Obsolete avast! clients still used

[cbalbont]

Hello,

We upgraded our Windows SBS server and 10 workstations from avast! v4 (Antivirus and Administration Console) to avast! v7 (Business Administration Plus).  The upgrade on the workstations should have removed all of the old software, but according to the avast! Administration Console, there is a message that says:

Obsolete avast! clients still used

Old program versions are still active within your network. The list of computers is
Workstation1 (workstation.mynetwork.local.),
Workstation2 (workstation.mynetwork.local2.),
Workstation3 (workstation.mynetwork.local3.)

After checking the workstations, we cannot find any indication that old software is installed.  There is "Avast 4" entry in the "Add or Remove Programs" Control Panel applet, nor is there an "Alwil" folder in Program Files.  What is the avast! Administration Console detecting that we cannot find?

Regards,
Chris

[giogio]

Hi,
I suggest to you to uninstall avast using avast uninstall utility
https://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=1062#idt_02

and then try to re-deploy the avast installation from the console.

Which console are you using? SOA or AEA?

[avast@@dvantage77.com]

I was under the impression that the ver. 7 client would remove any version 4 client prior to installation. Is this not the case?

[cbalbont]

Which console are you using? SOA or AEA?

giogio:  I don't know what "SOA" or "AEA" is.  I'm using the latest version of "avast! Business Protection Plus" and the version of avast! Administration Console is the latest at v1.1.132.15.  I can't imagine why I would now have to go back and perform a manual uninstall on these endpoints (clients) just to "remove" any remnants of the old managed version of avast! v4. 

avast@advanted77.com: I was under that exact impression too.  If your're an organization with thousands of clients, why would the programmers of avast! v7 make you uninstall the old avast! v4 manually?  Nonsense.  I am sure the programmers were clever enough to make the deployment routine remove the old version prior to installing the avast! v7 .

So can someone tell me what the Administration Console is looking for on the client which makes it THINK there is still an old v4 antivirus client installed?  As I've removed the old "Alwil" folder, I'm thinking it must be something in the registry.

[giogio]

Hi,
I think Avast check the newer version 7.0.1455, then I suggest to you to update your avast! Administration Console to the new Small Administrator Office Console
SOA (ver. 1.2.2.28):
http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_console_ep.exe
http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_console_eps.exe
http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_console_epp.exe
http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_console_epsp.exe
Is the same graphics interface of avast! Administration Console, but there're some improvements (support to ver.7, graphical expert settings now avaiable...)
Then update your mirror and deploy the update to the clients (new client program 7.0.1455 is called avast endpoint protection, read here
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=101245.0)

edit
which version is currently shown in your mirror and what client version program you have?

[avast@@dvantage77.com]

The version 4 client is definately supposed to be removed by the Endpoint client during installation, I have verified that.  How many problem children do you have?

Here is what I do when dealing with "leftovers", which is the number 1 issue with all antivirus programs:

"When all else fails, discovery and removal of every anti-virus leftover!"

 
1)            Remove all avast!  versions as well as any other A/V programs from add/remove programs in control panel.
 
2)            Download the latest version of avast! Uninstall Utility (aswclear.exe) and save it on your desktop.
 
http://files.avast.com/files/eng/aswclear.exe
 
3)            Start Windows in Safe Mode (F8 key before Windows splash screen on a reboot)
 
4)            Open (execute) the uninstall utility aswclear.exe
 
5)            Choose which version of avast! to uninstall. This process will be repeated for each avast! version.  So
let's assume we had all 3 versions of avast! installed at some point. So we choose version 4.8 and proceed.
 
6)            If you installed avast! in a different folder than the default, browse for it. (Note: Be careful! The content of any
folder you choose will be deleted!)
 
7)          Click REMOVE, close aswclear, and open aswclear, and remove avast! 5, and repeat this process for all versions of avast, including managed client.
 
          Restart your computer
 
Here is the full chimichanga "PETE SCRAPE"  Do this when all else fails!
 
1) Add remove programs, remove avast!, restart into safe mode.
 
2) Use avast! removal tool, select avast! version's, and repeat for every avast version ever loaded on that system (as shown above)
 
3) In Local disk C:\ ProgramFiles\ , delete "avast" and "Alwil" directories if there. Look here for the other A/V vendors, that you will also have to deal with on a similar basis
 
4) In C:\Windows\temp, remove all.
 
5) Start, run, type "%temp%" and remove all.
 
6) Do a Windows search on all hard disks for instances of "avast" and "Alwil" and delete all.
 
7) Start, run, type "regedit" (Windows key + R). Under Hkey, current user, software, and remove "avast" and "Alwil", then under Hkey, local machine, software,  and remove "avast" and "Alwil" (This is specific to Windows XP)
 
Use CCleaner to remove the rest of any avast! or other A/V for orphaned registry remnants, and restart.
 
9) Install avast! and reboot!
 
10) Usually, good luck at this point.  And you can substitute other manufacturers products into this script.  Remember, registry hacking is always risky, so always have a backup before you proceed.  It's kinda like the acknowledgement checkbox in LSPfix, "I know what I'm doing, or, I like to reinstall my operating system"
 
J.R.  Guthrie

[cbalbont]

Hello everyone,

Sorry... Friday is the busiest day at work for us.  Before I saw the updates to this thread, I updated to "avast! Small Office Administration" with Admin Console v1.2.2.28.  I hope this was the correct one, because the console said "Business Protection Plus" before and now it says "Small Office Administration".

I'll have more time on Monday to take a closer look at your updates and then see what I can do about the "problem children". 

Have a great weekend!

Chris

[wpn]

with the plus version you also get exchange and sharepoint protection, and firewall at the clients.   i didnt check atm what you get with SOA but i believe its without the firewal and without exchange and sharepoint protection

[cbalbont]

wpn, We had purchased "Business Protection Plus" not just for endpoint protection but also to protect our Windows Small Business Server's Sharepoint and Exchange services.  The avast admin console indicated an update was available so I clicked to update it and was presented with a web page with a number of updates - none of which specifically said "Business Protection Plus".

Before I proceed with trying to remove all the remnants of avast 4 which the deployment task should have taken care of, how can I go about downloading the latest version of "avast Business Protection Plus"?

Chris

[Avosec-UK]

wpn, We had purchased "Business Protection Plus" not just for endpoint protection but also to protect our Windows Small Business Server's Sharepoint and Exchange services.  The avast admin console indicated an update was available so I clicked to update it and was presented with a web page with a number of updates - none of which specifically said "Business Protection Plus".

Before I proceed with trying to remove all the remnants of avast 4 which the deployment task should have taken care of, how can I go about downloading the latest version of "avast Business Protection Plus"?

Chris

The avast! Business Protection Plus product was rebranded to avast! Endpoint Protection Suite Plus.

The message about the obsolete clients means that some of the BPP or EPSP clients haven't upgraded to the latest EPSP build.
I will suggest you to check if the program updates are set to automatically - NETWORK > Edit group settings > Updates or just update them manually by right-clicking the avast! Tray Icon > Update > Program and reboot the system.

[cbalbont]

The avast! Business Protection Plus product was rebranded to avast! Endpoint Protection Suite Plus.

Avosec-UK,

As you are a reseller, please forward my comments to the appropriate department at the avast! company.  Thank you.

The Administration Console's "update" function really needs to just update itself when one clicks the Update button, instead of opening up a web browser and presenting a long list of similarly-titled packages. As we had been using "Business Protection Plus",  there was NO indication in the list of which package was the 'rebranded' equivalent.  We blindly chose the SOA version of "Client + Small Office Administration Console including mirror" hoping it was the correct package, and even then it failed to installed twice before finally working.  This update process really does need to be streamlined.

Best Regards,
Chris

[cbalbont]

So I have good news.   I came in on a Sunday afternoon and spent hours going to each workstation to clean up the leftover bits of previous avast! software that the v7 deployment SHOULD HAVE removed to begin with.  I took J.R. Guthrie's advice and used the avast! Uninstall Utility (aswclear.exe) and it resolved my problem.  I did cut a few corners however.

I booted each workstation into safe mode and used awsclear to remove JUST the old version that I knew had been installed previously ("avast! Managed Client" v4).  I then booted into normal Windows mode and ran a manual installation of "avast! v7 Endpoint Protection Suite Plus" over the existing one just to ensure that all files and registry entries were properly in place.

Disclaimer: I know this process wasn't exactly according to J.R.'s very well explained and explicit instructions of running awsclear for every single avast! software listed in the removal tool's drop down menu.  I cut a few corners because I know my workstations very well and all imaged the same, and I know for a fact that "avast! managed client" has been the ONLY piece of avast! software that was ever installed on any of them.  For admins who are unsure, or anyone who inherited a computer with no idea what a previous owner might have installed, I recommend that you follow J.R.'s instructions above to the letter so that you can be absolutely sure you removed every remnant of previous avast! software.

As of this writing, I consider this issue resolved.  From what I can see, the avast! v7 endpoints, including the "Small Office Administration Suite" are all working as designed without any complaints about obsolete clients still being used.  Thank you J.R. Guthrie, wpn, giogio, and others for your expert help.

Kindest Regards,
Chris