I’m working on a friends laptop that had a virus. Before installing avast I removed it with Sophos A V in Safe Mode (the emergency copy from) http://www2.essex.ac.uk/cs/services/networks_sa/havevirus/havevirus.htm
The virus was identified asTroj/Dloader-Y. I also disabled System Restore before the removal. I then downloaded and installed avast and ran a Boot Time scan and avast found another virus (Win32-Ad or something like that, can’t remember the exact name.) I also ran a Thorough scan in Windows which came up clean. After that I installed Service Pack 2 to get the system up to date but now Windows Security Center is not finding avast. Any ideas what to do to fix this? Is it Possible that the system is still infected? Thanks in advance!! :-\
Try a repair of Avast.
start > control panel > programs > add/remove > Avast > change/delete > repair
Eddy, Thanks for the suggestion. I tried it but still no go, Security Center still reports Virus protection Not Found. Any other ideas??? ???
- download and use the uninstall util from Avast’s website
- reboot
- reinstall Avast
- reboot
Other than running anti-virus apps, did you run 1 or more
reliable anti-spyware apps before installing SP 2 ?
Hey Spiritsongs (cool Handle), Yes I did I ran Ad-Aware(Up to date defs) and CW Shredder. It makes me a bit suspicious that something is still lurking. I have never had this snafu on any other systems. ???
Update, I just installed Spybot Search and Destroy and removed some more Spyware. My next step is going to be to uninstall avast and reinstall. >:(
You can find the Avast uninstall utility HERE .
Thanks neal63, I got it and removed avast and reinstalled with no luck. Security Center still reports that No Anti Virus Program is Found. I guess my next step is to try to get the laptop hooked up to my wireless network and check for any Windows updates. I was trying to avoid this because I was nervous to take the chance of infecting other systems on the network. Anyone have another suggestion? I’ve been using my flashdrive for what I have done so far. Thanks!! 
Did you or do you have another av on that system?
If so, which one?
Norm, this is very strange. Did you uninstall avast!, boot, run the removal tool, boot, install, boot ?
I can only think the same as Eddy: you should have traces of another antivirus blocking avast! to be detected.
Do you use a firewall? Which one? Do you use any startup monitor (like PrevX)?
There was originally Norton and then AVG 6.0 which were both removed before installing avast. I did not uninstall avast and then use the avast removal tool. I used the removal tool, rebooted and reinstalled. What other steps can I take to make sure all old Anti Virus remnants are gone? ???
Visit THIS WEBSITE and make sure ALL traces of NAV are gone.
Then repeat the 4 steps I gave you earlier.
Follow Eddy’s suggestion for NAV.
AVG is not that trouble, but you can, after, search your Windows Registry to AVG or Grisoft entries. Or, use a Registry Cleaner. There is at least one thread about automatic Registry Cleaners.
Don’t do this. The removal tools should be used only in case of Control Panel > Add/Remove programs failure.
Maybe you should install avast, boot, uninstall through Control Panel, boot, install again, boot.
There is another weird thing going on. I can’t seem to make any changes to the network settings. When I try to start the Network Setup Wizard I get the error that says Cannot Complete the Network Setup Wizard. It says I don’t have adequate permissions even though The account is an Administrative one. I created another one just to try and receive the same meassage. This system was a students computer that was hooked up to a school network with no firewall so who knows what all happened. I’ll do the Norton removal thing and let you know. 
Try logging on as the Administrator not just as a user with admin priviliges, may help.
If an ex student computer perhaps there is some other security to stop making system changes?
Not sure where to go from here other than just turning off the Security Center monitoring of the AV. Checked the Norton site for removal instructions(it was a coporate edition of the AV product) and checked every version they had listed and found no traces in the registry. Any other advice would be appreciated, I’m considering dynamite at this point. >:(
Seems pirated version… not properly for home use…
I’ll suggest the same, I mean, format, install Windows SP2, update, avast!, other security programs…
Be happy
Ya I’m not sure how or who put that Norton on there but I put the AVG 6.0 on probably 2 years (I’m guessing) ago or so so who ever put the Norton on didn’t uninstall AVG first cause when I started working on the system there were 2 icons in the system tray, one for Norton and one for AVG. One sister is done with college and is passing this laptop on to the next. Ya, I might have to get there disks and start over, luckily I have a Service Pack 2 CD that I ordered. What I thought would be fairly painless is turning into a nightmare. :-\
Norm, reinstall is not a nightmare…
First thing, for me, is have at least two partitions on the HDD:
C: for the programs (Program files, Windows, etc.)
D: for your data (Documents, Sheets, Configurations, Templates, etc.).
So, when formating C: you start only the programs. Your data will be safe!
It’s easy to make a full backup too: programs or your data 8)