As Malwarebytes 2.0.0.1000 is still a beta, bugs are to be expected.

Removal of the latest version (2.0.0.1000) running in a trial version, resulted in a fix of slower cold boot times, slower operational issues, and a display of a transient window flash when MBAM was closed as the system either rebooted, shut down, or was logged off.

Cold boot times increased to 1:20-25 vs. 0:45-56 as it was before install of the beta. Windows called to desktop took approximately 2-3 seconds longer than usual to display. Exiting the MBAM icon in system tray before any termination of a user session would prevent the window flash seen by user MainilanLaukaus, but the flash would be seen if the icon was not terminated before termination of a user session.

Removal of the beta restored system to prior speed and responsiveness; both boot times and window calls are back to where they were before.

As for the issue of Google Chrome not opening properly in the avast! sandbox, the following actions were taken based on findings related to both the sandbox and general slower operation of the system:

  • Downloaded the latest AIS installation file and procured the aswclear.exe file that goes along with it.
  • Ran Programs and Features and uninstalled MBAM normally. Rebooted.
  • Uninstalled AIS version 2014.9.0.2013 via Programs and features. Rebooted thrice.
  • Moved aswclear.exe to the desktop and ran executable on desktop. It asked if I wanted to automatically reboot into Safe Mode and then clicked yes.
  • Ran aswclear.exe in administrative mode using Safe Mode.

This is where things got a bit interesting. I checked for any left-over avast remnants.

As expected, there was no Avast folder, BUT there was an avast! sandbox folder still in place just below where the avast program folder should have been.

Expanding this folder revealed several unexpected folders inside it:

  • Folder C:\ drive with some contents of the C:\ drive listed
  • Limted user folder with all limited user contents inside
  • A WOW64 folder

Checking elsewhere on the C:\ drive revealed all folders found inside the avast! sandbox were also present elsewhere and where they should be. Next action was to tell aswclear.exe to remove the entire avast! sandbox folder and all contents within it.

A normal uninstall should have removed/deleted the avast! sandbox folder but did not.

Rebooted and nothing was amiss at all on reboot.

Did a clean install of AIS version 2014.9.0.2016 and rebooted thrice.

All prior issues are now fixed.

  • Google Chrome now opens properly in avast! sandbox
  • Firefox 28.0 was unaffected in operation in avast! sandbox before and after changes were made
  • SafeZone Browser now works properly and as it should

If you are seeing this url in address bar of SF Browser, then something is stopping it from connecting properly to avast! servers: hxxp://program.avast.com/api/?action=2&p_elm=15 is what is displayed in the address bar if Chrome appears.

[EDIT:] Correct url (when it works) is this: hxxp://www.avast.com/en-us/lp-safezone?utm_campaign=SafeZoneStart&utm_source=prg_fav_90_0&utm_medium=prg_lnkutm_content=en-us_safezone?-start&p_elm=15&p_lid=en-us&p_lng=en&p_lqe=0&p_lst=0&p_lsu=0&p_pro=0&p_bld=empty&p_vep=9&p_ves=0&p_vbd=1482