Google Chrome installed without my permission, very annoyed!

[GayzeN]

Was Chrome already installed on the systems you were installing Avast on?  Or had it been (so that it may have been detected in the registry)?

[essexboy]

No, never had Chrome as I do not like it

[wyrmrider]

Thinking about it the usual avast install failed so I did a full install and had the crapware installed along with avast with no opt out
this is not acceptable no matter how wonderful the crapware is
BTW I already had chrome- I have my wife's Outlook, her facebook, her google voice all her stuff on her own browser

[cooby]

Thinking about it the usual avast install failed so I did a full install and had the crapware installed along with avast with no opt out
this is not acceptable no matter how wonderful the crapware is

Very interesting. Because I, too, had a failed instalation (first ever!) on awsregsvc, and then standard installation gave me this unwanted chrome and declared its updates as rootkit. Details here:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=127697.0

Here's another observation: I did clean uninstalling first. Then after avast installationg failed on aswregsvr, I tried to understand why. I found that the clean uninstall did not remove emergency update from scheduled tasks. Perhaps it's related to why some of us never got to an option to not install chrome.

[cooby]

At the moment it appears to be a random occurrence with no real rhyme nor reason.  I have uninstalled/reinstalled a fair few times recently to try and replicate this on my system, but so far have failed
I wonder if there is a clue in the setup log

Thanks for being here
I have saved every log I thought relevant including the first failed installation (post above this). If anyone wants it, its huge, but I broke it up into pieces trying to see if I can see anything matching the timing with few notes and few screenshots I did.

[wyrmrider]

any commitment from avast about the discontinue of this unethical practice
essentially a drive by download

[hol]

just wanted to notify that this is a persistent problem. Just updated a clients machine and upon reboot chrome was installed without notice or option to opt out, and the default browser setting was changed. No hint in the update dialog.

This is very unfortunate, as this disqualifies avast as credible software.

[Krasen]

I confirm it too.

(I did not read all the replies in the thread. I'm posting because I think this chrome installation thing is fixed in a new version of the avast and that is what I say below.)

Yesterday on fresh windows install of my friend, I installed Avast from the main website (as i forgot my link for recommendation ) Started installation, chose a custom installation option, but I did not remove any check marks. During the installation process, I saw that the installation is now installing chrome, and I was wondering if I allowed it ??
However after a few minutes ( As I did not wait 30 or 45 as the posts above ) Then I opened task manager and killed the avast installation, and I saw there was process called chrome setup.exe or something, killed it too and then restarted the PC.

The avast installation was completed so everything worked fine.

I ask - Is the installation of the avast setup install chrome in the background, and then after restart shows the prompt window - do you want to install chrome as shown in the first posts of the thread.

EDIT: The computer used Win7, but cant remember if it was x86 or x64.
I installed avast free.

Cheers, From Bulgaria!

[essexboy]

I just installed the latest beta and the google options were upfront, removed the ticks and it did not install

[SpruceMoose]

Just had this problem a couple days ago after upgrading avast to the newest version.

No worries but I was suprised enough to google it and find this thread.  Just thought y'all should know, if you wanted to know, that it's not fixed.

Regards

Sprucey

[GTX66]

Nope, there was no option screen this time as I have seen with previous updates. I'm not stupid.

My choice of browser and their relative merits is not the issue here.
The issue is with installing a product I don't want or need without my permission.

You have to choose custom install and then you can untick those sneaky check marks that want you to install Chrome. I have found it necessary to install all of my software using a custom installation. You can no longer trust any company when you do a standard install. There is no telling what you can end up with. I would think and would hope that an AV company would rise above such methods. I can see it on their free release, but it bothers me when I see it on software that I have purchased. @SpruceMoose. It is not broken, it is by design.

[asenior]

I just updated Avast! free v 8.0.1497 through the internal updater.  It asked to be rebooted after the update and after reboot a screen appeared where one had to untick the 2 boxes for Google Chrome.  Rebooting immediately after updating seems to be the necessary step in order to see the Chrome options to install or not and thus refusing (unticking) Chrome if not wanted.

When installing Avast! from scratch it's always best to do a custom install to avoid any optional software being Chrome.

 

[lightmuncher]

I saw this and was about to put my voice forward to this debate!  I am furious that this company has overridden my free will!!!  Its MY computer and MY choices of what I install on it, not Avast.  Its taking a rather an omnipotent stance to assume that you do as you wish!!

[GTX66]

I can understand why they do this in the free version, I do not like to see it in a version that I am paying for. Someone has to help Avast with the funding for the free Avast, but paid users should not have to be put through this. WE are paying the price. This is why I always choose the Custom installation as some of these freeware programs ad all kinds of garbage in them.

[CraigB]

This is why I always choose the Custom installation as some of these freeware programs ad all kinds of garbage in them.

You don't get offered a custom installation when using the internal updater, the custom process only works on a downloaded install file.

With that said I have just performed an update via the internal process for a friend and once the install was finished it asked to reboot and once restarted the avast popup screen appeared which gave me the option to uncheck the Google offerings plus all settings were retained in the update process so the update worked faultlessly.