Avast Upgrade Deleted Programs, Windows Executables not fully launching

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Win 7 Pro 64bit PC HP

Customer inserted license for Avast Pro V8; to upgrade from previous version that was set to expire. At some point; either the customer rebooted and then this occurred:

  1. Majority of the Icons would no longer launch the appropriate applications
  • Google Chrome
  • Automotive Software
  1. It put two applications in Quarantine
  • Was able to bring one back; but they still remain even though I selected Restore and Exclude
  1. Another software “Cash Drawer” it removed from Program Files (x86) completely.
  2. Word .doc associations no longer work.
  3. Office 2010 Word/Excel Starter version will no longer launch.
  4. Customer is unable to print

I’m about to pull the machine and attempt a restore to a previous point and/or run a repair on Windows but this shouldn’t occur just by inserting the license and Avast updating itself.

Thoughts?

2

Where was the license purchased from as version 8 is nearly a year old now - I’m wondering if it’s cracked license that came with a nice little virus :-\

After restoring files a copy will remain in quarantine for future reference.

3
Thoughts?

Seems suspicious that an upgrade occurred, but… Smells a lot like a coincidence. There are things people can do/change/tweak/reconfigure that don’t show problems until after the next reboot.

The important coincidence sounds to me to be that the customer was installing a new version of an antivirus package. Ask yourself why they might have chosen this time to do that…

-Noel