Avast Free: Windows 7 - 2 Folders

system · 2015-04-08T18:36:27.000Z

I recently installed Windows 7, both 32-bit and 64-bit. After installing each version, I installed Avast Free and, in both instances, I found two folders in the Program Files folder.

I currently have 64-bit, and the folders are named Avast and AVAST. They appear to have the exact same files and modify times. (I had been using XP and this did not happen.)

Why are there two folders? Can this be corrected?

Thank you for any assistance.

Eddy · 2015-04-09T14:26:44.000Z

There really is no need at all to install the same OS twice and if you do, you will need two different licenses to use them.

system · 2015-04-09T23:08:44.000Z

You are absolutely right. I didn’t phrase my initial sentences correctly. Here’s another try.

After getting the Windows 7 disk, I installed the 32-bit version and discovered two sets of Avast folders in the Program Files folder.

I then installed the 64-bit version in the same partition, over the 32-bit version, and I still have the two sets of Avast folders. Note, I now only have the 64-bit version installed. This change was not due to the duplicate Avast folders.

Both sets of files and folders (one in Avast, the other in AVAST) have the same files and modify dates.

Is anyone else having this issue? Any suggestions for correction?

Eddy · 2015-04-10T08:42:10.000Z

When installing windows, did you format the drive ?

system · 2015-04-10T09:30:51.000Z

The first OS install (32-bit) was to a brand new drive, so I did not format the disk.

The second OS install was done without formatting.

Should I just uninstall Avast and then reinstall? (Is anyone else having duplicate Program File folders appearing?)

Thanks for your replies.

Eddy · 2015-04-10T09:49:08.000Z

I never heard about having two folders and I have been around for quiet some years here.
I suggest you remove avast completely and perform a clean installation.

Remove through control panel
Run avastclear
Check manually for leftover files/folders and delete them
Clean the registry (You can use CCleaner for it or the Glary Utilities)
Reboot
Install the latest avast version.

system · 2015-04-11T22:37:00.000Z

Thanks for your tips.

I uninstalled Avast Free, then did a reinstall. Currently (using Windows Explorer), the Profile Folders contains two AVAST folders, one with no files or folders, the other with 355 files and 20 folders.

Another oddity is the second AVAST folder (with 355 files) does not show the expansion arrow in Windows Explorer, not does it allow me to see the files or folders. I wouldn’t expect the first one to have the arrow since there are now files or folders, but the second one should show it.

So, the questions of the day are

Why do I have two AVAST folders (even though one is empty)?
Why doesn’t the populated one have the expansion arrow?
Even though I have two AvastUI.exe icons in the ‘Notification Area Icons’ box, with both set to ‘Show icon and notifications,’ and Avast is running, none of the icons appear in my System Tray.

Any thoughts, suggestions, on the above?

system · 2015-04-12T08:08:51.000Z

Very interesting.
File names are not case sensitive in Windows.
Could you make a screenshot?

PS message timestamps:
Reply #6 on: Today at 12:37:00 AM
Reply #7 on: Today at 10:08:51 AM

Eddy · 2015-04-12T08:15:12.000Z

File names can be case sensitive in Windows:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/100625

mchain · 2015-04-12T09:36:28.000Z

Please attach a screenshot of your program folders as they are now, as L3 asks.

Two things:

You appear to have installed 32-bit Win 7 followed by a clean install of avast!, which was then overwritten by another install of Win 7 64-bit, and then avast! was installed once more in the 64-bit version?
In both Win 7 installations you saw/see two avast! program folders, one in the program (x86) and the other in program 64-bit?

Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit shows only the 64-bit Program folder here, nothing in the (x86) Program folder.

I’m thinking what you did was a non-standard way of upgrading Win 7 to 64-bit from 32-bit (if you can call it that) and doing so may be the cause of your issues. Normally an upgrade would be Win 7 Professional or Ultimate, etc., and would not involve changing the bit version of the OS.

You might want to consider wiping your drive and starting over using this program: http://www.dban.org/ Wiping your drive to factory condition will restore it to the condition it was in before you installed Win 7 32-bit the first time.

Note: Remove any other hard drives from your system you do not want dban to wipe. Proceed to wipe the operating system drive; this will take a significant amount of time, so be patient.

Make your choice what bit version to install.

system · 2015-04-12T10:15:14.000Z

I installed the 32-bit version of Windows 7, then Avast, then 64-bit W7, then Avast again. Then, after posting my question, I uninstalled Avast and reinstalled it. As I had noted, though, the first Avast install did have duplicate folders.

It appears that the second OS install (the first was to a new drive) did not clear the drive.

I will do a wipe and start over when I have time.

One question though. Does DBAN wipe every drive in the computer, or does it let you select which partition? I have the primary drive split into two partitions and only want to wipe the C drive.

Many thanks for your help.

mchain · 2015-04-12T11:09:52.000Z

wpr post:11:

I installed the 32-bit version of Windows 7, then Avast, then 64-bit W7, then Avast again. Then, after posting my question, I uninstalled Avast and reinstalled it. As I had noted, though, the first Avast install did have duplicate folders.

It appears that the second OS install (the first was to a new drive) did not clear the drive.

I will do a wipe and start over when I have time.

One question though. Does DBAN wipe every drive in the computer, or does it let you select which partition? I have the primary drive split into two partitions and only want to wipe the C drive.

Many thanks for your help.

dban will wipe the entire drive. This means your second partition will be lost and wiped also.

Which brings up an interesting point: If this drive fails (crashes) for some reason, both partitions are certain to be lost.

Which is why best practices state a second physical hard drive should be used in case the operating system drive crashes, so you will still have your personal files backed up just in case that were to happen. Even better, a second back up of all your personal files should routinely be made to a third hard drive or other media (it’s not a backup unless two or more copies exist).

You’ll need to move/copy all your important data and files to another separate physical drive for safekeeping before you run dban. What I suspect was left unsaid was the fact that the second Win 7 install was made the way it was because you already had the second partition in place and did not want to lose your files in the second partition.

Running two partitions on the same drive is like rolling the dice over time and hoping for the best. You’ll lose all at one time or another, hard drives do fail and crash.

Solution is to back up, back up, and back up some more using different physical drives and other media; that way your catastrophe will never happen.

system · 2015-04-12T11:20:51.000Z

You bring up some excellent thoughts.

I currently, and have for quite a while, had two hard disks in the PC, plus I have an external disk.

The first disk (disk 0) has partitions C and E, the second has one partition (S). I do back up the files from both C and E to S on a regular basis, and before doing any major changes. I only have the operating system files on the C partition. Most of my software is portable, so it is easily backed up.

I believe my problems resulting from the second OS load (64-bit) was that it did not erase/format the C drive, an option I was used to with the XP loads. Live and learn!

I’ll do a complete backup before running DBAN. Hopefully the next Avast install will be less troublesome.

mchain · 2015-04-12T22:20:07.000Z

Note: [u]Remove any other hard drives from your system you do not want dban to wipe. Proceed to wipe the operating system drive; this will take a significant amount of time, so be patient.[/u]

dban default is to wipe all connected physical drives in a system!

So you would disconnect any other separate physical drives beforehand if you wish to keep the data/files on them before beginning the dban operation.

It is safer this way than if you were to begin the operation and then specify which drive dban is to wipe anyway. Set the operation to write 0’s (zero’s) only to restore the drive to factory condition; any other wipe setting is overkill for your needs and will take much longer to complete.

Just the AVAST folder name alone indicates an issue with your Win 7 installation and not with avast! install per your screenshot, especially after finding out how you did the upgrade to 64-bit. Some 32-bit Win 7 files would be left behind and not overwritten when going to 64-bit and these files left over could impact proper operation of the 64-bit system.

OS drive C: should only have the operating system on it for best results; no secondary partition should be placed on it unless you create a dual-boot operating system drive utilizing Win 7 and (example) Ubuntu Linux, each on their own partition.

What is the make/model of your new hdd? Some issues reported with the hdd firmware being modified maliciously before being sold retail on several manufacturers not too long ago. Rare issue, not likely to affect you, tho.

system · 2015-04-13T08:07:58.000Z

Screenshot (Reply #10): “C:\Program Files\AVAST”

Is it last version of avast?
Do you change installation folder?
Default folder is “C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast”

system · 2015-04-15T11:42:58.000Z

I reloaded Windows 7 64-bit, and in doing so I selected the Advanced tab to format my C drive. Somehow, I missed this when I loaded 64-bit the first time.

I’ve reloaded Avast and have only one folder in Program Files.

Many thanks to everyone who responded to help.

mchain · 2015-04-15T18:38:35.000Z

You’re welcome.

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