Uninstall problem

Hi guys!

I hope someone can help me with this one.

I wanted to unistall Avast4 a few days ago, but the Control Panel didn’t allowed me to. So, I tried to do it manually, looked into the Program Files and delete the Folder. However, there was one file that wouldn’t allowed me to delete it completely. I reboot the PC and finally could delete it.

Since that day, everytime I try to install a program (Visual Basic MS DirectX and The Sims) appears a window that stops it and says: Program Files/AlwilSoftware/Avast4/aswMonVd.dll Error de dispositvos virtuales instalable al inicializar la DLL. (Obviously I had the Spanish version).

So, I did a little research and find out about the Avast Cleaner. I already run it and apparently it has erased anything left from Avast. Unfortunately the problem persists and I can’t install any new program at all.

What can I do? Should I reinstall Avast4?

Regards,

Erik

Please try downloading and running AvClear4.exe: http://www.avast.com/i_idt_1336.html

Vlk

First of all. Thanks so much for the quick answer.

However, as I wrote in my first post I already did that. Anyway, I did it again after your kind answer and tried to install The Sims. The windows appears again.

I really don’t know what I should do-

erik

Do you still have the “AVAST leftovers” in the Recycle bin?
This have worked on occasion for me with similar stubborn removals.

If it still exists in the recycle bin…Restore the file/s for Avast, then run the Avclear Uninstll utility.

This should cleanly remove all traces. Apparently, the ashmon file is not coming out cleanly with the Uninstall utility because it is somehow piggybacked upon a file that you already removed manually.

See if the above helps.

Techie

Try removing all avast references from the following locations:

  • file \system32\config.nt
  • registry key HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD.

That will solve the problem.

This assumes you’re using WinXP (you didn’t say what OS you’re using).

Thank you, both of you guys.
;D I’m learning a lot with this issue.

There’s one question left: how do I know which file to delete in this directory

file \system32\config.nt

I can’t recognize which one belongs to Avast4.

And yes I’m using WXP.

\system32\config.nt is a text file. Open it (e.g. in Notepad), scroll to the bottom, and make sure there’re no words like “avast” “alwil” etc. in the file. Lines starting with the word “REM” (=remark) are ignored so you don’t have to worry about those.

OK. I finally get to do both things (remove any avast reference), but now I have another window saying me that there’s a problem with the Virtual Device Drivers. The format is not valid.

Is anything wrong here? What does it mean?

It means that your Registry Keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers

have errors… probably a wrong driver is listed there.
I suggest you post here what is written on that keys using, if you can, Registrar Lite (http://www.resplendence.com/reglite). Hope this help.

Did you install any other antivirus before avast? Specially, did you use NAV?

Did you install any other antivirus before avast? Specially, did you use NAV?

Yeah, when I bought my PC it has NAV installed by default.

Ok. I install Registrat Lite with no problems whatsoever

Here it is your request:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\(default)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\(default)
(there’s no ControlSet003)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\(default)

In the data column is read: (value not set)

there’s nothing else in there?

Nop. Should I be worried? :-\

You deleted the whole VDD key, didn’t you?

No problem. Just recreate it. In CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers, click New Value → select type MULTI_STRING (may also be called MULTI_SZ) and name it VDD. Leave it empty.

That should rectify the problem.

thanks
Vlk

Thx VLK,

Everything has come back to normal. I get to install all the programs I needed.

Very happy with you now :wink: