Error after scan

[REDACTED]

Avast Internet Security  12.3.2280
Windows 7 Pro
All programs and definitions are current.

I know this is an old subject but I have not been able to find a decent resolution to it in the forum.  Every time, at the end of a full scan I get the message  C:\Users\All Users  Error: The system cannot find the path specified (3) .  This has happened ever since I bought the program a couple of months ago.

The suggestions I have seen in the forum are "reboot" (which I have done, unsuccessfully) or "just ignore it".  The latter seems like a pretty tacky "solution".  And since it just shows that error message when the scan finishes, I can't tell if the rest of the scan was successful or not.  (Probably so? But would be nice to know.) 

Any assistance is appreciated!
Tim

[Eddy]

Does the path exist ?
Is there any other security (related) software installed ? (or was there)
Already performed a repair of avast ?
Already performed a clean installation of avast ?

[Pondus]

See picture here: Sensitivity > https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB178#idt_20

At the bottom of the picture is a setting: Follow Links During Scan
Deselect that, reboot and try a new scan ... any change?

[REDACTED]

Eddy -
The literal path \All Users does not exist although there is a Public user and one in my name under \Users.
I uninstalled McAfee when I bought my computer and I also have SuperAntiSpyware currently installed.
Have not performed a repair of avast, although I'm not sure what that means.
I have not performed a clean install of avast although, again, I'm not sure what that means other than my original install which was done as a download from avast.

Pondus-
That choice was not checked to begin with, so must be something else.

Thanks very much for the replies!  Any other ideas?

Tim

[stibi]

What happens if you make a new   C:\Users\All Users  ?

[Eddy]

Sounds like a crippled Windows installation to me.

[Pondus]

I uninstalled McAfee when I bought my computer

Did you run McAfee removal tool > https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB11#artTitle

Have not performed a repair of avast, although I'm not sure what that means.

Avast 2016: Repair and reset Avast Antivirus > https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB204#artTitle


Do you have CCleaner?

[Cluster-Lizard2014]

Isn't the term "All Users" a clue?

With Windows XP the all users location was named All Users with Windows 7 it is Users > Public. As the experts here have indicated there is no All Users path with Windows 7.

That had me thinking: could this be some leftovers from, perhaps, when the PC was 'upgraded' from WinXP to Win7, if indeed that was how it was installed ie. this is a Windows installation issue not AVAST?

Maybe this is what Eddy was getting at too.

Obviously if Win7 wasn't installed that way this theory goes out the window.

[DavidR]

Isn't the term "All Users" a clue?

With Windows XP the all users location was named All Users with Windows 7 it is Users > Public. As the experts here have indicated there is no All Users path with Windows 7.
<snip>

On my win 7 system it has C:\Users\All Users\ but this is actually a shortcut link (redirection) to C:\ProgramData. This further confuses the issue as there are many of these shortcut (redirects) in Explorer.

So technically that C:\Users\All Users doesn't exist C:\ProgramData does.  I don't know if avast is following that, but in the scan settings the option 'Follow links during scan' I have it unchecked on my winXP system but enabled on my win7 system.

I don't have a problem with either option on the very odd occasion I do an on-demand scan (mainly testing when an issue like this is discussed in the forums).

[REDACTED]

For the folks discussing the Windows issues, Windows 7 Pro was pre-installed on my Dell desktop when I bought it a year or two ago. 

Pondus:
Ran McAfee removal tool and rescanned.  Same outcome.  Did avast repair and reset and rescanned, same outcome.  Yes I have CCleaner and run it at least once a day.  I less often but occasionally run registry cleanup. 

Stibi:
I have not tried just adding a new C:\Users\All users path.  Thought I'd try some of this other stuff first.  Will do so if recommended.

[REDACTED]

In addition to the steps mentioned in my last post, today I tried uninstalling avast using avast's removal tool, and reinstalling.  Same result on a manual full scan - looks for C:\Users\All users, which doesn't exist, and gives an Error message.

Side note, running a smart scan is fine, but of course it is much less thorough. 

[dbrisendine]

Let me get a look at your system with FRST.  Along with malware removal, FRST can (and does) show the abnormal aspects of a system.


Please download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool 32bit and save it to your Desktop.

Please download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool 64bit and save it to your Desktop.

Only one of these files will run on your system (if you know what bit level your system is then just download that file); that is the one to use and you can delete the other one.

• Right click the FRST file on your desktop and select "Run as Administrator..." (XP users click run after receipt of Windows Security Warning - Open File). When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
  
• If an update is available, the program will inform you and download the update.  Allow it do this please.
• Once the tool shows "The tool is ready to use." message, please press the Scan button.
  
• It will produce a log called FRST.txt in the same directory the tool is run from.
  
• Please attach the log back here.
• The first time the tool is run it generates another log (Addition.txt - also located in the same directory as FRST.exe/FRST64.exe). Please also attach this file along with the FRST.txt file into your reply.
  

[REDACTED]

Thought I would post an update on this for whom it may concern.

I opened a support ticket on this issue and explained everything that had been attempted before.  They eventually recommended three things:

Add the path to Windows, as stibi suggested.  When I try to do that I get a warning from Windows about adding a path to the Users folder.  It gives you the opportunity to click through it, but I chose not to, being concerned about creating a possible problem in Windows just to solve this avast issue.

Add the path to the Exclusions in avast Scan.  I did this and still got the error message.

Ignore it and accept it as being "OK" since I know there is nothing in that path.  I plan on doing this.

So, problem kind of solved but certainly no real conclusion as to why it's happening.

[stibi]

Add the path to Windows, as stibi suggested.  When I try to do that I get a warning from Windows about adding a path to the Users folder.

And what is the problem with adding this folder?