ashShield.dll - What's up with the uninstaller?

[trejder]

Hi there,

This is really badly.

I've uninstalled avast! from my hard drive. After a few days I found that C:\Program Files\avast! was not removed by the installer. I thought that it was typically, because many unistaller programs forgot to remove main folder. So I marked it in Windows Explorer and hit Delete.

I was SHOCKED , when I found that I cannot delete this folder because... it contains a file ashShield.dll, which is... STILL IN USE!

I've shutted down all the applications, Windows XP HE SP2 let me to shut down and STILL was NOT ABLE to delete this folder! It helped only when I restarted Windows in Safe Mode with minimal possible options. Only after that I was finally able to remove this folder and this file.

I don't know what are you doing there and what your uninstaller does but - forgive me - this really sucks! How it is possible that after performing full program remove and installing another antivirus program, user founds after a few days that some components where not removed, are loaded into memory everytime Windows starts and still working? This really looks like spying or sth like that! 

Regards!
Tom

[Eddy]

The uninstaller works just fine. Things like this only happen if there is an error somewhere in the operating system (or other software) preventing the uninstaller from working properly.

Don't point a finger to things that are NOT causing this, point your finger to the real guilty one.

Besides this, the way you removed avast is not the correct way. There still will be things left of it.
I suggest you install avast again and then remove it the proper way.
After that, run the uninstaller util from Avast's website.

[igor]

First of all, there are certainly no "spying" components in avast!.
Second, there's no ashShield.dll file in avast! either.

Guessing by the name, you are probably referring to ashShell.dll, which is the Explorer Extension module. So, if it stayed registered for some reason, it's not surprising that it was loaded in memory - every time you invoke a context menu in Explorer, the shell extension DLLs are loaded.

As for why it was not registered, I really don't know. The uninstaller does that, of course, at it works under normal circumstances.

Did you (correctly) reboot after the uninstallation? Did you uninstall avast! from the same account as you installed it? Was this DLL file the only one left (except for the empty folders)?

[Lisandro]

I've uninstalled avast! from my hard drive. After a few days I found that C:\Program Files\avast! was not removed by the installer. I thought that it was typically, because many unistaller programs forgot to remove main folder. So I marked it in Windows Explorer and hit Delete.

Did you install avast! with other antivirus already installed in your computer?
avast! folder should be deleted by the uninstall routine or, at least, by avast! Uninstall tool.

I was SHOCKED , when I found that I cannot delete this folder because... it contains a file ashShield.dll, which is... STILL IN USE!

Not a reason to be shocked... if the uninstallation failed, it's because some files and registry keys get corrupted and were left behind.
The Uninstall tool should do the job.

This really looks like spying or sth like that! 

Not at all, sure...

[trejder]

Besides this, the way you removed avast is not the correct way. There still will be things left of it.
I suggest you install avast again and then remove it the proper way.
After that, run the uninstaller util from Avast's website.

I don't know what you are talking about. I've uninstalled avast! using it's standard uninstaller program. I've reboted computer after that. I do not had any other antivirus software installed when using or uninstalling avast.

The way I used - removing folder in safe mode - and which you name "not correct way" was only used to remove avast's folder and ashShell.dll. I've done it because there was no other way to do this. All other components and elements of avast were removed by using standard uninstaller.

I asked if it is normal thing that this element (ashShell.dll) was not uninstalled and got answer from you and other people. So thank you and have a nice day.

Tom

[Lisandro]

Besides this, the way you removed avast is not the correct way. There still will be things left of it.
I suggest you install avast again and then remove it the proper way.
After that, run the uninstaller util from Avast's website.

I don't know what you are talking about. I've uninstalled avast! using it's standard uninstaller program. I've reboted computer after that. I do not had any other antivirus software installed when using or uninstalling avast.

Eddy said the right thing. Like it's written, first, uninstall through Control Panel. Boot.
After, if something is wrong, you should use the uninstall tool.
You did not do in this way. You've first used the uninstall tool...

The way I used - removing folder in safe mode - and which you name "not correct way" was only used to remove avast's folder and ashShell.dll. I've done it because there was no other way to do this. All other components and elements of avast were removed by using standard uninstaller.

Standard uninstaller is Control Panel and not avast! uninstall tool.

I asked if it is normal thing that this element (ashShell.dll) was not uninstalled and got answer from you and other people. So thank you and have a nice day.

Tom, this will be normal as ashShell.dll is used by Windows and while running the uninstall tool at the first time, without uninstalling avast! first through Control Panel, you did not disable it first, prior using the tool.
Look, Norton Antivirus uninstall tool works the same: first you need to use Control Panel and then the tool.

[trejder]

Eddy said the right thing. Like it's written, first, uninstall through Control Panel. Boot.
After, if something is wrong, you should use the uninstall tool.
You did not do in this way. You've first used the uninstall tool...

Sorry for misinforming you. I used CONTROL PANEL! I always use Control Panel for uninstalling programs. This is what I understood under "standard uninstaler" term.

About "uninstaller tool" that is available on website I have no idea until today, until you told me on this forum.

Tom