Avast Free 2014.9.0.2021 Update Problem

[REDACTED]

Avast Free updated from version 2014.9.0.2018 to 2021

Yesterday morning, my W7 HE machine was operating efficiently, and with no browsing problems.
I use both IE11 and Firefox 30 - but mainly IE11.
In both cases, my default home page is bbc.co.uk/news/

I then decided to update Avast Free program to version 2021 per the Avast icon in my taskbar.
There were no installation problems and, after the reboot, I got the “Everything is good” message.
Everything was operating OK with no problems until .....
When I opened Internet Explorer, I received this Windows popup above my taskbar.

Do you want to open or save 0/(179 KB) from bbc.co.uk?


I have no idea what is causing this irritating message – and it won’t go away when I’m on my BBC homepage. This does not occur on Firefox, and I have never tried to save a file on the BBC webpage.
Clicking on the button options open/save/cancel/cross (or rebooting) does not remove this nuisance.

I ran CCleaner and removed all the usual dross including cookies, history, etc. I ran MBAM and SAS; I checked msconfig startup items … all to no avail.
Avast Update and a Windows Defender update are the only things I have installed in the last week or so.
So I then used System Restore which took me back to Avast version 2018.
Everything was OK again – and the annoying message had disappeared.
Later in the day, I had another go at installing version 2021, but the same problem message re-appeared, and won’t go away.
I’ve now restored again to version 2018 until I find a solution to this annoyance on my homepage.

This peculiar “anomaly” is definitely caused by the Avast update, so I’d be grateful for any comments from members and Avast staff.

scrumdown

[essexboy]

I have just been there and I was not asked to install anything.  It may be worth having a quick check on the system


 Download OTL  to your Desktop
Secondary link

• Double click on the icon to run it. Make sure all other windows are closed and to let it run uninterrupted.

• Select All Users
  
• Select LOP and Purity
• Under the Custom Scan box paste this in

netsvcs
BASESERVICES
%SYSTEMDRIVE%\*.exe
c:\program files (x86)\Google\Desktop
c:\program files\Google\Desktop
dir "%systemdrive%\*" /S /A:L /C
/md5start
rpcss.dll
/md5stop
CREATERESTOREPOINT

• Click the Run Scan button. Do not change any settings unless otherwise told to do so. The scan wont take long.
  
  • When the scan completes, it will open two notepad windows. OTL.Txt and Extras.Txt. These are saved in the same location as OTL.
    
  • Attach  both logs

[REDACTED]

Thank you essexboy for your interest and assistance.

I now have both the OTL.Txt and Extras.Txt Notepad files on my Desktop.

As you will know, pasting these files in my reply greatly exceeds your message size limits of 20,000 characters.
Is it your normal practice to accept a series of split posts on your forums, or is there a preferred method of attaching these files for your perusal.
Apologies if I am missing the obvious - I'm relatively new here.

scrumdown

[essexboy]

Could you attach the logs please

Attachment instructions are here https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0 about one third of the way down, alos can you follow the instructions to set them to ANSI

[REDACTED]

Thanks again essexboy for your further instructions.

Duty calls - we're now leaving to visit an ailing relative.
It might be tomorrow morning before I can post the logs.

scrumdown

[REDACTED]

Hi essexboy,

Here are the attachments for both OTL.Txt and Extras.Txt

scrumdown

[essexboy]

Well as far as I can see there is nothing untoward, a few orphans which I will clear along with emptying the flash and java caches
Once done could you let me know if you still get the same popup on the BBC site

Warning This fix is only relevant for this system and no other, using on another computer may cause problems

Be advised that when the fix commences it will shut down all running processes and you may lose the desktop and icons, they will return on reboot

Run OTL

• Under the Custom Scans/Fixes box at the bottom, paste in the following
  
  
  

Code: [Select]

:Commands
[CREATERESTOREPOINT]

:OTL
O3:64bit: - HKLM\..\Toolbar: (no name) - {318A227B-5E9F-45bd-8999-7F8F10CA4CF5} - No CLSID value found.
O3:64bit: - HKLM\..\Toolbar: (no name) - {CC1A175A-E45B-41ED-A30C-C9B1D7A0C02F} - No CLSID value found.
O3 - HKU\S-1-5-21-3100524553-2080942234-607833138-1000\..\Toolbar\WebBrowser: (no name) - {30CEEEA2-3742-40E4-85DD-812BF1CBB83D} - No CLSID value found.

:Commands
[resethosts]
[emptytemp]
[Reboot]

• Then click the Run Fix button at the top
  
• Let the program run unhindered, reboot the PC when it is done
• Open OTL again and click the Quick Scan button. Post the log it produces in your next reply.

[REDACTED]

Thanks essexboy for your very quick responses.

The hour is late and I have an early start tomorrow for work.
So I will not be able to carry out your latest instructions until tomorrow night.

Good Night, scrumdown

[REDACTED]

I ran into the same problem when I did the avast update yesterday. I run Windows 7 and have never had any issues with any of the browsers I used. Mozilla, IE & Chrome. After the Avast update my IE wouldn't run correctly, getting the same "do you want to open or save" box. Even clicking that it wouldn't run. I did a restore and IE worked just fine. Tonight I redid the Avast update and once again IE won't run. Must be a bug in Avast program and IE.

Avast Free updated from version 2014.9.0.2018 to 2021

Yesterday morning, my W7 HE machine was operating efficiently, and with no browsing problems.
I use both IE11 and Firefox 30 - but mainly IE11.
In both cases, my default home page is bbc.co.uk/news/

I then decided to update Avast Free program to version 2021 per the Avast icon in my taskbar.
There were no installation problems and, after the reboot, I got the “Everything is good” message.
Everything was operating OK with no problems until .....
When I opened Internet Explorer, I received this Windows popup above my taskbar.

Do you want to open or save 0/(179 KB) from bbc.co.uk?


I have no idea what is causing this irritating message – and it won’t go away when I’m on my BBC homepage. This does not occur on Firefox, and I have never tried to save a file on the BBC webpage.
Clicking on the button options open/save/cancel/cross (or rebooting) does not remove this nuisance.

I ran CCleaner and removed all the usual dross including cookies, history, etc. I ran MBAM and SAS; I checked msconfig startup items … all to no avail.
Avast Update and a Windows Defender update are the only things I have installed in the last week or so.
So I then used System Restore which took me back to Avast version 2018.
Everything was OK again – and the annoying message had disappeared.
Later in the day, I had another go at installing version 2021, but the same problem message re-appeared, and won’t go away.
I’ve now restored again to version 2018 until I find a solution to this annoyance on my homepage.

This peculiar “anomaly” is definitely caused by the Avast update, so I’d be grateful for any comments from members and Avast staff.

scrumdown

[jedi.khan]

I have also encountered this issue on one of my computers, but not from just one specific website. On another computer I use, IE 11 is completely unusable due to it crashing right away except while in InPrivate mode. I think the issue is caused by the Avast! add-on for IE, considering that IE works while in InPrivate mode which prevents add-ons from running.

Maybe you can try disabling the add-on and see if that is indeed the cause.

[essexboy]

Disable the Avast Online Security addon within internet options

[REDACTED]

I have disabled the Avast Online Security add-on as advised per Tools >> Manage add-ons.
I keep all add-ons in IE to a bare minimum, and have now only Shockwave Flash & Adblock Plus currently enabled.
Historically, I've had to disable this AOS add-on before when it prevented uploading images to Photobucket and also when using Google search. These issues were resolved by subsequent updates.

I then had yet another go at installing Avast version 2021. Again it installed OK and "Everything is good".
I'm delighted to report that the annoying message (see my above screenshot) no longer displays. 

Essexboy - I assume that since you didn't find anything suspicious in my posted logs, I no longer need to run the Fix?
Thanks very much for your help ... and for the input from Nora and jedi.

scrumdown

[essexboy]

Nope, they were just orphans and are of no import

SO it was AOS causing that ?

[REDACTED]

SO it was AOS causing that ?

Yep - I'm convinced it was AOS.

I tried several times to update to version 2021, and each time the rogue message displayed.
After disabling AOS and then updating yet again to 2021 ... no more messages.

Cheers ... scrumdown

[essexboy]

Glad it is resolved, run OTL and press the cleanup button to remove it