Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Secure Browser => Avast Secure Browser for Windows => Topic started by: REDACTED on November 07, 2018, 07:30:15 PM
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Very Unhappy with NOT user friendly program.....
None of my passwords were saved......
cant find Bank mode any where.....
and none of my saved sites such as banks, credit cards companies, utilities.... that I had counted on when paying bills. >:(
I have read your guik fix toutorials , and they are easily understood ... unless your are savy with a computer.
Disappointed,
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Unless you wish to have your email addy harvested by [spammers] suggest removing it from your first post.
Bank Mode is only available with Avast installed. What version of ASB do you have installled?
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Premium
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Premium
You can find the version as shown in Screenshot.
Yes as mchain has stated, for "Bank Mode" to be accessible you must first have Avast anti virus software installed on your system. You would then 'right click' the Avast Icon in the Task Bar and Bank Mode option is shown.
See screenshot for version check. Click on "About Avast Secure Browser"
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First, I have Avast Premier installed on 3 computers. A couple days ago, I fire up the computer only to find that Avast Secure Browser is missing. In it's place is this new Avast Safe Browser. No warning, no notice and NO PERMISSION. It's been changed on all my computers.
After pissing away 3 days trying to get the ASB upgrade to work, I found your answer here. I tried it and it worked....only so far. All my bookmarks disappeared, password manager won't work with it and now I have to setup access to the minor little luxuries in life like banking, bill paying and so forth. Everyone of them has to send a verification code. However, while in bank mode, I can't check email to get the code without shutting down bank mode. As soon as I do that, and then return to the setup page, the verification code is no longer any good so I try several times with the same result. Since you were able to explain how to get bank mode to work, and I really appreciate that, can you now tell me how I'm supposed to overcome this problem with checking email while in bank mode??
There are some things I wish they had left alone but then I'm just a lowly paying customer so I guess I have no option but to accept some lousy changes (I'm being sarcastic after wasting 3 days trying to get ASB to work. I'm extremely frustrated)
I also noticed that the default search engine is yahoo. Who's bright idea was that. It won't even let me change the default search engine. I refuse to use anything to do with yahoo. My passwords and info were compromised a few years back due to a security breech that they tried to hide. Cost me a bloody fortune to protect myself from identity theft which happened 3 times over the next year or so.
Before I forget, I'm using win 7 pro 64 on 2 computers and win 7 home premium 64 on the third with Avast Premier on all 3.
Would you have any suggestions I could try to overcome this situation. Preciate any help you can give.
Take care
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I'm not sure what you have installed however the product is "Avast Secure Browser" the latest version is shown in Screenshot and the search engine is Google.
ASB is based on Chromium. :)
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- First suggestion would be to have a image backup program installed (I know, really too late for that) so you can recover from an instance such as this one in as little as 15 minutes.
- Second suggestion would be to create a limited user account to help prevent remote administrative changes to your system. Running full-time as administrator is risky and should be done as little as possible.
- Third suggestion is to disable Remote Assistance; you can find this setting under Control Panel>System
- Both settings (2,3) will require a reboot to take effect.
- Lastly, final recommendation is to completely redo Windows 7 from scratch (which is where an image backup program would've saved your bacon) or have your system checked out for malware here: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=194892.0 (https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=194892.0)
- Reason for the last recommendation is because Avast Safe Browser does not exist, predecessor for ASB was Avast SafeZone Browser, which is not distributed or supported anymore. Any installation of Avast Safe browser is now likely to have come along with a third-party (free) install and thus can/could be malicious.
Up to you how to best proceed.
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OK I was working from memory when I posted. I had Avast SafeZone Browser and it was upgraded to Avast secure browser. Sorry for the screw up..
However, problems still exist. Why did it remove my bookmarks?
Another new wrinkle. It won't let me sign into places like online banking or bill payments. It obviously isn't working as it was intended to.
I do have an image backup but in all honesty, I don't know how to use it. I've never had to. I used Acronis to do the snapshot of the partition.
I hesitate on the limited user account. I've had problems in the past where the account was hacked. As a result, I got hit with a worm. I don't remember the name of it but it took out my windows (with no backup)
Remote assistance has never been active on any computer of mine. I deactivate it with any new install of windows. There are to many risks as far as I'm concerned.
Your 4th recommendation is invalid. That was my fault. Got the names twisted up a bit. I was extremely frustrated at the point when I posted. I've been an avid avast user for many years and this just seems so unlike them. I've ran several antimalware and antispyware programs since yesterday. There is no sign of either on my system. Avast found nothing as well.
The thing I don't understand is that this problem with avast secure browser is the same on 3 computers. I even took my laptop to a neighbours and tried the browser there. It was the same problem so it's not something provider or iP specific. It seems to be with the bank mode in the browser. Another thing that took me totally by surprise is that avast set the default search engine to yahoo and won't allow me to change it. I think I made myself clear in my previous post that I would give up internet before i would have anything to do with yahoo.
The only thing I can think of, if it's possible, is to uninstall the browser and reinstall it. Is that a possibility??
Thanks for your response and I look forward to your thoughts
Take care for now and have an awesome weekend.
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Forgot, Avast Password Manager still won't work with it
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Time for a clean install of Avast Secure Browser:
Follow bob3160's advice here: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=222362.msg1478763#msg1478763 (https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=222362.msg1478763#msg1478763)
How to use Acronis Backup Restore Functions: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Acronis+Backup+Restore+on+YouTube&t=ffnt&ia=videos (https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Acronis+Backup+Restore+on+YouTube&t=ffnt&ia=videos)
Watch a few videos until you've got the hang of it.
Why use a limited account? https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Why+use+a+limited+user+account+in+Windows&t=ffnt&ia=web (https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Why+use+a+limited+user+account+in+Windows&t=ffnt&ia=web)
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Hi mchain,
I thank you for all the useful info you gave me. I've read it all and also bookmarked it. From everything I read, I think I'm going to go back to basics and reinstall Windows. I have all drivers and programs I'll need backed up on another drive. I've noticed one of the other programs I use is acting up. Seemed to start about the time SafeZone was replaced with Avast Secure Browser. I think, under the circumstances, a complete reinstall would be the way to go. The only thing left to do is backup the bookmarks. I don't trust google's cloud service, (or any cloud service for that matter), so if I have to, I'll screenshot the entire bookmark list. I'll also have to figure out how to backup Avast bookmarks but again, I'll screenshot everything if need be. I'll also create a limited user account as well. I still don't get the jist of why the limited user account but I think I'll give it a try.
All of your info was exceptional and to the point. For that I thank you very much. It gave me enough of a push to do what should have probably been done long ago. I've put it off because it's a major undertaking with this machine. I did one of the other computers in about a half a day. This one though is going to require 2 to 3 days to complete. I still have another computer as well as a laptop that I can work with while this one is being formatted, Windows reinstalled with all updates and all programs reinstalled and setup. It's a rough job but hey, somebody's gotta do it. LOL
Again, I thank you for all your time and help in reaching this decision. You take care and be safe.
Have a very Merry Christmas and all the best in the new year.
Rob
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Best wishes for the holidays to you as well.
See attached below for how to save your bookmarks below:
- Limited user account can help prevent or lessen the impact of malware entering your system via the standard account as malware cannot run as easily as it can when running in an administrative account where it will have full administrative privileges if you allow it.
- To wit: To make system changes in a limited or standard account you'd need to call up your administrative user name and password to make the change(s), whereas in admin all you need to do is OK the dialog box that pops up and the deed is done system-wide. An example of this would be running a program that requires administrative privileges to run in a standard account such as CPUID HWMonitor, using the the name and password of admin in your standard account allows it to run in the limited account with full administrative privileges, just as if you were running it in your admin account.
- A side benefit is if you've a user who is running as limited account, they cannot run your program without knowing your password.
- It's an extra step present only in a limited/standard account (User name and password). It is not present in an administrative account.
So if a program suddenly asks for admin privileges while in standard account and you didn't start it, just click no.
Easy.
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Hi mchain,
I think I screwed up royally. I reformatted and reinstalled tonight. I forgot the limited account. Can it still be setup without complications??
Believe me, that wasn't all I screwed up. LMAO Forgot to backup bookmarks as well. I'll get the important ones figured out. I'll have to check the laptop and see it the bookmarks are there but I'm not holding my breath. I knew I should have left this until morning when I wasn't tired. Teach me. LMAO
Thanks again.
Rob
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Not an issue to set up a limited account after you set up an admin account. Just go to the user section as administrator and create your limited account and reboot. Not possible to create a limited account first, you need an admin account to do this.
Also recommended to set up a second Administrator account for emergency purposes, in case the main one isn't working as it is supposed to for whatever reason.
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Hello again mchain,
OK Done and done
I really do appreciate all the help you've given me.
You take care and be safe. Have an awesome Holiday Season.
Rob
BTW, I mentioned a worm I got hit with a while back. It was the Nimda worm. However, that wasn't what screwed me up. I couldn't keep up with Norton Corporate so it quarantined Windows. What a mess that caused. LMAO
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Merry Christmas to you too to you and yours. :)