Avast is preventing Chrome from saving bookmarks on exit

[weniard]

Avast Free (latest update) is breaking chrome on all 3 of my home computers, it worked until 30/5/2024. Since then, on two computers chrome won’t save bookmarks, history and everything that was done before exiting the software and in the other computer same issue but it also broke adblock extension.

I have seen this issue raising on google’s forums by someone else:
https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/283501986/chrome-doesnt-save-after-closing?hl=en

If avast is uninstalled- all issues disappear on all computers, once installed it happens again.

This has never happened to me before with avast and chrome, and as I mentioned before, last time bookmarks file was updated by chrome was 30/5/2024 (on all computers).

Thank you!

[Harry S.]

Same here. I also have the same problem since early July. I am not sure whether the problem is caused by Avast, however, I would like to give more observations to enhance any further investigation and analysis.

1. I try malwarebytes between mid June and early July, thus I turn off all avast (free) real-time protection. Within this period, I can add bookmarks to chrome as usual.

2. After I turn back to Avast free (with all shields on) and uninstall Malwarebytes, the bookmarks issue occurred.

3. After I bookmark a new website in chrome and check the list immediately, the new bookmarks exists and it seems I add the bookmark successfully, but once I close all chrome pages and restart chrome again/next time, the new bookmarks disappear from the list.

4. According to my own trial, disabling all shields won’t change the problem. I also run Avast full virus scan to ensure my machine is not infected

5. I haven’t tried uninstalling Avast as to my perception, if all shields (real time protection) are disabled, Avast should return to on-demand mode and it should not interact with any program itself till I start any on-demand scan.

6. For the situation ‘won’t save bookmarks, history and everything that was done before exiting the software’, similar issue occurred in my Edge browsers after I turn back to Avast free from malwarebytes.

7. I am using window 10.  For Avast free version. It is now 24.6.6121. Please note what the current version is may not be a useful fact because the bookmark issue occurs before I updated to 24.6.6121

Thank you.

[weniard]

Yes exactly the same issue, chrome shows as if it was added correctly but after restarting the chrome it disappears.

[Dinobot2]

Out of curiosity, do you sign into Chrome with a Google account or do you use it standalone without any account and/or not sync bookmarks across devices?

[Jiří Šembera]

Hello everyone,

we had a bug preventing saving Chromium-based browser settings in certain conditions. It is fixed in VPS 240709-00 which was released a couple of minutes ago. Sorry for any inconveniences this may have caused.

EDIT: A restart might be needed for the fix to take effect.

Best regards,
Jiri

[Blackie]

For those of us experiencing this problem but don't have super computer skills; what is VPS 240709-00, where  do I find it, and how do I use it?

[Dinobot2]

That's just the version number for virus definitions, which should update automatically. If you didn't turn off Automatic updates you should have it already. But you can double check by opening up the Avast UI and clicking Menu in the top right, then Settings, then Updates and you'll see the version number there. If you have 240709-0 or later (currently I have 240709-4), then you're good and just need to give your computer a restart. If not, click "Check for Updates", let it update, then restart.

[DavidR]

That's just the version number for virus definitions, which should update automatically. If you didn't turn off Automatic updates you should have it already. But you can double check by opening up the Avast UI and clicking Menu in the top right, then Settings, then Updates and you'll see the version number there. If you have 240709-0 or later (currently I have 240709-4), then you're good and just need to give your computer a restart. If not, click "Check for Updates", let it update, then restart.

Or just right click on the Avast tray icon and select About Avast - that will take you right to that page.

[Blackie]

Thank you both. It happened automatically.

[DavidR]

Thank you both. It happened automatically.

You're welcome - Avast delivered this fix in a VPS update, which for most will be automatically delivered, unless you have set it to manual update.