Author Topic: Can not install Avast on my Mac  (Read 2740 times)

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Offline EvilAngelz

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Can not install Avast on my Mac
« on: October 13, 2019, 10:09:47 PM »
I had Norton installed on my mac but i went through and uninstalled and removed everything regarding norton. I am unable to still install Avast and i dont know why or what to do. I need help trying to figure out this problem.

Offline lukas.hasik

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Re: Can not install Avast on my Mac
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2019, 04:59:48 PM »
I assume that it complains about another antivirus presence on your computer, right?
Please try :
1) open Terminal
2) type(or copy) "kextstat | grep -v com.apple"
3) check if any norton/symantec mentioned
4) then you can remove them with "sudo kextunload -b NAME_OF_THE_KEXT"

I'm quite curious which one is it...
Quality is also a feature.

Offline Aron13

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Re: Can not install Avast on my Mac
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2020, 04:38:46 AM »
Good clues! But not solved yet.
Background: I had already run the norton extensive instructions and script from zip here:
https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/kb20080427024142EN
The script (run twice to double check) claimed to have scrubbed my system.

But kextstat  | grep -i symantec revealed this:
com.symantec.SymXIPS (9.0.1)
com.symantec.internetSecurity.kext (9.0.6)
com.symantec.nfm.kext (9.0.2)
com.symantec.ips.kext (9.0.5)

kextunload -b on items 1,2, and 4 yields a complaint e.g.
> sudo kextunload -b com.symantec.SymXIPS
Failed to unload com.symantec.SymXIPS - (libkern/kext) kext is in use or retained (cannot unload).

kextunload -b com.symantec.nfm.kext causes Mac to crash immediately with a multilingual black screen helpfully explaining it will restart automatically in a few seconds.
Norton is not letting go easily.

I finally found these kext files in /Library/StagedExtensions/Library/Extensions
I'm about to reboot and attempt csrutil disable to get at them.
« Last Edit: November 24, 2020, 09:55:17 AM by Aron13 »