Grimestopper black screen

[REDACTED]

I'm working on a customer's computer.  I installed Avast, and told him to buy it.  He went for Premier.  Now grimestopper has taken over his computer.  The cute little loading screen displays, then it goes to a black screen.  The only way I can get it to boot to Windows 8 is to hold the f12 key at boot, and then select the hard drive.  I then get s menu to select Grimestopper  or Windows Boot Manager.  I select windows, and it works from there.

I need to remove the grimestopper option completely.  I've looked online and can't find a solution that works.  I've tried the program features->avast->change->modify, but grimestopper isn't even on the list.  I called tech support, but the girl wouldn't talk to me because I wasn't the customer. I asked for a supervisor, and she refused.   I tried uninstalling Avast, but the grimestopper is still there.

I'm disappointed with the support.  I install Avast and Malwarebytes on every PC that comes to my shop.  About 30 a week on average.  I am not a dealer, and I get no revenue from this.  Only Avast gets the revenue, as I tell all my customers to buy it.  My customer is Russian, and speaks very little English, and no computer.  To require him to call for support is stupid, and lousy customer service.

Now, is there any fix for this, or do I have to format his computer and install fresh windows?

[Eddy]

I believe you mean GrimeFighter and not Grimestopper.
GrimeFighter has been replaced by avast CleanUp many months ago.
Why did you install a real old avast version ?

[mchain]

Here you go:  https://forum.avast.com/index.php?board=63.0

Also:  https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB211

[REDACTED]

I believe you mean GrimeFighter and not Grimestopper.
GrimeFighter has been replaced by avast CleanUp many months ago.
Why did you install a real old avast version ?

When I installed it, it was the current free version.  The customer went ahead and bought the later version.  This problem just atartes happening.

[REDACTED]

Here you go:  https://forum.avast.com/index.php?board=63.0

Also:  https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB211

Neither of these links explain how to remove the product.  I've uninstalled Avast, and the damn thing is still there.

Now, the verification thing won't work, even when I type the letters it reads to me!  Argh!

[mchain]

Patience with the user verification; only valid for the first three posts.

The reason grimefighter is still there is because it is installed by default (opt-in) instead of opt-out.  Use custom install option to remove if avast is still installed on your system.

In order to remove grimfighter you may have to temporarily reinstall avast and use the custom installation method as explained here:  https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB119

An alternative method is to use system restore to undo changes made by avast grimfighter.

[REDACTED]

If I re-install Avast premier, will it get rid of grimefighter?  On the install screen, the only custom option close to grimefighter was clean up.  Grimefighter was not in the list.

[REDACTED]

Well, I uninstalled Avast Premier and re-installed it.  Then I did the Win-X->Programs & Features->Avast->Change->Modify and removed the check mark on clean-up.  No option for Grimefighter.  Rebooted, and it went directly to grimefighter.

How do I edit the boot file to remove grimefighter as an option?

[DavidR]

Well, I uninstalled Avast Premier and re-installed it.  Then I did the Win-X->Programs & Features->Avast->Change->Modify and removed the check mark on clean-up.  No option for Grimefighter.  Rebooted, and it went directly to grimefighter.

How do I edit the boot file to remove grimefighter as an option?

As Eddy mentioned that GrimeFighter name changed and all you are likely to see is Cleanup in those change modify options.

[REDACTED]

As Eddy mentioned that GrimeFighter name changed and all you are likely to see is Cleanup in those change modify options.

So, the name has changed, and there is NO WAY to remove it?

[DavidR]

As Eddy mentioned that GrimeFighter name changed and all you are likely to see is Cleanup in those change modify options.

So, the name has changed, and there is NO WAY to remove it?

I didn't say that! because the name changed "all you are likely to see is Cleanup" in the Modify section. If you have that option then you can try and uninstall it. If not then the only way forward would be a clean reinstall of avast.

[REDACTED]

As Eddy mentioned that GrimeFighter name changed and all you are likely to see is Cleanup in those change modify options.

So, the name has changed, and there is NO WAY to remove it?

I didn't say that! because the name changed "all you are likely to see is Cleanup" in the Modify section. If you have that option then you can try and uninstall it. If not then the only way forward would be a clean reinstall of avast.

See above.  I uninstalled it, downloaded the trial of premium, re-installed it, de-selected cleanup, rebooted, and grimefighter was still there, and so was the black screen.  I need instructions on how to remove it from the boot options.

[Eddy]

I've uninstalled Avast, and the damn thing is still there.

The only way to remove avast completely is doing it manually.
You will need to remove all files and registry entries.

If you boot the system and GrimeFighter is there, change the boot.ini file so it will boot Windows (again).
If you have to ask how to remove it from the boot options, you shouldn't be repairing computers.

Although GrimeFighter and avast CleanUp have the same goal, they are entirely different.
GrimeFighter runs on Linux while avast CleanUp is a Windows application.

[REDACTED]

I've uninstalled Avast, and the damn thing is still there.

The only way to remove avast completely is doing it manually.
You will need to remove all files and registry entries.

If you boot the system and GrimeFighter is there, change the boot.ini file so it will boot Windows (again).
If you have to ask how to remove it from the boot options, you shouldn't be repairing computers.

If you plan to help people here, perhaps you should read the thread first.  I =don't= want to have to remove Avast.  I simply want my customer to have a computer that works.  Grimefighter has hijacked his computer.

I do know how to edit boot.ini.  I just needed to know that's where the hijack occurred.

And, snide remarks aren't appreciated, either.

All in all, I'm very disappointed in the support offered by Avast and this forum.

[Asyn]

All in all, I'm very disappointed in the support offered by Avast and this forum.

Please note that nobody from Avast replied here.
Feel free to contact official support: https://support.avast.com/support/tickets/new