Help after the latest update!

General Topics
1

I’m having two problems… My Avast just updated to the newest version this morning, and now says Passive mode is on and Rootkit protection is off.

If I try to click ENABLE on the Rootkit protection, nothing happens: There’s no response at all, as if I hadn’t clicked it.

and

I cannot turn passive mode off again. Avast tells me “Antivir Desktop” is conflicting with it, and if I tell it to deactivate passive mode anyway, it goes through the motions, and asks for a restart… And once my computer has restarted, I’m back to square one: Passive mode is still on.

Things I’ve tried:
I’ve run Avast on my system: It comes back with nothing.
I’ve run Malwarebytes AntiMalware with rootkit checking enabled: It comes back with nothing.
I used to use Avira antivirus, but I uninstalled it when I installed Avast originally, and I’ve gone through the registry and deleted all of its values.
I’ve tried repairing Avast, and the repair tool comes back with the “antivir desktop” thing too.

Posted here after being told “Viruses and Worms” was the wrong board.

2
and the repair tool comes back with the "antivir desktop" thing too.
What is antivir desktop thing? .... you may post a screenshot

EDIT: If you mean Avast is reporting Avira antivir as installed, then use avira removal tool

See instructions here https://www.avira.com/en/download/product/avira-registry-cleaner

3

Antivir is a av that needs to be removed before installing another av.

4

I downloaded and used the Avira registry cleaner. Avast still says that “Antivir Desktop” is installed.

5

I uninstalled avira years ago and have been using avast ever since. It wasn’t until the update yesterday morning that this happened.

6

Screenshots of the rootkit and passive mode messages, and the message I get when trying to turn off passive mode. If I tell it to turn off passive mode anyway, it brings up the “we’re preparing to actively protect your computer.” message box, then asks me to reboot. When I do, passive mode is still on. If I try to click on the Enable button for rootkit protection, nothing happens at all. I can mash the button as much as I’d like, but Avast does nothing.

https://imgur.com/a/ljmK9

7

we can run diagnostic and let a expert check the log?

If you want to, go here >> https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=194892.0

scroll down to step 2 > Farbar Recovery Scan Tool
Run it as instructed and attach the two diagnostic logs in next reply here

How to attach, see below the box you write in here > Attachments and other options

8

Scanned and attached here

9

Log expert is notified, it may take some hours before he is online

10
  • Open Notepad (click Start button → type notepad.exe → press Enter)
  • Copy text from code block below and paste it into Notepad
GroupPolicyScripts-x32: Restriction <==== ATTENTION
ProxyServer: [S-1-5-21-2473432863-2304891344-3724721309-1000] => http=127.0.0.1:50404
  • Go to File → Save As
  • Make sure that UTF-8 is selected as Encoding (left side of Save button)
  • Save it as fixlist.txt on Desktop
  • Open again FRST and click on button Fix
  • Wait until FRST finishes
  • fixlog.txt should be genereted and opened. Attach it your post and wait further instructions.
11

Code copied, encoded and saved… Run through FRST… And log below

After the reboot from FRST, Avast had a notification that it wanted my computer to reboot, but after the second reboot, nothing has changed. Still getting the same two messages about the rootkit and passive mode.

12

Previous fix was for possible adware modifications. Only Avira trace shown in logs is one folder which I really doubt is cause of issue.

  • Open Notepad (click Start button → type notepad.exe → press Enter)
  • Copy text from code block below and paste it into Notepad
C:\Users\Mr_Havoc\AppData\Local\Avira_Operations_Gmbh_&_C
  • Go to File → Save As
  • Make sure that UTF-8 is selected as Encoding (left side of Save button)
  • Save it as fixlist.txt on Desktop
  • Open again FRST and click on button Fix
  • Wait until FRST finishes
  • fixlog.txt should be genereted and opened. Attach it your post and wait further instructions.
13

Copied, saved, encoded… And log.

14

What is Avast status now?

15

Tried to enable Rootkit protection: Still nothing
Tried to turn off passive mode: Still says antivir desktop is installed. Told it to turn off passive mode anyway, rebooted my computer… Still in passive mode.
No changes

16

Try to reinstall Avast.

17

Full uninstall and reinstall… Same as before. Still no change. This is getting incredibly frustrating

I can go to Protection ~> Antivirus and toggle on both the File, Web, and Mail Shields without Avast asking to come out of passive mode. Are these actually going to work in this state? Or are they just switches that won’t do anything at all without being able to turn off Passive mode?

18

Reported to developers.

19

Thank you. Seriously though, is just activating the shields available under the Protection ~> Antivirus menu actually going to do anything? Or am I basically stuck in a reactive position if something ends up on my computer? (Not that I’m reckless about where I go/what I do online or anything, I’m just anxious to have answers and get all this resolved.)

20

Passive mode was designed to prevent problems for someone who installs Avast as the second resident AV.
It was designed to prevent causing you a problem.
Once the residuals of the other AV are removed or, the incorrect detection by Avast is corrected,
your problem will be solved.
You now need to exercise a little patience till Avast gets back to you.