Just for the record, I am still running XP Pro/SP3
Thanks for all the suggestions. I'd post this on AVG's forum page, but I need to register and give them personal information to post. I am already provoked at wasting much of a day trying to uninstall their toolbar. I don't want to further encourage them or 'establish a prior relationship' with them by registering.
As I implied, I 'caught' the toolbar in an install, probably plugins for Irfanview (a wonderful program.) I have never installed AVG's AV program on my computer.
Using ZTreeWin (another indispensable program) I did a global display and scrolled down to the date/time when the install happened, so I can see the files it installed.
I followed this protocol I found via Goole to no apparent avail:
http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/questions/101-375407/how-do-i-get-rid-avg-secure-search-remove-on-all-new-tabs-in-my-ie1 Go to the control panel and remove it, skip the page for feedback.
2 Go to browser, it will still be there, open tools and manager add-ons, then hit search providers, select another and set as default, you can then highlight avg and select remove at the bottom.
3 Last step you have to go to google or something, open tools, internet options and set that page as your default start page.
Should be good to go.
butters71
Updated - 20th Apr
1) I used Add/Remove Programs and it appears to have worked, sort-of, I will explain below. I just checked after a reboot and it is not in the list.
2) For SM there was on 'search providers' under add-ons but I removed the AVG Toolbar and I do not find it now in Tools/Add-ons Manager.
3) I never opened the toolbar. It never reset my preferences. There was nothing to do here.
However, after the reboot I again logged my C drive and the same AVG files are still there. Here is the path
C:.....LocalSettings\Temp
1) Is this MS protecting me from myself? Do I have to clear my Temp Files to get rid of it?
2) I am concerned that there may also be Registry entries that the uninstall failed to clear.
If there are no entries found in "about.config" when I search 'avg' save a browser history entry, is this a good sign?
Thanks,
baumgrenze