downloading trouble

[regg70]

hi all.i have a bit of trouble and i hope someone can help me out.
i just had my pc wiped clean and i am trying to download avast again, but i keep getting this message...c:\users\goldie\appdata\local\microsoft\windows\temporary internet files\content.ie5\rxoyk74t\avast_home_setup[1].exe is not a valid win32 application.
  i turned off my firewall and tried it, but i get the same message.
  i have a dell pc with windows vista.
  thanks in advance

[DavidR]

Where did you download this from as the standard avast installation file is setupeng.exe ?

The other aspect is why is it in the temporary internet files folder, most strange ?

When you download are you trying to download and install in one operation ?
If so not a good idea for any download, always save to your hard disk and scan the file and install off-line.

However, this error message "is not a valid win32 application" is also associated with your system already being infected, as the infection is effectively killing the files.
Is this why you were trying to install avast ?

Have (or did) you another AV installed in this system, if so what was it and how did you get rid of it ?

[regg70]

thanks for the reply. to download avast i clicked on the link that they sent with my licence key number.
when i got to the site, it said that the best way to download was from cnet and so i clicked on that link and hit the run button button,not the save button.

[regg70]

also, i was just trying to reinstall avast as i just had my pc wiped clean.i never had no problems downloading it the first time. avast was the only antivirus program on the pc.

[DavidR]

Personally I prefer to get it direct from avast.com just scroll down to the English version.
Download the latest version of avast http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again. Use that when you reinstall.

Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, find it here and save it to your HDD.

• 1. Now uninstall (using add remove programs, if you can't do that start from the next step), reboot.
• 2. run the avast! Uninstall Utility, reboot.  If step 1 failed it may be necessary to run this from safe mode, once complete reboot into normal mode.
• 3. install the latest version, reboot.

[regg70]

Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, find it here and save it to your HDD.
1. Now uninstall (using add remove programs, if you can't do that start from the next step), reboot.
2. run the avast! Uninstall Utility, reboot.  If step 1 failed it may be necessary to run this from safe mode, once complete reboot into normal mode.
3. install the latest version, reboot.

  done what u suggested but when i went to install the program i got this message
 setup selfextract
  an error 1006(000003EE) has occured.
  last performed operation was:
  opening the self-extract archive.
any other suggestions???

[Lisandro]

I suggest an installation from the scratch:

1. Uninstall avast from Control Panel first.
2. Boot.
3. Download the latest version of Avast Uninstall and use it for complete uninstallation.
4. Boot.
5. Install again the latest avast! version.
6. Boot.
7. Check and post the results.

If it fails, run a full computer on-line scanning first:
BitDefender
ESET NOD32
F-Secure

[regg70]

I suggest an installation from the scratch:

1. Uninstall avast from Control Panel first.
2. Boot.
3. Download the latest version of Avast Uninstall and use it for complete uninstallation.
4. Boot.
5. Install again the latest avast! version.
6. Boot.
7. Check and post the results.

If it fails, run a full computer on-line scanning first:
BitDefender
ESET NOD32
F-Secure

 did all of the above and did a computer scan by ESET NOD32,which found nothing, and i then tried to save the avast file, but got the error
  c:\Users\goldie\Downloads\setupeng.exe is not a valid Win32 application

[DavidR]

As I said this could be an indication of your system being infected by a virus designed to kill anti-virus installations.

If you haven't already got this software (freeware), download, install, update and run it and report the findings (it should product a log file).

• MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, On-Demand only in free version http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/malwarebytes/mbam-setup.exe, right click on the link and select Save As or Save File (As depending on your browser), save it to a location where you can find it easily later.

When you go to download this file save it as regg70-mbam.exe, this is to try and avoid any malware looking for specific security installation files.

MBAM can be installed from safe mode and may give you a better shot at getting past any such malware, you can then run the scan from safe mode and post the results.

Also see, anti-rootkit, detection, removal & protection as some of these anti-virus killers may be hidden by rootkit  http://www.antirootkit.com/software/index.htm. Try these as they are some of the more efficient and user friendly anti-rootkit tools.
- Panda Rootkit Cleaner - http://research.pandasoftware.com/blogs/images/AntiRootkit.zip.
- Trend Micro RootkitBuster - http://www.trendmicro.com/download/rbuster.asp
- F-Secure Blacklight may not always be available, http://www.f-secure.com/blacklight

[Lisandro]

As I said this could be an indication of your system being infected by a virus designed to kill anti-virus installations.

Fully agree.

[regg70]

As I said this could be an indication of your system being infected by a virus designed to kill anti-virus installations.

If you haven't already got this software (freeware), download, install, update and run it and report the findings (it should product a log file).

• MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, On-Demand only in free version http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/malwarebytes/mbam-setup.exe, right click on the link and select Save As or Save File (As depending on your browser), save it to a location where you can find it easily later.

   
Objects scanned: 95981
Time elapsed: 33 minute(s), 30 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 0
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 0
Registry Values Infected: 0
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 0
Files Infected: 0

Memory Processes Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Values Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data Items Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Files Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

 as for the rootkits, i cannot seem to get them. i keep getting the message that they are not valid win32 applications.
 

[DavidR]

That is a strong indication that they are being blocked by the malware. It is most likely to be a variant of Beagle that is also hidden by rootkit.

Try doing the same with those as I suggested with MBAM, change the file name so that it doesn't get wiped out straight away. I don't know if they will run from safe mode but try that too.

[regg70]

That is a strong indication that they are being blocked by the malware. It is most likely to be a variant of Beagle that is also hidden by rootkit.

Try doing the same with those as I suggested with MBAM, change the file name so that it doesn't get wiped out straight away. I don't know if they will run from safe mode but try that too.

 tried to download but it says that the compressed(zipped)folder is invalid. is there something that i am doing wrong?should i be left clicking or right clicking?as you can probably tell, i do not know too much about computers.
  thanks for all your help

[Lisandro]

Can you download avast from other computer and try to install to see what you get?
If you're infected and can't install avast, post back and we can try to help.

[DavidR]

That is a strong indication that they are being blocked by the malware. It is most likely to be a variant of Beagle that is also hidden by rootkit.

Try doing the same with those as I suggested with MBAM, change the file name so that it doesn't get wiped out straight away. I don't know if they will run from safe mode but try that too.

 tried to download but it says that the compressed(zipped)folder is invalid. is there something that i am doing wrong?should i be left clicking or right clicking?as you can probably tell, i do not know too much about computers.
  thanks for all your help

As I have said I don't believe it is anything you are doing just that your system is already infected and is blocking the installation of other security software.

Now you could try downloading the avast installation file again (on another system as Tech suggests), but this time change the file name to regg70-setupeng.exe and try the installation from safe mode. This may still be a problem as if as I suspect this is a Beagle variant it is pretty difficult to combat as it kills other security programs.

You could also try this - DrWeb CureIt! - See http://www.freedrweb.com/cureit/ - Download ftp://ftp.drweb.com/pub/drweb/cureit/launch.exe (Free) Fairly effective, more so when used in safe mode, though I don't know if that too would be clobbered too. DrWeb also do a Live CD if you are unable to get into your system or if in this case you are having security applications killed, see http://www.freedrweb.com/livecd/?lng=en, documentation ftp://ftp.drweb.com/pub/drweb/livecd/LiveCD-en.pdf.