Avast 7 is deleting important PunkBuster Files so it can't run!!!

[ziki11]

Apparently, you new antivirus update has somehow caused AVAST 7 to delete important PunkBuster files and I, and many others have serious problems playing Battlefield 3. Every time we start the game, it runs for a minute, and then we get kicked from the game because PunkBuster has failed to initialize.
The files being deleted are "PnkBstrB.exe" and "PnkBstrB.xtr".
More on this problem here:
http://battlelog.battlefield.com/bf3/forum/threadview/2832654348081421836/

PLEASE try and fix this ASAP.

Thank you

[Pondus]

you say avast delete them.....then i guess they are detected as malware?
what malwarename does avast give the file(s) ?

[Berdu]

PnkBstrB.exe
Threat: Win32:Malware-gen
Severity high

A lot of Battlefield 3 players can't play the game since the latest Avast virus definition update today. Hope this will get fixed soon.

[ziki11]

Yes they are detected as malware, but the point is that they shouldn't be detected as malware since PunkBuster is a serious program designed for protection, and besides, everything worked fine until today.
Info on the virus type from chest is: Win32:Malware-gen
You can find more on the topic here:
http://battlelog.battlefield.com/bf3/forum/threadview/2832654489801060012/1/

[Tonynoter]

Same for me. However, it's 3 files that are getting "flagged".

PnkBstrB.ex0
PnkBstrB.exe
PnkBstrB.xtr

[JWalter]

Yeah, this stuff happens from time to time. Really annoying this time, mostly because even when you try to exclude the files from being malware it still does not operate properly in all cases. Hopefully it gets resolved shortly. I believe it was 2 updates ago from the 120621-1 update that messed it all up.

[ZiiPMicJules]

I am getting the PnkBstrB.EXE and the PnkBstrB.XTR files flagged as MALWARE when clearly they are Not...

Cannot play Battlefield 3

[ant38]

Same here, I'm getting all of the above.

[Mikegxr]

Yeah I am getting that too. I just uninstalled for the time being so i could play lol.

[ZiiPMicJules]

I have to switch off the file system shield, and it allows me to play but this is not ideal.

Also is there a fix for Co-Op yet as I have to turn AVAST completely off to be able to connect?

[Smallbrainfield]

Here is a screengrab of the shield log.



Man this is frustrating. The only night I get for squad gaming. Come on Avast, sort it out chaps!

[Felixander]

I solved it by doing this (Windows 7 64 bit):

Go to: Real Time Shields - File System Shield - Expert Settings

In Expert Settings choose Exclusions

Add these lines:
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\pnkbstra.exe
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\pnkbstrb.exe
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\pnkbstrb.xtr
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\pnkbstrb.ex0

I also added the directory:
C:\Users\"Username"\AppData\Local\PunkBuster\BF3\pb\*

Hope this helps.

[blastaar]

I am having the same problem! I added all punk buster files to multiple places in Avast for exclusions and it is still sending punk buster files to quarantine. I keep getting kicked off BF3 servers by punkbuster despite all related .exe, .xtr, and hidden files entered as safe.

[Mikegxr]

They need to have something like gaming mode u can click on or at least let us choose if its a fault positive and override it because some people know what their doing.

[avasterror]

Same problem here, hope they solve this