Problem with AVG Free

[Mike Empuria]

Hi All

I have a client who has AVG Free installed on his laptop. It keeps on crashing the computer.
It hangs the computer when it trys to update itself, it hangs when Stinger or McAfee checks the avgvv.exe file, it hangs when I try to uninstall it via Add/Remove programs (at the Checking System status stage) and it even hangs when I try click the AVG Free icon in the Start > All Programs list.

Before I hang myself does anyone have any ideas about when to do?

I've tried downloading it again but as part of the install it checks the status of the system and hangs where it says file avg.err:checking state...
Eventually I get good old Blue screen telling me to uninstall stuff. But I can't uninstall it!

[comfixit]

If I were you my next step would be to try and do a full scan with error checking on the machine, then a defrag, and then log into to "Safe Mode" and try the uninstall from there.

[Mike Empuria]

Sorry, forgot to mention that it hung in safe mode.

I'm running check disk now via the chkdsk command and it semms to be checking properly

[comfixit]

If you get scan disks completing in .5 seconds then their must be something seriously wrong far beyound just replacing a bad AV program. Removing the AVG probably will not be the end of the problems. Unless you just want to get the AV off and return it to your client to get a quick pay day and don't care about any future problems they encounter you probably should just bite the bullet, backup the data and do a re-format.

My next step would be to make sure that the hosts file was not altered. Assuming that its not I would go to http://housecall.trendmicro.com and run a complete online virus scan (Assuming your comp does not freeze on you again).

If that does not work, inform your client that the data damage is extensive and the machine will require a backup and re-format.

[Mike Empuria]

Good advice and thanks Comfixit

Mike

[earther]

. . . it hangs when Stinger or McAfee checks the avgvv.exe file . . .

Are you trying to run McAfee and AVG at the same time? This could be responsible for the hang. Best to only run one AV at a time. Try uninstalling McAfee - it's more trouble than it's worth.

[Mike Empuria]

No, as desperation started to set in I disabled AGV and installed McAfee to see if it could find anything. It crashed at the AGV files. McAfee has now gone away.

[Mike Empuria]

After running chkdsk c: /r scandisk found bad sectors where the program was.

[earther]

That's good to hear!