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Consumer Products => Avast Mac Security => Topic started by: REDACTED on June 28, 2014, 03:27:21 PM

Title: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: REDACTED on June 28, 2014, 03:27:21 PM
I am running OSX 10.6.8, the drive won't boot up, endless spinning wheel. I verified disk permission, repaired disk, I tried Disk Warrior and Safe Mode ... nothing works.

In Library I found:

Library/Application Support/Avast/Components/uninstall/Uninstall Avast!

I could uninstall Avast in Single-User Mode, I need help to do it.

Thanks a lot!

Phil
Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: specimen9999 on June 28, 2014, 04:42:17 PM
The Uninstall script is inside that package, I'm 95% sure that all you need to do in the command line is:
Code: [Select]
sudo sh /Library/Application Support/Avast/components/uninstall/com.avast.uninstall.app/Contents/MacOS/uninstall.sh

Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: REDACTED on July 01, 2014, 05:28:33 PM
Has anyone found a single user fix for this yet? The command above and all of the others that I have seen suggested all come up with the "no such file or directory" error. I cant boot in safe mode and my only option is single user...I installed Avast on my girlfriends macbook to try and solve problems but it just made them worse. Any suggestions would be helpful.
Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: specimen9999 on July 01, 2014, 06:29:15 PM
Has anyone found a single user fix for this yet? The command above and all of the others that I have seen suggested all come up with the "no such file or directory" error. I cant boot in safe mode and my only option is single user...I installed Avast on my girlfriends macbook to try and solve problems but it just made them worse. Any suggestions would be helpful.

The no file error is just because there is a space between 'Application' and 'Support'

Here, try this...
Code: [Select]
sudo sh /Library/Application\ Support/Avast/components/uninstall/com.avast.uninstall.app/Contents/MacOS/uninstall.sh
(this command is for Avast! 9, prior versions might have the uninstall script elsewhere in /Library/Application Support/Avast/, just browse that folder and look for something that says uninstall and then drill in the uninstall app to find the script).
Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: REDACTED on July 02, 2014, 06:47:58 PM
I started my mac in Single-User Mode by holding command key and the "s" key.

The computer booted in Single-User Mode, then I typed:

/sbin/mount -uw /

I pressed enter, then I typed:

"Library/Application Support/Avast/components/uninstall/Uninstall avast!"


I pressed enter, then the computer generated this single line:

"Library/Application Support/Avast/components/uninstall/Uninstall Avast"/Library/Application Support/Avast/install.sh" uninstall

Below this line there is this symbol:

>

From there I do not know what to do, any suggestions?

Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: specimen9999 on July 02, 2014, 07:17:51 PM
I started my mac in Single-User Mode by holding command key and the "s" key.

The computer booted in Single-User Mode, then I typed:

/sbin/mount -uw /

I pressed enter, then I typed:

"Library/Application Support/Avast/components/uninstall/Uninstall avast!"


I pressed enter, then the computer generated this single line:

"Library/Application Support/Avast/components/uninstall/Uninstall Avast"/Library/Application Support/Avast/install.sh" uninstall

Below this line there is this symbol:

>

From there I do not know what to do, any suggestions?

No, I don't have ANY OTHER suggestion, because the way you invoked the uninstall process is not what I suggested.

Quote
Code: [Select]
sudo sh /Library/Application\ Support/Avast/components/uninstall/com.avast.uninstall.app/Contents/MacOS/uninstall.sh
Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: REDACTED on July 03, 2014, 08:02:11 PM
Has anyone found a single user fix for this yet? The command above and all of the others that I have seen suggested all come up with the "no such file or directory" error. I cant boot in safe mode and my only option is single user...I installed Avast on my girlfriends macbook to try and solve problems but it just made them worse. Any suggestions would be helpful.

The no file error is just because there is a space between 'Application' and 'Support'

Here, try this...
Code: [Select]
sudo sh /Library/Application\ Support/Avast/components/uninstall/com.avast.uninstall.app/Contents/MacOS/uninstall.sh
(this command is for Avast! 9, prior versions might have the uninstall script elsewhere in /Library/Application Support/Avast/, just browse that folder and look for something that says uninstall and then drill in the uninstall app to find the script).


Okay, so I have this a shot and got a different result than usual. I cant remember exactly because I am at work right now and dont have the machine with me but I got an error message that said "avast shield not found in this location" or something to that effect. Am I getting closer to a solution? I am a novice with all of this stuff, but is there a simple way I can browse the application and see where the uninstall file is located through the terminal? I feel like the issue is that I am not putting in the exact location so when I run the command it cant find the uninstall....does any of this make sense??
Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: specimen9999 on July 03, 2014, 09:45:32 PM
*shrug*
If it gave that message it's because it run script script but couldn't find that specific component, but I'm sure that wasn't the only thing it said?

I'm not even sure uninstalling avast will fix your problem.

As I said that command is for version 9, what version of Avast is installed? I don't have any other version of Avast to indicate you the path in case it's different.

If the uninstaller worked, trying the command I gave you again will give you an error like "No such file or directory".

Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: REDACTED on July 08, 2014, 05:47:18 PM
I just resolved the problem by simply deleting this file:

/private/etc/launchd.conf

To access the Private folder, you need to be in Finder, at the top screen bar click on Go and then Go to Folder. In the search pop up type:
/your drive name/private

You may not have the same problem, in my case after deleting this file my computer works perfectly. I have not uninstalled Avast.
Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: REDACTED on August 17, 2014, 10:48:08 PM
I have the solution.
1.- Turn off your Mac, press Command + S, turn on, and don´t release Command + S until you see the apple logo
2.- When you are in the prompt (a screen black with white letters), write the next
/sbin/mount -uw / <ENTER>
3.- Go to this folder
cd Library <ENTER>
cd Application\ Support <ENTER> "in this case exist a space between "Application Support", put \ after Application and a space
cd Avast <ENTER>
cd components <ENTER>
cd uninstall <ENTER>
cd com.avast.uninstall.app <ENTER>
cd Contents <ENTER>
cd MacOS <ENTER>
4.- Now, in this last folder if you write
ls <ENTER>
You will see a file called uninstall.sh, and this is the one to run to remove Avast, now to use it you must use the following instruction
sudo sh uninstall.sh <ENTER>
After this now you can reboot your Mac writing the next
reboot <ENTER>
If after this reboot you can´t login your Mac, turn off your mac, repeat step 1 and 2 and now go to the folder
cd private <ENTER>
cd etc <ENTER>
ls <ENTER>
and you see a file with the name launchd.conf, you need to delete this file, type the following
rm launchd.conf <ENTER>
Reboot your Mac with
reboot <ENTER>
And it´s all
Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: specimen9999 on August 17, 2014, 11:20:15 PM
3.- Go to this folder
cd Library <ENTER>
cd Application\ Support <ENTER> "in this case exist a space between "Application Support", put \ after Application and a space
cd Avast <ENTER>
cd components <ENTER>
cd uninstall <ENTER>
cd com.avast.uninstall.app <ENTER>
cd Contents <ENTER>
cd MacOS <ENTER>
4.- Now, in this last folder if you write
ls <ENTER>
You will see a file called uninstall.sh, and this is the one to run to remove Avast, now to use it you must use the following instruction
sudo sh uninstall.sh <ENTER>
After this now you can reboot your Mac writing the next
reboot <ENTER>

This is the same as:
Code: [Select]
sudo sh /Library/Application\ Support/Avast/components/uninstall/com.avast.uninstall.app/Contents/MacOS/uninstall.sh
Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: REDACTED on August 27, 2014, 09:36:21 PM
3.- Go to this folder
cd Library <ENTER>
cd Application\ Support <ENTER> "in this case exist a space between "Application Support", put \ after Application and a space
cd Avast <ENTER>
cd components <ENTER>
cd uninstall <ENTER>
cd com.avast.uninstall.app <ENTER>
cd Contents <ENTER>
cd MacOS <ENTER>
4.- Now, in this last folder if you write
ls <ENTER>
You will see a file called uninstall.sh, and this is the one to run to remove Avast, now to use it you must use the following instruction
sudo sh uninstall.sh <ENTER>
After this now you can reboot your Mac writing the next
reboot <ENTER>

This is the same as:
Code: [Select]
sudo sh /Library/Application\ Support/Avast/components/uninstall/com.avast.uninstall.app/Contents/MacOS/uninstall.sh

Yes, it is the same, but I found that the latter version (also the longer) would get cut off in the middle of "components" because it was too long of a string.  I tried both of these suggested fixes but kept getting kext errors after getting to the, "sudo sh uninstall.sh" step.

The errors were as follows:
Kext com.avast.AvastFileShield not found for unload request.
Kext com.avast.PacketForwarder not found for unload request.

My boyfriend was able to walk me through a fix that actually worked for me. I survived this terrible ordeal, and so did all of my files by doing the following:
/sbin/ -uw / <ENTER>
cd Library <ENTER>
cd Application\ Support <ENTER>
sudo rm -rf Avast <ENTER>
(I then did "ls <ENTER>" to make sure the Avast folder was no longer there. If it is infact gone, proceed.)
cd .. <ENTER>
cd .. <ENTER>
(You should be back at the root folder now)
cd private
cd etc
rm launchd.conf <ENTER>
reboot

(And it should be fixed!)

Shout out to Francisco Velasco, thanks for the launchd.conf step. It still wasn't working for me until I removed that file.

I'm sorry for anyone who has to deal with this $#*!. I spent a good 3 hours this morning trying to resurrect my bosses' computer. Never again am I going to install Avast on any machine, Mac or PC.

Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: specimen9999 on August 28, 2014, 01:04:28 AM
3.- Go to this folder
cd Library <ENTER>
cd Application\ Support <ENTER> "in this case exist a space between "Application Support", put \ after Application and a space
cd Avast <ENTER>
cd components <ENTER>
cd uninstall <ENTER>
cd com.avast.uninstall.app <ENTER>
cd Contents <ENTER>
cd MacOS <ENTER>
4.- Now, in this last folder if you write
ls <ENTER>
You will see a file called uninstall.sh, and this is the one to run to remove Avast, now to use it you must use the following instruction
sudo sh uninstall.sh <ENTER>
After this now you can reboot your Mac writing the next
reboot <ENTER>

This is the same as:
Code: [Select]
sudo sh /Library/Application\ Support/Avast/components/uninstall/com.avast.uninstall.app/Contents/MacOS/uninstall.sh

Yes, it is the same, but I found that the latter version (also the longer) would get cut off in the middle of "components" because it was too long of a string.  I tried both of these suggested fixes but kept getting kext errors after getting to the, "sudo sh uninstall.sh" step.

The errors were as follows:
Kext com.avast.AvastFileShield not found for unload request.
Kext com.avast.PacketForwarder not found for unload request.

My boyfriend was able to walk me through a fix that actually worked for me. I survived this terrible ordeal, and so did all of my files by doing the following:
/sbin/ -uw / <ENTER>
cd Library <ENTER>
cd Application\ Support <ENTER>
sudo rm -rf Avast <ENTER>
(I then did "ls <ENTER>" to make sure the Avast folder was no longer there. If it is infact gone, proceed.)
cd .. <ENTER>
cd .. <ENTER>
(You should be back at the root folder now)
cd private
cd etc
rm launchd.conf <ENTER>
reboot

(And it should be fixed!)

Shout out to Francisco Velasco, thanks for the launchd.conf step. It still wasn't working for me until I removed that file.

I'm sorry for anyone who has to deal with this $#*!. I spent a good 3 hours this morning trying to resurrect my bosses' computer. Never again am I going to install Avast on any machine, Mac or PC.

The kext errors just means that avast isn't running, which of course we know this because we are on single user mode.
Also, it's unlikely that OSX would cut off a path for being too long, it supports much longer paths than that from the command line, it's more likely a typing error?
Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: specimen9999 on August 28, 2014, 12:53:00 PM
Also, the launchd.conf file is not present in a normal install of Avast, in fact this file controls the startup environment of the Mac and it's not always present, it could have also been created/modified by some other program, the fact that only deleting it solved the problem for you both makes me wonder that in in fact your problem was not related to avast at all.
Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: REDACTED on October 06, 2014, 08:06:56 PM
I have the same issue. I installed AVAST in my Mac - OSX last night and then I cannot reboot my system. I tried to start up in single user mode and entered all the commands (provided by 'alyssaharn' and 'Francisco Velasco') to uninstall AVAST but system is giving error like "/tmp/avastuninstall <some number>: Read-Only file system"...I don't remember the exact error message as I'm at my work now.

It seems like I don't have permission to uninstall AVAST in single user mode. But why??

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks !

Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: REDACTED on October 07, 2014, 01:19:14 AM
In what moment did the mistake that you are getting appears? Before or after this text:

sudo sh uninstall.sh <ENTER>
Title: Re: How to uninstall Avast in singe-user mode?
Post by: specimen9999 on October 07, 2014, 05:42:35 AM
I have the same issue. I installed AVAST in my Mac - OSX last night and then I cannot reboot my system. I tried to start up in single user mode and entered all the commands (provided by 'alyssaharn' and 'Francisco Velasco') to uninstall AVAST but system is giving error like "/tmp/avastuninstall <some number>: Read-Only file system"...I don't remember the exact error message as I'm at my work now.

It seems like I don't have permission to uninstall AVAST in single user mode. But why??

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks !

You forgot this part:
Code: [Select]
/sbin/mount -uw /In single-user mode the filesystem is mounted read-only by default (this mounts as read and write).

Then just do:
Code: [Select]
sudo sh /Library/Application\ Support/Avast/components/uninstall/com.avast.uninstall.app/Contents/MacOS/uninstall.sh