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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: Avast-PiecesOfWindows8 on October 06, 2020, 06:59:25 PM

Title: More problems uninstalling Avast
Post by: Avast-PiecesOfWindows8 on October 06, 2020, 06:59:25 PM

Like some other posts on this forum, yesterday I suddenly started having trouble with high CPU usage from the free version of Avast.  Even after disabling virus protection and rebooting, processes named "Avast Service," "Avast Antivirus Installer," and "Avast Antivirus" show up immediately in Task Manager, and together take about 75% to 90% of CPU resources.  I've tried the fix in this thread:
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=238475.0
But no matter which version of Windows I try to run AvastClear with, it does NOT run and won't get past the logo / loading screen.  (I'm actually running Windows 8.1.  I tried Troubleshoot + running as Windows XP, Vista, 7, and 8, and waited a few minutes for each). 

Some more details:

• I can't stop or kill these processes through Task Manager, rebooting, or any other trick I've tried.
• In Windows Safe Mode, these processes don't show up, and the CPU usage is normal.
• I can't uninstall, repair, or update Avast (for example, in Safe Mode, trying to do these things starts the"Avast Antivirus Installer" process, which then just keeps running). 
• Windows Restore Points won't work.  I get a message that the Registry files weren't copied successfully.
• I haven't tried Windows System Refresh or Reset yet.  (Maybe as last resorts?) 

Thanks very much in advance for any help!! 

Title: Re: More problems uninstalling Avast
Post by: Avast-PiecesOfWindows8 on October 07, 2020, 07:11:30 AM

OK, believe it or not, this worked  :):

• Reboot in Safe Mode
• Rename the folder in Program Files containing Avast
• Do standard reboot

Title: Re: More problems uninstalling Avast
Post by: strakl on October 07, 2020, 03:26:50 PM

There is a service pack to 20.8 that will fix the issue that you've described if i am not mistaken it's already out.

Title: Re: More problems uninstalling Avast
Post by: Avast-PiecesOfWindows8 on October 07, 2020, 04:45:46 PM

Thanks!  With Avast temporarily disabled by changing the folder name, it should be possible to install the service pack 

Title: Re: More problems uninstalling Avast
Post by: strakl on October 08, 2020, 06:48:45 PM

Renaming the folder probably isn't the smartest idea if you ask me. Yes, it may worked but i suppose it could interfeer with avast, who knows. At least you got it fixed.

Title: Re: More problems uninstalling Avast
Post by: Avast-PiecesOfWindows8 on October 09, 2020, 05:39:03 AM

I couldn't stop the Avast processes even by rebooting, using a command prompt or Power Shell as Administrator, etc.  And it was constantly using most of the CPU, so that the computer fan was running all the time.  So interfering with Avast was in fact the goal :) 

Title: Re: More problems uninstalling Avast
Post by: itbroke on October 11, 2020, 03:32:38 AM

Created an account just to say THANK YOU for this tip, it was the only one that worked for me. I regularly run a virtual machine and it was unusable with CPU pegged at 100% (with nothing running). CPU was IDLING at 62°C in a cold room. And four minute shutdown as a bonus. So thanks again!

Title: Re: More problems uninstalling Avast
Post by: Avast-PiecesOfWindows8 on October 11, 2020, 05:08:59 AM

Wow you're welcome!  OK, I'm glad!  Actually, this forum helped me a lot too, because I saw I wasn't the only one having the problem, & I learned what worked for other people.