Avast has infected my computer please help!!!?

Question

I stupidly followed advice suggesting Avast was brill antivirus protecting your comp. But its a virus not a virus protector!! Once i downloaded it it scanned my files i tried to stop it but now everytime i turn my comp on after 3-4 minutes it shuts down saying all files have been dumped...It has my sons baby photos on it :-((((( PLease help!! How can i fix this problem???!!

Answer 1

Wow...a tech with over ten years of experience building and troubleshooting computers (Manitou) being given 5 thumbs down for giving legitimate and *accurate* advice.

Admittedly he's opinionated, but hey, aren't we all? :D

In any case...with the *possible* exception of certain Firewall programs, a free security program is generally little better than a cardboard cut-out of a cop on a street corner...approached from the side...

Now, for the important issues...if you don't have one, go down to the nearest computer/electronics store and buy yourself a USB memory stick (4Gb should do), and plug it into the computer. Start up the computer, and when Windows starts, open the memory stick (you can find it by opening the "My Computer" window) and then the location that has the photos, highlight a dozen or so photos, right click, choose "copy" and then right click on the USB stick's window and choose "paste." Do this until your computer crashes. Re-boot and continue until you have all the photos on the stick. Note: Make sure to boot-up in Safe Mode!

Take the stick to a computer than has a high-end AVS suite and have the AVS suite run a scan for viral, spy, and other malware on the stick. If it's clean, either transfer them, or hold onto them for re-transferring back to the original computer.

Now that that is dealt with, look for your OD disk and find the license. Once you have the two of them, FORMAT the computer and all drives. (If all you have is a "Recovery CD" you can skip this step and take it to a licensed tech to have it done for you, since a "Recovery CD" can not actually re-install the OS.)

Next, before you go back on-line, *buy* and actual AVS suite. I can personally recommend ca AVS - it is one of the better ones I've tried, and generally also has a free trial period of up to a year (depending on the program and any promotions running). Panda is currently the AVS of one of the more reliable shops where I am, and of course the two big boys, McAfee and Norton. Norton requires more resources than McAfee, but on the flip side, is more user-friendly than McAfee.

ca, McAfee and Norton are all providing 3 licenses per unit purchased for personal users and (very) small businesses.

Once you have installed the AVS, use it and keep your subscription up to date!

Now, as for Avast... It is the current AVGFree... Here's the irony... AVG was and (likely) is a wonderful program...however, their free version sucked You could drive a super-tanker through it...sideways... and it would never register the intrusion! People loved it, because they never had any of those "annoying notifications" pop-up. No kidding, the program didn't register the intrusion!

Now...good luck in avoiding similar situations in the future. Now, something that I'm suprised no one mentioned... If you're running XP, create a non-administrator account specifically for web surfing and only go on-line with it. Viruses can download, but can not install, since the account doesn't have clearance to install anything, so when you log-off, the virus vanishes!

As for me...I recently had a similar encounter with a drive-by "AVS" download, and had to format my entire OS drive! I hope to have that machine up and running soon.

In any case, one of my techs runs Norton 360 2.0, and I can't remember what the other one runs...in both cases, they are exceptionally happy with the program they are using.

Good Luck!

EDIT: AVS software starts AFTER Windows boots. If you have a program booting *before* Windows, it's probably doing something you don't want it to do! As for freeware not having ads/spy/mal/etc-ware... Only "SHARE"ware is "ad-free" (even though it isn't)... A "free" program is *almost* always sent-out with something to generate revenue, and it is generally annoying but otherwise harmless ad- or spy-ware.

Answer 2

Avast is 1 of the best anti virus's it has a powerful ability to remove the virus/spyware before it enters your system , if this carries on try system restore that should work.

Answer 3

For a start Avast is not to blame, you have spyware on your computer.

run this

http://www.download.com/SUPERAntiSpyware...

Answer 4

i've had avast now for three months, and its worked wonders. i think you may have downloaded it from a fake source, go to the other dudes link to avasts home site.

Answer 5

The statement by another poster "All "free" anti-virus programs usually have ad-ware, spy-ware and other items on it" is inaccurate.

It should read SOME free as well as some paid anti-virus programs can contain or be spyware,etc. You need to be careful what you download and always download direct from the company or maker's site.

Answer 6

Avast is one of the best anti-virus in the world.

You must be careful where you download the software.

These are good websites.

www.avast.com

www.download.com

www.softpedia.com

Other websites may not be a genuine software.

Answer 7

Avast Home Edition is actually one of the best free anti-virus programs out there. http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.ht... is the official site for it, maybe you installed it from a different place.

EDIT: Firstly, switch off System Restore, you can restart this once your computer is clean. You do this because a lot of infections hide in these restore points and reactivate themselves after you have scanned your computer.

I always recommend the following be stored on computers and install them myself on any I repair.

Skip the Avast part for now and when you have done the others in order I'd then uninstall avast, run the ccleaner scans and then reinstall it from thie link below.

All the links below are official ones and not 3rd party ones.  

Avast Home Edition http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.ht...

Run a full scan once a month. I find this the best free anti-virus software

SUPERantispyware Free Edition  http://superantispyware.com

Update and run a full scan once a week.

Spybot Search and Destroy http://safer-networking.org

Update, Immunize and scan once a week.

ccleaner http://ccleaner.com

Run the Cleaner scan and remove all it finds

Run the Registry scan and fix all issues but repeat this until nothing is detected.

Run this daily.

Comodo Firewall http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/

Some people just prefer the Windows one but this is better.

Check that you don't need to defragment monthly and also run a Disk Cleanup monthly too.

A good program for removing programs that seem to refuse to go no matter what you do is http://www.revouninstaller.com/index.htm... however be careful how you use this.

Feel free to email me if I can be of further help

Answer 8

I really don't agree with your view that avast has any thing to do with your pc getting infected.I m a regular Avast user and found it quite effective.Once u had installed it in your p.c it will restart  and do a Boot scanning .Don't press the ESC button.let it do all the scan.if your p.c is pre-infected it will detect (almost)every nasty viruses in your p.c.

Update the virus data-base. However,check that no other anti virus software is installed in your p.c.Other anti-virus software may conflict with Avast .Moreover ,if u continue to have trouble with Avast and cannot remove it 4m ur p.c normally(by Change or Remove Prog), then go to Avast Website(Goggle Avast)and download the software 'Avast uninstall utility" to remove Avast from ur p.c..

Answer 9

Sorry to hear about your problem. To be honest, anti-virus programs should be paid for as there is no good "free" programs. All "free" anti-virus programs usually have ad-ware, spy-ware and other items on it that do more harm to a computer then good.

As for your problem, without an error code, I can not really do much. I can recommend to take an USB flash drive and get your important files off during the 4-5 minutes you do have. You can do this in safe mode. Also uninstall the Avast, and find an anti-virus that you can afford. Again, do this in safe mode.

If you are unsure, I would recommend a tech. Sorry again.

Good Luck