"Package Broken" message when executing

[pallison]

My Avast Home Edition quit working last week (I've had it in use for a couple of years now), when I clicked on it I would get a message not able to open because of files missing so I removed Avast and reinstalled it and all worked fine, I ran the program and no viruses were detected and it ran fine until today when it did the same thing again, couldn't open because of missing files (unfortunately I did not save that message) so I tried to uninstall Avast, it wouldn't, I used the aswclear.exe method following the directions and removed Avast.  I downloaded it but when I try to run it I get a message saying "The Package is Broken"....
Both times, last week and this week, when the program quit working the spell check on Microsoft Works and my Google taskbar spell check would not work....I got an "unable to connect to spelling servers message", that is what made me even click on Avast, to check for a virus and found it was messed up.....after last weeks reinstall the spell checking worked, until today that is......
I have a Toshiba Satellite and use Windows XP....I'm not very computer savvy but I can follow directions with the best of them.....

Here is the log I get when I try to run the exe file:

27.10.2009 14:12:20 general: Started: 27.10.2009, 14:12:20
27.10.2009 14:12:20 system: Operating system: WindowsXP ver 5.1, build 2600, sp 3.0 [Service Pack 3]
27.10.2009 14:12:20 system: Memory: 73% load. Phys:138096/515500K free, Page:911340/1258432K free, Virt:2071428/2097024K free
27.10.2009 14:12:20 system: Computer WinName: JONBLOG
27.10.2009 14:12:20 system: Windows Net User: JONBLOG\Jon Faulkner
27.10.2009 14:12:20 general: Old version: ffffffff (-1)
27.10.2009 14:12:20 system: Using temp: C:\DOCUME~1\JONFAU~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\_av_inet.tm~a00976 (35959M free)
27.10.2009 14:12:20 general: Err:The package is broken

[pallison]

I forgot to tell you that last week one of the problems I had was that I would get a message that my Home Page and my Default Search was trying to be changed.....once again, it was those problems that made me notice my Avast wasn't working....all those problems were solved last week when I downloaded and reinstalled Avast....now today, I have those problems again and am unable to install Avast......
HELP...!!!!

[pallison]

I had been dowloading from cnet and just now download from Avast with same results....

[spg SCOTT]

pallison,

which one did you download?

Can you try the Full download file (~37MB), not the 'universal setup file'

[pallison]

Ok, I did the full download you pointed out English version 37mb and I got this message when I tried to run it.....

"Try to download setup file again. If using Internet Explorer clear cache deleting Temporary Internet files before downloading

An error 1006(000003EE) has occurred
Last performed operation was:
Opening the self-extract archive"

I do use IE and I cleared cache and deleted temp int files....

Download again....got same error message....

[spg SCOTT]

Which was your previous antivirus?
How did you remove it?

Many, if not all, antiviruses leave some things behind, and could mess with the installation...


Also, does this help:
http://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=162&nav=0

Can you find the downloaded file, right click and select properties

Report back the size indicated.
This is the size I have indicated on the file: 37.8 MB (39,658,008 bytes)

[pallison]

I clicked on the link and looked for the Nvidia Firewall it said to remove for the error message but I could not locate anything by that name...

The size of the download of Avast I did is 37.8 MB (39,658,008 bytes)


I am now getting the messages I got last week before the reinstall each time I open IE:

"A program on your computer has corrupted your default search provider setting for Internet Explorerer

IE has reset this setting to your orginal search provider, Google

IE will now open Search settings, where you can change this setting or install more search providers"


The default is left at Google, but I get this message each time anyway......
And my spell checks don't work again.....

[pallison]

I have been using Avast since I got this laptop...I have never used a different antivirus program....I've been using Avast for 2, or more like 3 years.....

[spg SCOTT]

That is a full download then...

Well, to be honest I'm a bit stumped, and am leaning towards the possibility of malware... 

I have been using Avast since I got this laptop...I have never used a different antivirus program....I've been using Avast for 2, or more like 3 years.....

Did it come with something different pre-installed?

Maybe you could try a scan with Malwarebytes or SUPERAntiSpyware...

Install, Update, and run a scan with one/both...

www.malwarebytes.org
www.superantispyware.com

[pallison]

I ran Superantispyware and nothing was found....

There was probably an antivirus program on the computer when I purchased it but it was long ago removed.....I've never had a problem with Avast before.....I have not done a system restore today, although I did last week when the problem first occurred and it didn't help.....downloading and reinstalling Avast did the job last week....too bad it didn't last....!!!

Right now I have no antivirus protection, no spell check an anything and a message pops up every time I open IE about the search engine...don't know what else is waiting to rear it's ugly head...can you help me...??

[pallison]

I saw another thread here ("Cannot install Avast Home Edition"...what a better thread title than mine) and this was recommended so I did it.....

Which you had already suggested, I downloaded Malwarebytes Antimalware (MBAM), removed selected and saved a log which is attached to this reply.....

I downloaded Hijack This (HJT) and saved a log also attached to this reply ( I did not have it fix anything).......

The MBAM found 3 things where as the SuperAntiSpyware I ran earlier didn't find anything....

In the mean time I was using my computer and clicked on a folder on my desktop, my screen turned blue and there was a whole page of white words which read (approx).....

The system has recovered from a serious error.  A log of this error has been created. 
Error signature.....(it then lists a bunch of numbers which I do have written down)
It said if it was the first time this happened to restart computer.
If i get it again it said to make sure new hardware and software was properly installed  and then more instrucitons about Disable BIOS Memory whiich I have written down.....

I rebooted and have not gotten the blue screen again..so far....


Just a note, the new IE was recently downloaded by my husband....he also downloaded some web creating software which has been removed.....
AS far as I know, Avast didn't detect any problems during the downloads.....

[.: L' arc :.]

Are you using any download accelerator? Please disable it for the meantime and try redownloading the complete package (do not do anything while the download is in progress to prevent minor errors).


 By the way, I read your HJT log and found nothing except for deactivated entries. You may use CCleaner to remove those entries via:

1   Download CCleaner here
2   Install it then open CCleaner GUI
3   Click on Registry and click Scan for Issues
4   After the scan, click Fix selected issues. Be sure to make a backup and put it inside a folder so that you wont accidentally double click on the registry entry

[pallison]

I have no idea if I'm using a download accelerator....I ran CCleaner and followed your directions....

I'm going to try downloading and installing Avast again now......

[pallison]

Praise the Lord and pass the ammo...!!!! It downloaded and installed....so far so good...!!!!  My spell checks work and I'm not getting any error messages.....I'm going to run the virus scan when I'm done with this post....do you think the problem was in those 3 files that Malware program found...??   I hope so, cause I don't want to have to do this again next week....!!!

L' arc ......  Thank you so much for your help and your patience...!!!  You are truly a God in my book....!!

Give yourself a big fat raise...!!!