AVAST DAMAGE MY EXTERNAL DRIVE AND MAKE ME LOSE ALL MY FILES.

[REDACTED]

I am a basic user, and installed this avast software with available settings. I plugged an external 2.5 drive in the usb port and avast deleted a fundamental working file in the drive and destroyed the logical access to the drive. Now the drive is inaccessible for windows. The format is unrecognizable. All files were lost. I have post this here several weeks ago and the only solution i got was to purchase a software that could rescue the files.

Avast have told me they cannot make responsible about this, and will do nothing about it. 

Do not use this software at all. Its extremely dangerous and avast do not make responsible for the damage it does.

[CraigB]

Never heard of Avast damaging a drive before maybe the drive was so badly infected that whatever Avast killed on the drive also corrupted it

[Eddy]

What file was deleted ?
Check the virus chest and/or the log file(s)

There is no need to buy anything.
If the files/folders are recoverable with software this will do it for free > http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk

avast is correct (up to a point).
You install software at your own risk.

But the main question perhaps is...
Where is your backup ?

[Pondus]

Orginal post  >>  https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=196056.0

[Eddy]

Milan,

starting a new thread is not gonna change the answers/possible solutions that we have given you.

No-one has told you in the original thread to buy something in order to try recovering the files.

You stopped TestDisk before it was finished.
That means you didn't gave it time to recover all it can.

If you don't let TestDisk finish its job (yes it can take a lot of time because it is doing a thorough job) and you don't have a backup.
Learn to live with the lost files.

[REDACTED]

Milan,

starting a new thread is not gonna change the answers/possible solutions that we have given you.

No-one has told you in the original thread to buy something in order to try recovering the files.

Eddy is correct, nowhere was it implied in the previous thread.

You stopped TestDisk before it was finished.
That means you didn't gave it time to recover all it can.

TestDisk is a great utility to recover lost partitions/data from an external drive, to an extent.

If you don't let TestDisk finish its job (yes it can take a lot of time because it is doing a thorough job) and you don't have a backup.
Learn to live with the lost files.

Agreed.  TestDisk does tend to take its time when trying to find recoverable data in your external media.  In my experience, it's always best to leave it running overnight, to at least try and recover what you've lost.

This is also why it's good to back up your data.  In my 20+ years of using computers, and my 15+ years of using external media, backing up your media is ESSENTIAL.

[Eddy]

You are a noob Dr. Kosher.
I *cough* only have over 35 years experience with computers and programming

15+ years using external media ?
So the first 5+ years you never used floppies/cassette tapes and such?

Just joking/kidding ofcourse. HaHaHa

[REDACTED]

You are a noob Dr. Kosher.
I *cough* only have over 35 years experience with computers and programming

15+ years using external media ?
So the first 5+ years you never used floppies/cassette tapes and such?

Just joking/kidding ofcourse. HaHaHa

...and that's why even the savviest of tech users can always get advice from those before them.

In all fairness, though, I've not once experienced this issue with my floppy disks/CD-Roms/USB sticks/External hard drives (I have MANY for my graphics, video and audio projects) with Avast, and I've been using it, back when it used to tell me my virus database was updated.

[Eddy]

Yeah, I like the voice messages.
I had the pirate talk enabled 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wilG8iVphgA