need help with the installation process!

[Elfocatan]

Hi! I have been having lots of issues lately regarding the installation of avast antivirus for Windows 7.

Since I could not install it properly I was recommended in this forum to remove it first by using the application aswclear5, using it in Safe Mode. But once I try to remove avast antivirus the application stopped working and says "avast! Antivirus Removal Tool has stopped working".

Any advice? Now I am worried because, since I can´t find anyway to uninstall avast antivirus, I just can install another antivirus, so my computer will be in danger until I fix this problem. Please, help me someone!

[SafeSurf]

1. Save a copy of newest version of Avast (5.0.594) for the version you need:
   http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_free.exe – Free,
   http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_pro.exe – Pro,
   http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_ais.exe – AIS, and save it to your HDD.
2. Download the Avast Uninstall Utility, aswClear5.exe http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility and save it to your HDD.
3. Disconnect from the Internet at this time.
4. Uninstall Avast through "Add/Remove Programs".  
5. Boot into Safe Mode and run the Avast Uninstall Tool.
6. Reboot twice.
7. Clean your computer up (clean cache, ect.).
8. Install the newest version of Avast and reboot twice.
9. Get Internet access and update Avast definitions.
10. Register your copy or add the license key for Free, Pro or AIS.

Also, make sure you have no other antivirus (AV) on your machine prior to installing Avast.  Please note in your next post any other security software you have on your machine (firewall, etc.)  Thank you.

Report back if this resolved your problem or not.  

[Elfocatan]

Hey, thank you for your fast reply.
I have some questions about the steps I need to take.
1. When you say that I should uninstall avast! through add/remove programs, do you mean by going to Control Panel? If that is the case, I have already tried that, but avast! antivirus simply does not appear there. And when I look for it in my entire computer it does not appear either, like it had disappeared.

2.Rebooting twice? You mean I have to restart my windows, and then do it again?

3. How can I "clean my computer up". When you mean cleaning cache, do you mean cleaning my web browser cache?

Apart from this, I should comment that I had no other antivirus installed in my windows seven at all, actually I just intalled windows seven, and the first thing I did to avoid problems was trying to install avast! antivirus. I think I did it two or three times, since the setup kept on showing errors, but then as I told you I could not find it anywhere, so I tried installing it again (I tried the Spanish and the English version, in case some of them had any problem). And for sure I donwloaded the newest version from the official site. And one more thing. I am running Windows7 with "Parallels", which allows me to use Mac OS and Windows in the same time. I guess it makes no difference, but I let you know just in case.

Hopefully you can help me, I don´t think I can install any other antivirus like this. It´s funny, I install an antivirus to avoid having any issues and this is what happens...ironic, isn´t it?

[YoKenny]

I use avast! on my Windows 7 system with no problem but I do not have "Parallels" though.

SafeSurf's advice works well for me.

[diwax]

Below appeared in my junk mail-it appeared to be from myself somehow - but it was not I'm attempting it as soon as I send this....

Dear di,

I want you to check out "need help with the installation process!" on avast!WEBforum.  To view it, please click this link:

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=61384.0

A comment has also been added regarding this topic:
advast internet security issues

Thanks,
(diwax <- this is me ) webadmin@asw.cz

[diwax]

THANK YOU    webadmin@asw.cz

----- Original Message -----
From: DIANE
To: webadmin
Sent: Friday, July 02, 2010 10:32 PM
Subject: THANK YOU-A FEW TWEAKS AND IT'S FINALLY WORKING AGAIN :-}


THANK YOU -A FEW TWEAKS AND IT'S FINALLY WORKING AGAIN :-}  
 
----- Original Message -----
From:  <webadmin@asw.cz>
To: <di>
Sent: Friday, July 02, 2010 3:34 PM
Subject: Topic: need help with the installation process! (From diwax)
 
> Dear di,
>
> I want you to check out "need help with the installation process!" on avast!WEBforum.  To view it, please click this link:
>
> http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=61384.0
>
> A comment has also been added regarding this topic:
> advast internet security issues
>
> Thanks,
> diwax

[SafeSurf]

I have some questions about the steps I need to take.
1. When you say that I should uninstall avast! through add/remove programs, do you mean by going to Control Panel? If that is the case, I have already tried that, but avast! antivirus simply does not appear there. And when I look for it in my entire computer it does not appear either, like it had disappeared.

It should be there.  It should be listed as "Avast."

2.Rebooting twice? You mean I have to restart my windows, and then do it again?

Yes.  This sets the registries....makes for a happy machine 

3. How can I "clean my computer up". When you mean cleaning cache, do you mean cleaning my web browser cache?

Yes.  If you don't already have something like CCleaner http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner, this works very well at cleaning up your system and many of us here use it.

I also don't have Parallels, so I cannot comment on that.  But please report back after completing the uninstall/clean installation.  Thank you.

[Elfocatan]

Thank you for your reply again, Safesurt, but I told you already, avast! antivirus does not appear listed in the add/remove programs in the Control Panel. That is the reason why I was recommended in this very forum to use your program called "asweclear5" to remove while the computer is in Safe Mode (http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility).

The problem, as I reported in my first entry, is that that program does not work either, since it sends the following error: "avast! Antivirus Removal Tool has stopped working".

Please try to answer as soon as possible, since I can´t install any other antivirus in Windows and so I am afraid of installing any software that could damge the system.

Thank you very much!

[Lisandro]

If you run the setup (downloaded file) again, won't it invoke the uninstall procedure?

[Elfocatan]

No, when I try to install it again it gives error, and last time the system had to automatically shut down due to that error.

[Asyn]

No, when I try to install it again it gives error, and last time the system had to automatically shut down due to that error.

1. Run free Mbam to see if your system is clean. http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
2. Run Ccleaner, as suggested by SafeSurf.
asyn

[Elfocatan]

My computer was brand new before installing avast!. Installing the antivirus was the first thing I did in order to avoid problems.

[SafeSurf]

You can still get malware on a new machine and no software is 100% perfect.  That is why you should layer your security software.  MBAM (free) is an on-demand (when you need it) scanner that works well with Avast.

Check your computer for malware with Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware (MBAM).
·   Download free http://www.malwarebytes.org/ for an on-demand scanner.
·   Double Click mbam-setup.exe to install the application.
·   After install, click update so you have latest database before scanning.
·   Under Settings:
o   General: Automatically Save File After Scan Completes is checked off
o   Scanner Settings:  Check all boxes
o   Updater: Download and install update if available is checked off
·   Once the program has loaded, select "Perform Quick Scan", then click Scan.
·   The scan may take some time to finish, so please be patient.
·   When the disinfection scan is complete, a log will appear in Notepad and you may be prompted to Restart. (See Extra Note).
·   Click the “remove selected” button to quarantine anything found.  You will find the infection details under the Quarantine tab.
·   The log is automatically saved by MBAM and can be viewed by clicking the Logs tab in MBAM.
·   Copy & Paste the entire report in your next reply.

If MBAM encounters a file that is difficult to remove, you will be presented with 1 of 2 prompts -- Click OK to either and let MBAM proceed with the disinfection process; If asked to restart the computer, please do so immediately.

Also download the CCleaner I mentioned above.  Report back after you have done these things.

[Elfocatan]

I don´t think it is a problem of malware. Just after installing windows, the first thing I did after using internet was looking into google for avast antivirus.

Actually my computer is having no problem at all except when installing the avast antivirus. I have done what you told me before your last entry and I could install avast antivirus successfully...just to encounter a blue screen when restarting the system.

[SafeSurf]

Just after installing windows, the first thing I did after using internet was looking into google

Going on the Internet without AV protection can be a cause for getting malware.

I have done what you told me before your last entry and I could install avast antivirus successfully...just to encounter a blue screen when restarting the system.

Something is still wrong as this blue screen on boot up should not be happening.  Please download free MBAM http://www.malwarebytes.org/ for an on-demand scanner and post your results after running a Full Scan.  This is compatible with Avast and an excellent backup scanner.

Have you run an Avast Boot-time scan and a Full System scan?