop. Run it after you’ve run the Avast uninstall utility.

Once that’s done, you should be good to install Avast 5. You will need to reboot after installing. Sometimes a second reboot is necessary, if anything should appear to “hang”. But probably not.
The first scan will take a while, maybe, subsequent scans not as long. Personally I don’t scan very often. About once a month, alternating between Avast and MBAM. (MalwareBytes)

34

Thank you Dch48.

Tarq57. I used ccleaner and hunted with search for old files for the wrong avast i installed by mistake. I looked in programs folder too, and see no sign of it.

I think it is all gone, but don’t know 2 things. If it is standard practice to start in safe mode and run the avast uninstall after removing it it in normal mode with add/ remove, or in my case ccleaner.

The ccleaner ran a wizard that brought up uninstall with avast name and logo. I assume that is standard with the avast install, and not the down load uninstall program.

I have down loaded the uninstall program, but have not used it. The reason being I am not sure if I must run it, and if I must in safe mode.

I did install avast 5.0 and it is working, says it is protecting the system.

If I run the uninstaller now it will remove I guess any left over bits of 4.7 and take out 5.0 too, which is ok as I saved the DL exe to my down loads.

ANOTHER topic: Avast 5.0 Dl came with google chrome and I allowed it, but nothing happend. I don’t see any sign that this program really was installed. What if anything should I do about that?

35

If Avast 5 is working correctly, and there appear to be no reliability or performance issues, there is probably no need to run the uninstaller now.
I realize words like “probably” do not make the answer you want to hear. Sorry, I just don’t know. The only way to find out would be to search through all folders and the registry, and locate any leftover parts of Avast 4. Not an easy task. More difficult would be to determine if any of those leftovers are actually having an adverse effect - or doing anything at all really. (They “probably” are not.)

Which is why we always recommend the uninstaller is run between installs. (And almost always recommend the use of other programs uninstallers, too, in respect of those programs. AVG, for example.)

The reason to run it in safe mode is that certain files can be loaded with the OS starting up in normal mode. Once locked by the OS, these files can not be easily deleted. The use of safe mode prevents a considerable number of files loading at start.

If it was run in normal mode, it will clean up remnants that are not loaded, and remove any leftover reg entries. If the program had previously been successfully uninstalled, it’s my belief that that action will be adequate, as there would no longer be any instructions to load (and thereby, lock) any leftovers to run at start; a simple cleanup is all that’s indicated.

If you now run the uninstall utility, whether in safe or normal, it will remove any old Avast entries, and your new Avast 5 installation. If you choose to do this, I’d uninstall the current installation first, follow any reboot commands, run the uninstall utility -either in safe or normal, your choice - reboot, then reinstall Avast 5.

Google Chrome is a browser, like IE8, or Firefox, or Opera. You may use it as such; it should appear in the “all programs” list if you click the “start” button. (A lot of users seem to like Chrome; I haven’t tried it myself.) If you don’t want to keep it, it can be uninstalled via “add/remove programs”, either using the Windows control panel, or the same facility (which runs the same commands- that is, it is merely a different way of doing exactly the same thing,) in Ccleaner.

36

Thanks Tarq, I think I understand better now.

The avast add/on for Googler chrome must not have installed.

It looks like I should uninstall avast 5 and run the uninstall tool fer safe keepin’s. Pirate tawkin’

Just the doing will be a lesson, one I should know anyway.

37

For sure.
It’s a (usually) non-dangerous adventure to reboot into safe. Just another tool that’s good to practise when the going’s good.

38

Well I found out why to remove avast we must boot to safe mode. The uninstaller won’t function with out doing so. There is no uninstaller on the free avast version 5.0. There was on free 4.8 and there is on paid 4.7.

So this is a done deal.

Now again the new install of avast offered Google Chrome and the only place it shows in in windows explorer. c/: program files/avast.

I tried to run it from there too, and nothing happens. Maybe with the free version that google chrome just won’t open??

This system is used before me, but I think I am the admin now. I tried several ways to get google chrome to open and in one of the ways I got a NICI message. I might be wrong on the letters as i didn’t write them down.

But any other down loads I did opened and installed. Things like Auslodgics Defrag, Ccleaner, this new 5.0 avast, the new malwarebytes, so I am stumped as to what and why.

Not real sure I need a 3rd browser anyway. This has IE 8 and Mozilla Fire Fox, both on the system as it came to me.

This is how I get myself into deep kimshee in the first place, wanting to check out new things. ::slight_smile:

39

Well what I would recommend is to download Google Chrome seperately :slight_smile:
I’ve tried to install google chrome via avast installer but nothing ;D

The browser I would recommend you to use it Mozilla Firefox which is more secure than the IE 8 :slight_smile:

40

Maybe more secure but only if you install addons to it that reduce the ease of use and comfort level of browsing. I think IE8 is fine and all you need and more secure in it’s default installation than FF is in it’s out-of-the-box default state. It’s also more user friendly. Chrome I can’t stand at all.