My Avast Internet Security trial expired, so I have tried to uninstall following the instructions given with the uninstaller. Now the internet connection no longer works- it says ‘limited access’ and ‘not connected’ (the wi-fi network is fine for other PCs).
If I try to connect to the internet from the control panel it says ‘windows did not detect any networking hardware’.
Only way for me to get the internet to work is to restore the system to before I uninstalled Avast Internet Security. In this state Avast still does not work- if I try to renew or buy a license, just to get my laptop working again, Windows will ask me three times if Avast can make changes to my hard drive (details says it’s the Avast firewall), but then nothing more. Even after trying to reinstall Internet Security it still stays the same- if I try to turn it on it says ‘File System Shield provider not found’
It had been working fine for the month trial period.
I have just ran uninstallers for all the previous AV software I have had- I’m not certain that this had been done properly before the initial installation of the Avast Internet Security trial- it’s quite likely it had just been done with the Windows uninstaller. But even after doing this there is no difference- if I uninstall Avast Internet Security it also removes my internet connection.
I don’t know if it matters, but even when I uninstall Avast Internet Security, the wi-fi icon in the tray doesn’t revert back to the icon used before Avast.
Windows firewall on or off doesn’t seem to make any difference. I’m using an Acer netbook with Windows 7 starter.
Please help- I have been battling with this the whole day now and am at my wits end, and trying the same things over and over. Any more information I can provide?
Uninstall avast from Control Panel (if possible). If, for any reason, you can’t run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after that.
Run the avast! Uninstall Utility saved on 1. If, for any reason, you can’t run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after you’ve run it.
Install avast! using the setup saved on 2. Boot.
Register your free copy or add the license key for Pro. Or even upgrade your key from old versions.
Check and post the results. If, for any reason, you did not solve, try doing the step 3 in Safe Mode anyway.
You could follow the steps above for complete uninstallation also.
Which avast!..?? (Free/Pro/IS) [b]Avast Internet Secutity free trial[/b]
Which version..?? uninstalled it now- was the latest
OS..?? (32/64 Bit - which SP) [b]Windows 7 Starter, 32 bit, SP1[/b]
Other security related software installed..?? [b]McAfee Security Scan Plus (factory installed)[/b]
Following the direction from Tech above I have uninstalled from the control panel, and then in safe mode with uninstaller, and then reinstalled Avast Free. I have done this lots of times already today, but I’m going follow guidance to the letter-
Avast Internet security seems to uninstall fine.
When I reboot out of safe mode, my wi-fi connection does not come back on line- it searches for a long time, and then displays the red cross.
I have then installed Avast free, which then performs a quick scan and completes installation fine.
Unfortunately the internet connection is still not there- it displays the strong connections, but says ‘Limited Access’.
This is the same situation I keep arriving at- the only way to get my connection back is to system restore to when Avast Internet Security was in place. Any ideas? Many thanks
edders, can you check if your ipv4 properties are set to “Automatic” and not for a particular IP and DNS servers?
Can you check in the Acer website your particular network driver to reinstall?
sorry tech, you’ll have to help me find my ipv4 properties. I’m a novice. I’ve had a good look and don’t seem to be able to find them- not under internet properties, my network connection page is blank, and my network connection properties when I right click on the tray come up as an error- data invalid.
Also unsure of network driver. Can’t see any by that name on acer website. There’s wireless LAN drivers, WiMax drivers and LAN drivers, amongst many others, but no network driver.
There are a few different ways to get there, one is;
Control panel > view network status and task > Wireless network Connection > properties
or
right click your network icon by the time in the task bar and click “open network and sharing center” > Wireless network Connection > properties
Highlight Internet Protocol Version 4, and click properties
I have no wireless connection in the network and sharing centre to get the properties of- “not connected to any networks”.
If I click “connect to network” then it shows the two wi-fi networks I have, but says “Not Connected”, and “Connections are available”. It shows the networks, but says “Limited access” next to whichever one I am connected to.
If I try to “set up a new connection or network”, >“connect to internet” I am told “windows did not detect any networking hardware”. (There is a box for “show connection options that this computer is not set up to use” clicking this reveals option for Broadband (PPoE) or Dial up.)
I have also tried connecting via an ethernet cable, but it still didn’t recognise anything- nothing changes.
So has removal of Avast Internet Security also deleted the drivers which allow windows to recognise my ‘networking hardware’, whatever that may be? (actually no need to worry much explaining- just let me know what to try next! It’s very appreciated.)
Avast does not mess the network drivers. And if the cable connection failed you have some problems with the network. Tomorrow I’ll think in a solution.
Have you disabled the windows firewall previously ? After uninstalling AIS is the windows firewall turned on ? if not turned on do so through services setting it to automatic and start then you may have to go to windows firewall and restore defaults.
I haven’t touched the windows firewall before encountering this issue. Since then I have tried on and off.
I checked and it is ‘on’ and set to automatic through services. I have restored the default settings anyway, hope that wasn’t a mistake.
One point that may be important?- it says ‘home work private networks’ ‘not connected’, and ‘Public Networks’ ‘connected’
Here are just my home and work networks. I may have set this network as ‘Public’ with AIS by accident (this was the only time I’ve ever been asked). however, I can’t check/adjust the properties as the network connection doesn’t actually show elsewhere as it should (just shows as available, not connected, and limited access)
Maybe should I restore to before AIS uninstall, and see if it will allow me to adjust the network to ‘home/work/private’? But as I remember when I restore to AIS the program doesn’t work- just asks for permission repeatedly. Will I try this anyway?
AFAIK, the “public / home” type of network can be chosen in “Network and Sharing center” → “customize”.
In any case, I don’t see a problem in connecting, but on the type of connection (its permissions), which are also dependant on other settings in “Network and Sharing center” (on the lower section of the respective window).
Avast doesn’t change connection settings (permissions), but the active firewall (which also changes with installation / uninstallation of AIS) and System Restore could.
In addition, Windows Seven Starter has its own restrictions.
It wont let me change the public/private network selection after uninstall of AIS (it doesn’t recognise it properly as a network- customize does not appear)
After system restore to before the uninstall of AIS, public/private network can be selected as described. Networks are recognised and working.
So my active firewall is Windows Firewall. The settings for this seem to me to be exactly the same before and after the uninstall of AIS… with one difference- the network is correctly shown as a Private network and named when AIS is installed.
After uninstalling AIS the windows Firewall settings recognises my connections now as a ‘Public Network’ and says ‘connected’, although the details then shown are as if not connected, and by ‘private network’ it now says ‘not connected’. I doubt this matters, except to show that it’s no longer recognising my network for what it is and isn’t properly connected.
I have restored all the default settings for the windows firewall.
I have also tried turning the firewall off altogether.
Does this eliminate the firewall as a cause?
Is it significant that when I try to set up a new connection that Windows tells me it ‘did not detect any networking hardware’, even if ethernet cable is plugged in? This isn’t the firewall causing this, or is it?
Where can I access these connection permissions in the ‘network and sharing centre’?
Bear in mind it isn’t recognising any connection to investigate the properties of.
On the left list I have
Manage wireless networks (this seems the same as normal)
Change adaptor settings (this is blank)
Advanced Sharing Settings (nothing relevant. again it show’s I have a public network profile- but as it doesn’t fully recognise the network I can find no way to change this.)
On the Main Page I have ‘change network settings’;
-Set up a new conn. or network (>conn. internet > Windows did not detect any networking hardware)
-Connect to a network (shows right hand conn. signal strength notification)
-Choose Homegroup and Sharing Options (Must be on a network first!)
-Troubleshoot Problems (has no solutions)
None of these allow me to specify or change permissions?
First, although it may seem evident, have you rebooted after uninstalling AIS and before testing the network settings?
I would suggest running the removal utility of avast for each and every version you ever had installed (not just the last one). For each run of the removal utility, reboot in between (into Windows Safe Mode)
After the removal utility, you said you don’t have (new) network connections really working. Do you have / know the correct settings? If you don’t then before uninstalling AIs take note of the supposed correct settings and only then start with the procedure.
Now that you have taken note of the correct settings of your network connections (the ones that should work), and that you already cleaned up all remnants of avast, simply go and manually create new network connections. If you have some “previous” network connections that are supposed to be working, but they don’t, then after creating the new ones, go and delete the old ones.
My guess is that something in the System Restore points is somehow corrupted, so your network connection settings are being changed. I am not a developer of avast, but my guess is that AIS (uninstallation) is not changing the network connection settings. Maybe the default settings are activated when you remove Avast Firewall, and the defaults are not good for your situation.
Whatever the case, just use the correct values to create a new connection. That is, if Windows Seven Starter lets you use those specific settings.