Grimefighter unusable, unwanted, but unable to remove

[hadwen]

My Toshiba Satellite laptop has been very slow but I was always suspicious of software to speed it up. I have used Avast since a colleague recommended it many years ago, so when Avast offered Grimefighter I assumed it would be trustworthy. I actually paid £19.99 - which I could ill afford - to download it. 

It downloaded, installed and started, then a full-screen message said Grimefighter could not run on my computer. I tried it again and the same thing happened. I phoned Avast and was told to use the Avast support website to get a refund.

On www.support.avast.com I sent a message about the problem and requested a refund. I received an email acknowledgment of my complaint from AVAST Software s.r.o. on 16/03/2014 but nothing since, even though they said they would get back to me shortly. I was given a ticket number but I could not access any details on the Avast website -  it said the password (sent by Avast) was incorrect. I have had to complain to PayPal about my refund.

I have since sent an email to orders@avast.com and had the usual automated acknowledgment, but nothing else. What is as bad, I can’t get rid of Grimefighter. I tried to uninstall Grimefighter using my Control Panel - Add / Remove, but it is not there. I uninstalled Avast but Grimefighter was still there. I have since searched for and deleted all files called Grimefighter and Jumpshot but Grimefighter is still there.

When I reboot, either Grimefighter pops up again to put my computer to sleep before being unable to run or I go through Setup which gives a choice between Grimefighter and Windows. Why is it still on my computer? It is more like an invisible virus than controllable software.

I trusted Avast as a reputable organisation, but after all this messing about I wish I had not bothered with Grimefighter or Avast. And could anyone please tell me how to remove all traces of Grimefighter?

[Eddy]

control panel > software > avast > add/remove > change > remove the "tick" in front of GrimeFighter

[hadwen]

Thanks, Eddy.

The problem is, as I mentioned I removed Avast using Control Panel Add/Remove. If I do this again Avast does not show up so I can't tick Grimefighter.

After removing Avast using Control Panel Add/Remove and finding Grimefighter was still present, I deleted all files called Grimefighter and Jumpshot. I don't understand how it can still be present. Is Grimefighter hidden within another file?

[Eddy]

Install avast and than delete GrimeFighter

[bob3160]

Install avast and than delete GrimeFighter

I suggest you use the avast! removal tool:
http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avastclear.exe
If you then want to re-install avast!, use the custom install and uncheck Grimefighter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k2Zyr2uXng

[hadwen]

Thank you Eddy and bob3160 for the suggestions. I tried uninstalling and installing Avast several times, using custom install and clearing the tick against Grimefighter, but it is still present and runs unless I choose Windows instead of Grimefighter in Setup.

I have also tried Control Panel Add/Remove then Change on Avast - it doesn't give the choice of removing Grimefighter, just the choice of not installing it which does not remove it when it is already installed.

It's ironic that Avast is there to block unwanted programs and I can't remove something associated with Avast.

[hectic-mmv]

Thank you Eddy and bob3160 for the suggestions. I tried uninstalling and installing Avast several times, using custom install and clearing the tick against Grimefighter, but it is still present and runs unless I choose Windows instead of Grimefighter in Setup.

I have also tried Control Panel Add/Remove then Change on Avast - it doesn't give the choice of removing Grimefighter, just the choice of not installing it which does not remove it when it is already installed.

It's ironic that Avast is there to block unwanted programs and I can't remove something associated with Avast.

Hadwen, which OS do you have? Have you tried to select boot to GrimeFighter, restart and boot to Windows again?

[hadwen]

Hi hectic-mmv, thanks for your interest.

My laptop OS is Windows XP  (Version 2002  and Service pack 3).

I have tried what you suggest. When Grimefighter opens, it starts sedating the computer then displays: “Houston, abort shuttle launch. We can’t run Grimefighter on this computer”, as is has done since I first installed it. 

On reboot, if I choose Windows it opens correctly, but Grimefighter is still present, as before. Using Control Panel Add/Remove and Change shows it is not ticked (as I unticked it when installing Avast yet again) but this had not removed it.

I have done the Control Panel Add/Remove and Change several times and also uninstalled / installed Avast several times but Grimefighter is not removed.

I would have thought that any quality software would have the means to uninstall it in its menu, whether within Avast or Grimefighter itself, or would show separately in the Control Panel Add/Remove list.

[hadwen]

When I boot up my computer Grimefighter starts, sedates the computer then tells me it can't run. I then have to close the computer. To avoid this I have to go through Setup and choose Windows instead of Grimefighter.

All attempts to remove Grimefighter have failed. To me Grimefighter is therefore a useless virus.

Avast have not answered my emails about it apart from acknowledging my complaint, so I assume they are not interested. Is there somewhere I can report  a virus that should be avoided by computer users?

 

[Eddy]

Restore boot.ini to its original state.

[hadwen]

Thanks for the reply.

I really wish I knew how to restore boot.ini to its original state, but unfortunately I don't. I have tried System Restore but that did not affect Grimefighter.