Win32:Delf-MZG - BEING SORRY DOES NOT HELP

[dakini]

Being sorry does not help. What shall I do - my computer does not start properly. Bad false positive issue is gone, but the system boot is crashed, screen gets wierd, black or striped. System starts slowly, I think this issue affected register and probably some system files (even before the system statred). What shall we do now with it? Do you realise people what you have done to millions of people all over the world? How to get the whole system's functionality back??? I think "We are sorry" is not enough.

[Vlk]

Can you boot into Windows?
Were the files quarantined/deleted by the on-access scanner, or did you do the boot-time scanner?

Thanks

[dakini]

Hi, I do not really know what happened. Shortly after the update of the virus database around 12.10 am, my whole computer started to freak out, hang, screen went striped and I tried to restart it. It did not start. I tried again and again. After 3rd trial it finally started. Some blue bios or dos (dont know as Im not profi) screen came up. All was just freaky. Finally it started properly, but the nightmare with Win32:Delf-MZG flags started. Once I got the VPS - 091203-1 the false positive issue stopped, but computer still does not start properly. Looks like something deeply damaged, in registry, system files. I did nothing - it was just avast update !!! Can not explain it better - as I said Im not a profi, but I know computers enough to say that this misery with my system is the fauls of Win32:Delf-MZG false positive from avast. What shall I do with my system now, so it comes back to normal functioning?

[alexinoklahoma]

I am no expert or such and can offer no real tech help.  However, a 'good' computer user should have a system restore point set/saved or something similar, even a start-up disk(s) would be valuable here if I am understanding it correctly.

I am not trying to rebuke you or poke you in an unworthy way whatsoever, but you should have a way of taking care of this other than to simply say "oh what am I to do now?!" if you truly kow computers well enough. It may take a small bit of effort/time, but an ounce of prevention is worth that pound of cure.  You do have your registry/system software backed-up and/or saved, right?? If so, then problem is very minimal; otherwise, all bets are off   

Avast personnel took care of the situation a LOT faster than many other companies have in the past with very similar issue(s).  Tip o' the hat to them from me    This may be a big lesson for many a user who do not use good 'safety of software' plans...

Alex

[SoftwareBob]

I am no expert or such and can offer no real tech help.  However, a 'good' computer user should have a system restore point set/saved or something similar, even a start-up disk(s) would be valuable here if I am understanding it correctly.

That is true. Every computer user should be able to restore to a particular extent. there are many users that do not use MS restore because of past issues with it.

This issue is a major pain the rear for me. I didn't send files to the vault I deleted them - a whole lot of them.

Yes I have all my important files backed up. No I didn't lose any work. What this simple error** did do is waste a hell of a lot of my time. I have to reload windows, drivers, and reinstall all my software. Some software requires 3rd party activation so I may not be up and running on the computer for a couple of days.

I, myself, am quite pissed at this.

I hate to be one of those users who scream "that's it I'm never using your software again" but I no longer feel comfortable using this.

*This is a simple error on Avast's part because it would have shown its ugly head if they just installed their updates on a regular old workstation first before pushing them live.

[Lisandro]

This issue is a major pain the rear for me. I didn't send files to the vault I deleted them - a whole lot of them.

I know it's difficult and it makes a lot of trouble... but, learning for a next time, send files to Chest is safer than direct remove.
What can we say... sorry...
I have a similar problem in the past. I'm having trouble with avast now. I can separate a serious company, that acknowledges its errors, learn from them, try to improve. I know this does not make it easier, but, what can we say?

[spg SCOTT]

I don't mean to be mean, but you did choose to delete the files yourself. That is the point of the virus chest, it allows you to invesitgate, and not end up wasting your time...

*This is a simple error on Avast's part because it would have shown its ugly head if they just installed their updates on a regular old workstation first before pushing them live.

Speculation wont help much, the explanation will come when the time is right

Yes, Avast does make a false positive test before every VPS is released public?
But this time, due to a human error, the update slipped away.

Please wait with discussions like this for a day or two, right now we try to help those who were affected. Explanations (and process changes) will come next.


Thanks
Vlk

[AQUA258]

HELLO!!

I LOGGED IN HERE AFTER GOING TO A COMP HELP SITE...THEY TOLD ME THIS IS WHERE I SHOULD GO. I ONLY LOGGED IN AFTER READING THIS TOPIC. I AGREE FULLY WITH DAKINI. SORRY JUST DOESNT CUT IT. IVE BEEN AT THIS/ TRYING TO FIX MY COMP SINCE YESTERDAY WHEN ALL THIS STARTED. IT IS KNOW 5.05AM THE NEXT DAY AFTER ALL THE MISERY. STILL CAN NOT CORRECT PROBLEMS THAT THE UPDATE CAUSED.

MANY OF MY PROGRAMS ARE NOW DELETED BECAUSE IT TOOK FILES OUT SO THEY COULDNT START. THE COMP TAKES FOREVER TO GO INTO ANY SITE. WON,T LET ME D/LOAD SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT I HAD TO DELETE.

I CAN NOT CLICK ON LINKS, SAFE MODE HAS GONE LOOPED. AS FOR "SYSTEM RESTORE..THAT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT I TRIED AND GUESS WHAT...IT REFUSED TO DO IT. NO LUCK...
THEN I WENT INTO THE CHEST TO TRY AND RESTORE THE FILES, GUESS WHAT..NO LUCK, REFUSED TO DO IT.
SO GETTING TO THE STAGE OF DESPERATION I GOOGLED AND FOUND THAT THE BEST OPTION WAS TO DELETE AVAST AND HOPE THAT MIRACULOUSLY IT SORTS IT SELF OUT AND I CAN USE SYSTEM RESTORE...GUESS WHAT, NO LUCK.

NOW YOU COME OUT WITH A FIX....FOR WHOM, AS I SAID ITS NOT ON MY COMP ANY MORE AND NEITHER ARE THE FILES IT TOOK WITH IT. WHAT IT DID IS LEAVE A WHOLE MESS THAT I CANT AND DONT EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START TO CORRECT.

"

SORRY JUST AINT GOOD ENOUGH

"[/color]

[Vlk]

Agreed that being sorry doesn't cut it. That's why we're here to help.

Unfortunately, you have removed avast completely from your system already, including the files stored in the Virus Chest. This means that there's probably no way to get them back (short of reinstalling the programs).

I wish I could do more but if the files are gone, they are gone.

If there at least was the log files, we'd know which files were removed and which programs may need to be reinstalled.


Thanks
Vlk

[AQUA258]

TELLING ME HOW TO FIX THE ISSUES IT LEFT BEHIND MIGHT BE A GOOD START.??

WHAT I WONT DO IS GO PAY FOR PROGRAMS TO FIX ALL THIS, SO, IF YOU CAN SUGGEST WERE I MAY GET SOME FREE ONES TO EITHER FIX/ FIND/ WHATEVER, THE MISSING FILES.(IF THERE IS ANY POSSIBILITY THAT THEY MAY STILL BE ON MY COMP?) OR EVEN A SUGGESTION ON HOW TO  FIX SOMETHING LIKE....NOT BEING ABLE TO CLICK ON LINKS. THIS COMP NEEDS TO BE SORTED, I DO KNOW A BIT ABOUT COMPS BUT THIS IS OUT OF MY LEAGUE. I HAVE TRIED ALL THAT I CAN THINK OF AND THEN SOME.

PS...."Unfortunately, you have removed avast completely from your system already, including the files stored in the Virus Chest."

I'M NOT SURE WHY I WOULD WANT TO KEEP SOMETHING ON MY COMP THAT CREATED HAVOC. THE OBVIOUS THING TO DO, AFTER TRYING TO RESTORE FILES AND NOT BEING ABLE TO, WOULD BE TO REMOVE THE PROGRAM??

[Lisandro]

AQUA258, let's focus in the future, trying to solve this...
Without a log, we won't be able to know which files were removed.
It rests very little besides reinstalling the programs that are messed (mostly programs written in Delphi).

[RejZoR]

And how can you be sure any other solution won't do the same? I know Kaspersky was detecting Windows files once, same McAfee, Symantec and Trend Micro. Some even really killed systems.
Restoring files from chest is really the best way. If you can't restore directly, extract files to some other location and then manually move them where they belong. But if you remove avast!, Chest files also go bye bye.

[Tsimmes]

Being sorry does not help. What shall I do - my computer does not start properly. Bad false positive issue is gone, but the system boot is crashed, screen gets wierd, black or striped. System starts slowly, I think this issue affected register and probably some system files (even before the system statred). What shall we do now with it? Do you realise people what you have done to millions of people all over the world? How to get the whole system's functionality back??? I think "We are sorry" is not enough.

Consider installing quality imaging software like Acronis on your computer. After Avast made my computer inoperable, I simply restored to a three day old image and I was back up and running.

[Mickey Way]

I don't mean to be mean, but you did choose to delete the files yourself.

I am appalled the way you Avast people blame the users for this problem.

Well, spg SCOTT, you obviously haven't read about how this has affected other customers computers.  In my situation, boot scan WOULD NOT ALLOW THE USER TO MOVE TO CHEST...DELETE WAS THE ONLY OPTION THE PROGRAM WOULD ACCEPT.  Also, system restore is now NOT functioning and WILL NOT RESTORE ANYTHING.

I've already addressed my trouble on another thread, and my only solution is to reinstall the OS.  But even on that post, the Avast response was "we haven't heard of this affecting Windows operating system files".  And that was only a few hours ago.

[dakini]

AQUA258 - you are right. I have no idea why AVAST thinks that all people are computer profis - no AVAST, some people are just users, and they are also entitled to have their systems safe.

Besides AVAST - I will write it again in BIG LETTERS, as I think you still do not get it or DO NOT WANT TO GET IT:

IN MY CASE IT IS NOT IMPORTANT WHICH FILES WERE REMOVED - ACTUALLY I MOVED 2 OF THEM TO THE CHEST AND REINSTALLED PROGRAMS WHICH HAD ERRORS AFTERWARDS. SO THIS SUBJECT IS FINISHED !!!

WHAT I AM TRYING TO TELL YOU IS THAT SOMETHING MORE !!! THAT JUST REMOVING PROGRAM APPLICATIONS HAPPENED HERE AS MY COMPUTER DOES NOT START PROPERLY, STARTS VERY SLOWLY, EVERY 2-3 TIMES THE DESKTOP WON'T COME UP, JUST BLACK SCREEN OR STRIPED ERROR SCREEN APPEARS AND NOTHING HAPPENS. I HAVE TO TURN THE COMPUTER MANUALLY DOWN THEN AND TRY AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTILL IT STARTS. AND THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME DELETING FILES AS I TOUCHED ONLY 2 FILES FROM GROUP MAIL 5 AND AD-AWARE. EVERYTHING ELSE HAPPEND WITHOUT MY ACTIVITY !!!

DO YOU UNDERSTAND IT FINALLY??? MORE AND MORE PEOPLE TRY TO TELL YOU THAT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE - AFFECTED SYSTEM FILES AND NOBODY KNOWS WHICH FILES AND HOW SERIUOS. AND YOU SEEM NOT TO LISTEN AND GIVE ALL THESE PEOPLE SOLUTION FINALLY.

RESTORING SYSTEM IS NOT POSSIBLE OR DOES NOT HELP IN PLENTY OF CASES. AND DO NOT EXPECT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO REINSTALL THE WHOLE SYSTEMS FROM THE BEGGINING - IN MY CASE IT WOULD TAKE 2-3 DAYS WHICH I CAN NOT AFFORD !!!

AND NOW I AM NOT ASKING YOU HOW TO GET THE PROGRAMS WORKING OR THE FILES WHICH I MOVED TO THE CHEST BACK. I AM ASKING YOU WHAT HAPPENED BESIDES THIS. WHAT CAUSES THE ISSUE IN THE SYSTEM, SO MY SYSTEM WON'T START UP PROPERLY AND SCREEN IS GOING CRAZY?

IF YOU DECIDE TO ANSWER ME - PLEASE SAVE YOUR, MINE AND ALL OTHERS TIME AND DO NOT REPEAT ALL AGAIN THE SAME THINGS ABOUT LOGS AND CHEST - AS THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT NOW. NO FILES EXCEPT FROM TWO .exe files (GROUP MAIL 5 AND AD-AWARE) WERE DELETED OR MOVED BY ME IN THIS CASE !!!

I HOPE FINALLY YOU ADVICE WHAT TO DO TO GET SYSTEM TO START PROPERLY AGAIN.