update hell

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

I have been a mostly-happy Avast user for many years, until today.

This morning I updated the virus definitions on my XP Pro x64 machine. I got a dialog saying that Avast needs to restart my computer. I opted to defer this reboot until later. I did my business and shut down the machine.

Later in the day, I restarted the machine and got a dialog saying that Avast.exe had been modified, and that this was dangerous. Bad omen. The right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. The update broke itself.

I clicked OK to indicate that Avast.exe should run. Then my machine would not start. I got a black screen with a cursor, but no login.

I rebooted several times, but only got the black screen.

I was forced to boot into Safe Mode and remove Avast. This was not easy. I have the gall to set my DPI setting to higher than normal, because this is a home theater PC. The Avast installation dialog would not fit on the screen and I was not able to click “Continue” until I set my DPI back to normal size. Bad interface layout, but I was able to work around it.

Rebooted the machine after uninstall. No problem booting into ordinary XP mode.

Downloaded the latest version of Avast 2014. Installed it. Was not given the ability to opt out of Google Chrome, it was installed without my permission. So that’s a big “f**k you” to your users. Thanks for that. Also got a condescending audio message welcoming me to Avast. Thanks, I’m not a six year old, and I don’t need encouragement. But I got the latest version of Avast installed, turned off all bogus features and figured I was done and done.

Rebooted machine. Got the black screen with no logon again. Great. So the new version of Avast is actively blocking my computer from functioning. Now I have no choice now but to boot back to safe mode, uninstall Avast, and wait for a couple of weeks until a new version is released. Maybe then Avast will allow my computer to function. If not, I will have to find another antivirus provider.

Important note: my experience with Avast has never incentivized me to pay for the software. The interface has become progressively more deceptive and sinister over the years. Basically, I trust you to find and kill viruses, but I do not trust you with my credit card number or my personal information. It was bad enough giving you my email address to post this message. But I thought it was important to report this issue, so that perhaps it might get fixed.

2

hey and welcome to the forum. did you get some information when avast crashed?

what information was that?

avast is installing chrome as default when installing it. if you had made a custom installation of avast you could have unchecked the option to install chrome

it seems like the description you are explanation in your post that avast did not update 100% ok i suggest you try a clean installation of avast this usually fix the problem

download and run the uninstall tool from this link

http://www.avast.com/sv-se/uninstall-utility

reboot your system. download and run a fresh copy of the latest avast program.

and that could be found here

http://www.avast.com/sv-se/download-software

did this solve your problem with avast, if not write back and we have to dig deeper into this.

good luck

3

Ah, the sneaky default installation of Chrome or whatever unwanted toolbar, search engine, default
browser trick typical of the worst ‘free’ software. Even then most at least show you what is going to be installed before you click to continue.

It is almost always a good idea to treat “Recommended” or “Standard” install options as inviting who knows what to hijack your set up. Opt out of any “Recommended” install option and choose “Custom” install instead. If it doesn’t have such an option - walk away and heap your curses on their heads to the seventh generation for wasting your time. :slight_smile:

This default additional unwanted software install is a foul marketing practice that no respectable software supplier should use. Provide Chrome and anything else if you must but its install should only ever be an opt in decision with a chance to back out too.

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I have a feeling more likely the OP rushed through the install and missed the options to untick not to install google chrome.

5

+1, I have installed many copies of the 9.0.2011 version in the last couple of days and the google boxes were clearly shown on the first install screen, they were pre-ticked though which is my only complaint.

6

If you had read my message thoroughly, you would have seen that Avast did not crash at any point in the update hell process.

I am going away on vacation, but when I get back I will try the uninstall tool. It is sad that the normal uninstall process does not remove the software completely, and we have to take extraordinary measures to clean our systems.

BTW everyone, I did not see a way to opt out of Chrome installation. I did choose “Custom” installation, and opted out of all of the bogus Avast features that track my behavior, interfere with my browser, etc. But I saw no mention of Chrome. When I do the clean reinstall after the holidays I will go more slowly and scientifically, ever vigilant for undesired bloatware, etc.

But as I said, Avast has become increasingly deceptive and sneaky over the years. The interface is untrustworthy and one must exercise extreme critical thinking in order to prevent the program from nefarious activities, up to and including tracking all user actions, aggressively scanning all everything, constantly spamming users with “helpful” marketing pop-ups, and essentially taking over all functions of the host machine. Just one more example of how antivirus software acts like a virus.

7

What ? There are tons of post from Avast team that this does not happen and that on reboot you are given the check box option to not install Chrome. Has this changed ? You have to run “custom install” to not get Chrome forced on you ?..really, wow !!!

8

No. It’s the same as before… After the reboot, the checkbox for Chrome appears…

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