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Help, I AV a problem

S

Seekermeister

Golden Member
Since I could not get x64 AVG.s firewall to function properly, I decided to uninstall it. But that's much easier said than done. When I selected it from Add/Remove Programs, It hung for awhile, and then said that the uninstall was not successful, because it could not find avgfwafu64.dll and aborted. So, I deleted all of the files, although I had to use the Recovery Console to delete the file that the uninstall said that it couldn't find. I went thoroughly through the registry deleting every key for AVG and Grisoft. But, no matter what I did, AVG had me blocked from accessing the internet, and the Security Center indicated that the AVG firewall was running. The only reason that I'm able to post this now, is because I reinstalled AVG. The obvious question is how do I get rid of this piece of crud? I have tried everything that I can think of, so I'm more than willing to listen to any ideas.

EDIT: I also tried a System Restore, but unfortunately, the available checkpoints did not go back far enough to predate the AVG installation.
 
i'm assuming you're using wxp (this might not work in vista but worth a shot anyway)...so:

  1. boot into safe mode
  1. delete all files manually
  1. earch for AVG and any other related keyword you think might be relevant and delete them as well (carefull not to delete unrelated stuff or other AVG products)
  1. run a registry cleaner (i recommend regseeker) and remove any startup entries and also do a registry clean. you might also wanna search for AVG and delete relevant keys but unless you're fairly comfortable with editing the registry i wouldn't recommend it!
  1. run services.msc and disable any AVG firewall services
  1. personally, and this might be overkill, but i'd run crap cleaner to get rid of any temporary files and i'd also clean the prefetch folder (c:\windows\system32\prefetch - or maybe just c:\windows\prefetch can't remember!)
  1. reboot!

there! this might be a bit of overkill but better safe than sorry! it should completely eliminate all traces of this software from your sistem!

if you use AVG antivirus or any other AVG product i'd recommend uninstalling it before doing this and then reinstalling it after just to make sure you don't mess it up!

gl! 🙂
 
franguinho,

It's not an overkill at all, because though I didn't specify all of the steps that I have taken, I did all that you suggested. But, since I run XP x64, I had to use different applications from those which you suggested. I couldn't touch the file in Safe Mode, even with Unlocker. I had to use the Recovery Console. For registry cleaning, I used CleanMyPC, which I think is the only reg cleaner for my system available. When I finished, there were no AVG files, directories or services on my system...yet the firewall still "ran". I'm assuming that a file was left that I couldn't identify, however, I have no idea of what. I sent an email to AVG tech support several hours ago, I hope that they respond, because if I can't get this cleared up before the trial period expires, I will have to either buy their piece of crud (never happen), or reformat my system.
 
Originally posted by: Seekermeister
franguinho,

It's not an overkill at all, because though I didn't specify all of the steps that I have taken, I did all that you suggested. But, since I run XP x64, I had to use different applications from those which you suggested. I couldn't touch the file in Safe Mode, even with Unlocker. I had to use the Recovery Console. For registry cleaning, I used CleanMyPC, which I think is the only reg cleaner for my system available. When I finished, there were no AVG files, directories or services on my system...yet the firewall still "ran". I'm assuming that a file was left that I couldn't identify, however, I have no idea of what. I sent an email to AVG tech support several hours ago, I hope that they respond, because if I can't get this cleared up before the trial period expires, I will have to either buy their piece of crud (never happen), or reformat my system.
Click to expand...

that's odd...

just double checking you checked services.msc and there's no antivirus service started?

for things to startup either they start as a service, they're in registry's 'run' or i dunno win.ini if you wanna get old school...

i find it pretty weird that they firewall starts automatically if there's no reference to it in any of the above places!

try this: a2 hijack free it should basically point out everg possible way for a program to start up! (try looking under "tricky startups")

good luck dude! 🙂

 
I agree, it's very odd, but there was no antivirus or firewall service listed, much less running. This AVG is an integrated AV and firewall, so if you uninstall one, you uninstall the other. I would have thought that the Security Center was just messed up and showing the AVG firewall erroneously, but since I was blocked from internet access, I tend to believe it. I'll try your link, but right now, I'm still waiting for AVG to email me...if they ever do.
 
sounds good...
let me know what you find usign that tool!
i've never had a problem with avg before but than again ive never used the firewall either...

keep updating the thread!
 
This is getting serious. Still no response from AVG support, so I gave up on them. I tried the uninstall again, but this time I disabled the AVG services first, and enabled the Windows firewall, thinking that might solve the problem, but it didn't. I also used a2 Highjack Free, as suggested. It did seem to find a couple of services not listed in Windows Services, yet it didn't solve the problem either. However, this time I enabled Proximitron, my localhost proxy, but it popped a dialog saying that it couldn't find the "listener port"...whatever that is. When I click on a url in my browser, it appeared that it could send a message out, but couldn't receive anything inbound...which jives with the listener port item above.

One way or another, I need to resolve this soon, because when the trial runs out in a few days, I won't have any internet access and will have to reformat to fix this. I really don't want to do that, so I hope someone can help. At least tell me how I might diagnose the listener port and enable it myself.
 
Since no one seems able to offer any advise about the listener port, I installed a couple of file shredders, and am thinking of using them to get rid of a couple of AVG files that refuses to delete. I don't know that the remaining files are the reason for the listener port problem though, and if it remains blocked I still need some insight as to how to deal with that within the OS. I guess that I'm rehashing a deal issue, but if I don't, I have a dead OS.
 
I just tried again, but this time I tried to use some file shredder programs to remove the two stubborn files. First, I tried Killbox to remove the main directories, but the two files remained. Then I used Eraser, which was unable to remove them, but offered to do so on reboot, but it crashed on reboot, yet a search showed that the avgfwafu.dll in syswow64 was gone, but not not the afgfwafu64.dll in system32. So I tried it again, thinking that the crash might be the reason that it didn't finish the job, but the file still remained. So I then tried MoveOnBoot and AbsoluteShield, but neither of them even could display the files in their navigation windows, even though I have the system set to show all files.

The search window showed that Killbox had multiple copies of the files within it, so I'm assuming that it's Windows File Protection that Is replacing them. At this point, I can only think of two alternatives...either turn off Windows File Protection long enough to do the job (which I don't know how to do), or to select some different options during the AVG Firewall setup in the wizard. It only shows 4 options, which are for DHCP Protocol Client, DNS Protocol Client, Destination Unreachable and ICMP Network Diagnostics. However, I have no idea of what different choices on these would do. Currently, all of them are set for a Standalone Workstation.

I would like to try turning off Windows File Protection...if someone can tell me how.
 
Originally posted by: Seekermeister
I just tried again, but this time I tried to use some file shredder programs to remove the two stubborn files. First, I tried Killbox to remove the main directories, but the two files remained. Then I used Eraser, which was unable to remove them, but offered to do so on reboot, but it crashed on reboot, yet a search showed that the avgfwafu.dll in syswow64 was gone, but not not the afgfwafu64.dll in system32. So I tried it again, thinking that the crash might be the reason that it didn't finish the job, but the file still remained. So I then tried MoveOnBoot and AbsoluteShield, but neither of them even could display the files in their navigation windows, even though I have the system set to show all files.

The search window showed that Killbox had multiple copies of the files within it, so I'm assuming that it's Windows File Protection that Is replacing them. At this point, I can only think of two alternatives...either turn off Windows File Protection long enough to do the job (which I don't know how to do), or to select some different options during the AVG Firewall setup in the wizard. It only shows 4 options, which are for DHCP Protocol Client, DNS Protocol Client, Destination Unreachable and ICMP Network Diagnostics. However, I have no idea of what different choices on these would do. Currently, all of them are set for a Standalone Workstation.

I would like to try turning off Windows File Protection...if someone can tell me how.
Click to expand...

Windows File Protection Switcher
 
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