AVG Free 2011 update pulled, crashing Windows 7 systems

this happened to me as well. i spent the entire day trying to figure out what was wrong and couldn't find any issues so i just end up wiping the whole drive and did a fresh install. thought it was a hardware issue or windows. right after i finished installing, i came across this article, not this particular one but one engadget. turns out that AVG released a fix. well too late now. i did create an image of my previous windows in case the fresh install didn't work and is a hardware issue. but since i installed all my software etc. back, didn't feel like dumping the old image back trying to fix the stupid avg issue. at least i now have a back up image in case i need it. i am just going to drop AVG and stick to MSE instead.
 
yes AVG was great back in the day...after version 7 they screwed up...who needs spyware malware protection in anti virus? stop the bloat...K.I.S.S is what avg need to get back to ( keep it simple stupid for those who don't know just in case ) i like avast...it is what avg used to be before all the bloat...don't fix it if ain't broken...no lets make it better...the patch is the result of this...antivirus is to be just that..nothing more...spyware is for spyware and malware is for malware...simple easy...do not clutter up something just to make it better
 
AVG was one of the first to offer a completely free, easy to use AV prog so i forgive them for this debacle. It's too bad they ended becoming the bloatware they were fighting a few years back though.
 
What a joke saying they provide free support. Called the number for paid customers - got an indian lady who could provide zero help. Just kept saying (in her broken English) "go to website - you get fix". Don't believe the phone numbers - you get a person - that can't speak english but knows how to say "go to website".
 
Jeez, AVG 2011 more often than not, makes you reboot after an update.

I suppose that's either good or bad, depending on how you look at it.

At least you know if they've broken your computer right on the spot.
 
It's worse than just following the AVG "fix" ...creating a bootable cd or USB drive and applying their patch..did that 3 times in a row, the fix runs, reboots my machine to the desktop, where NOTHING works...trying to access Control Panel to remove this bloatware leaves me locked up, as does trying System Restore, or any other way I know of to try to get out of this mess. I can't even shut the machine down - it locks after hitting "shut Down " or "Restart". But what is the icing on the cake is calling this toll-free number gets me to a New Delhi "Peggy" that tells me as long as after running the fix I can get back to my desktop, any problems from there on out are "obviously a problem with my computer and I should contact my builder"

HELP!!!! AVG put some junk out there that has completely locked up my machine that ran flawlessly for over a year until the second I downloaded their "Updat", and now they're playing the "it's somebody else's problem" game!!!

Believe me I'm done with AVG for good, but I need my machine back to replace their garbage with something that works!!

A very irritated and dead-in-the water FORMER AVG user!
 
My experience with Microsoft products is that they always protect Microsoft FIRST and the user second, that includes products from Microsoft partners like Symantec as well. I have to wonder how many of the problems non-Microsoft applications have are due to built-in "traps" in the MS-OSes. I remember when I switched FROM Norton and the Microsoft firewall how many undiscovered trojans and spyware, and accesses were being allowed. The bottom line for me, is that I don't TRUST Microsoft to protect ME, only themselves and their market share. I will always use non-MS apps when I humanly can.

I actually use the paid version of AVG (without problem so far) AND Avast Free, although I periodically browse the reviews for a better way. I will never again use Norton, Microsoft, or McAffe.
 
Seriously, everyone...can anyone tell me what I need to do? Running Win XP Pro SP3 with all the updates...as my first post said, I have the crash problem and followed all AVG's instructions, created the bootable USB and ran the fix, but the fix doesn't work! Called the tool-free, talked to the Indian guy, who is telling me if their "fix" isn't working it's "obviously" a "problem with my computer" now and to contact the maker of my computer! All I can do is boot Windows to my desktop now, clicking any icon to try to unistall the AVG program, or Control Panel to use System Restore just results in a system lockup!

Please help! I need my machine back up and AVG is turning it's back on me!!

Slider51
 
I dont like the way they've 'feature inflated' once pretty robust AV offering, but generally it has been a good servant over the years. At least I haven't suffered any issues with the upgrade, if I did, I may just switch to MSE as well.
 
Slider

If you are having that much problem BUT can still access you system I would uninstall AVG Free then:

1) Pay for a good AV and install it,

or

2) Download Avast Free and install it

or

2) Download a new copy of AVG Free and install it (since they have SUPPOSEDLY fixed the problem by now.
 
It's worse than just following the AVG "fix" ...creating a bootable cd or USB drive and applying their patch..did that 3 times in a row, the fix runs, reboots my machine to the desktop, where NOTHING works...trying to access Control Panel to remove this bloatware leaves me locked up, as does trying System Restore, or any other way I know of to try to get out of this mess. I can't even shut the machine down - it locks after hitting "shut Down " or "Restart". But what is the icing on the cake is calling this toll-free number gets me to a New Delhi "Peggy" that tells me as long as after running the fix I can get back to my desktop, any problems from there on out are "obviously a problem with my computer and I should contact my builder"

HELP!!!! AVG put some junk out there that has completely locked up my machine that ran flawlessly for over a year until the second I downloaded their "Updat", and now they're playing the "it's somebody else's problem" game!!!

Believe me I'm done with AVG for good, but I need my machine back to replace their garbage with something that works!!

A very irritated and dead-in-the water FORMER AVG user!

Did you follow AVG's instructions on fixing this. There are more steps then just making the boot disk/usb. They walk you through it on their website. I did it yesterday and had no problems.
 
Oh yes, using my wife's machine, I followed the instructions on the "fix" to a "t". like I said, I watched the "fix" script run, completely through, watched as it rebooted my machine, and the sat there locked up as a result.

The first tech tried to blow me off after walking me through the same "fix process " step by step, line by line, and it only resulted in my machine locking up for him. His answer was "an obvious hardware problem, see your builder"

I called again getting a new "Peggy" After 2 hours and 35 minutes listening to broken English a "tech" managed to just barely get my system limping along well enough to Uninstall the entire AVG junk bag from my machine. As soon as it was gone, my machine works again.

Here's my epilogue...I literally was sitting there this morning at the AVG website with my credit card, ready to buy the 2011 full version, as I had used the free version for a year and liked it. But instead, I saw the update to the 2011 Free version, and wanted to check IT out before popping for the Paid version. Man, I am almost happy I just went through blowing an entire Saturday ...reason? AVG rushed this free Update out, and I'll bet the paid version too, without testing it, obviously, and then tried to get out of helping me fix my machine after having been one of their unknowing beta testers and nearly destroying my machine in the process. Think I'll have ANYTHING to do with AVG again? Ever? Free or Paid?

No thanks, what just took place was more stressful and consumed more time than fixing any virus I've ever encountered. NO more AVG anything for me, ever.

I'll download AVAST Free to tide me over until I can find a good paid AV solution. I bought them all in the past, but after NAV, and 3 other paid solutions that did nothing but eat resources and my money, I'd like to know if ther really even IS a good paid AV solution.
 
My problem is this; we have an antivirus program that is behaving more maliciously than many viruses out there. Much data and manhours were lost, and we know who the culprit is, yet nobody is mentioning the possibility that AVG has been criminally negligent!
If they were some kid who had spread a virus around, there would be criminal charges and an arrest would have been made.
Due to their "mistake," thousands of computers have been effected, necessitating thousands of man hours of work.
I am beyond angry. I am livid.
And, before you ask, I was unable to try the AVG fix. I have only one computer, and it was needed. I did not have time to spend days on end fixing my very expensive paperweight.
 
My problem is this; we have an antivirus program that is behaving more maliciously than many viruses out there. Much data and manhours were lost, and we know who the culprit is, yet nobody is mentioning the possibility that AVG has been criminally negligent!
If they were some kid who had spread a virus around, there would be criminal charges and an arrest would have been made.
Due to their "mistake," thousands of computers have been effected, necessitating thousands of man hours of work.
I am beyond angry. I am livid.
And, before you ask, I was unable to try the AVG fix. I have only one computer, and it was needed. I did not have time to spend days on end fixing my very expensive paperweight.

Criminally negligent? Which law of which country was violated by AVG?
Do you actually know what the definition of a virus is?
Here's a quick definition provided by Wikipedia:
"A computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer."
The difference here is that all AVG users have willfully installed the software and agreed to their EULA / TOS which protects Grisoft in the event of a situation like reported in the article.
I'm sure you are justified in your emotional outrage, having your PC rendered inoperable by any software is unacceptable. But lets not be absurd in our rantings.
 
I personally think the "criminally negligent" comment by that person is spot-on. To belittle him/her for making that comment is akin to saying that rushing a bunch of untested crap out telling both free AND paid customers that they MUST upgrade to is completely OK because a bunch of lawyers wrote some disclaimers for them to hide behind. He is also spot-on that AVG's negligence is causing thousands of machines to lock up and is rendering them useless, and that the net result is in FACT thousands if not millions of man-hours and dollars lost to good-faith customers whose only mistake was trusting their claims. All a perfect illustration of the total lack of accountability that is so pervasive today in EVERY sector. "Here it is, pay me please, but if it blows up in your face, well, it HAS to be a hardware problem, not ours!" That was my business PC, not a game box, and every hour I'm without it costs me money.

You don't get to cost the public a fortune and get a free pass for it. I hope this brings Grisoft to their financial knees and they disappear.

I lost an entire Saturday (9 hours total) and I had the convenience of a second operating PC to help me get out of the jam. 3 hours of that spent trying to rid my PC of the last traces of AVG garbage - uninstallers that don't work, the whole AVG folder was a bomb just waiting to go off...

I downloaded AVAST free today, I like the easy interface , and if it works like it's supposed to after a reasonable trial period I'll give THEM my money...but meantime I'll stand behind anyone who went through what I did with my full support and join ANY effort to rid the internet of AVG products for their stunt.

Slider51
 
I personally think the "criminally negligent" comment by that person is spot-on. To belittle him/her for making that comment is akin to saying that rushing a bunch of untested crap out telling both free AND paid customers that they MUST upgrade to is completely OK because a bunch of lawyers wrote some disclaimers for them to hide behind. He is also spot-on that AVG's negligence is causing thousands of machines to lock up and is rendering them useless, and that the net result is in FACT thousands if not millions of man-hours and dollars lost to good-faith customers whose only mistake was trusting their claims. All a perfect illustration of the total lack of accountability that is so pervasive today in EVERY sector. "Here it is, pay me please, but if it blows up in your face, well, it HAS to be a hardware problem, not ours!" That was my business PC, not a game box, and every hour I'm without it costs me money.

You don't get to cost the public a fortune and get a free pass for it. I hope this brings Grisoft to their financial knees and they disappear.

I lost an entire Saturday (9 hours total) and I had the convenience of a second operating PC to help me get out of the jam. 3 hours of that spent trying to rid my PC of the last traces of AVG garbage - uninstallers that don't work, the whole AVG folder was a bomb just waiting to go off...

I downloaded AVAST free today, I like the easy interface , and if it works like it's supposed to after a reasonable trial period I'll give THEM my money...but meantime I'll stand behind anyone who went through what I did with my full support and join ANY effort to rid the internet of AVG products for their stunt.

Slider51
"Criminally negligent", is a tad overbearing, and way overblown.

While AVG's lack of QC has obviously done some damage, it really isn't fair to compare it with malware that steals personal information, key loggers, and adware.

At the end of the day, how much does the gravity of "your full support" actually matter? Get back to me on that one.

Oddly enough, I have AVG Free 2011 installed, with auto updates enabled, and the machine hasn't bricked. (?) There are reasons to not recommend the product, such as the now heavy resource footprint. But really, when it comes to "taking your unpaid business someplace", I'm pretty sure most software publishers would be good with that.

Even Verizon has CS in India, as do most places, and I pay money for their phone and DSL. To expect local CS for an unpaid product, is again sort of, wishful thinking.

M$, Seagate, and others, have had incidents like this, and resolved them in time. This is just AVG's turn, so to speak.
 
I personally think the "criminally negligent" comment by that person is spot-on. To belittle him/her for making that comment is akin to saying that rushing a bunch of untested crap out telling both free AND paid customers that they MUST upgrade to is completely OK because a bunch of lawyers wrote some disclaimers for them to hide behind.

Like I said previously, I find it reasonable to be mad about the situation, but again, calling something criminal implies the law has been broken. Please point out the law which Grisoft broke and should be prosecuted for violating. I don't know of one and apparently you're leapfrogging the question means you dont either and simply want to rant.

If you find that your lost time is so valuable that you'd like compensation from Grisoft for it, then by all means, file a civil lawsuit against them and seek compensation for your lost time. Small claims only costs about $150 to file suit in the US. But even if you win, you can't expect any jail time on account of the excecutives of Grisoft, as they haven't broken any laws.
 
If you find that your lost time is so valuable that you'd like compensation from Grisoft for it, then by all means, file a civil lawsuit against them and seek compensation for your lost time. Small claims only costs about $150 to file suit in the US. But even if you win, you can't expect any jail time on account of the excecutives of Grisoft, as they haven't broken any laws.
If you can prove you have very little means, then most courts will allow you to proceed "IFP" (in forma pauperis).

Well, the downside of proceeding, "pro se" and, "in forma pauperis" is, it's sort of like your riding an invisible white horse, and the whole rest of the world just doesn't give a ***.
 
Why are you wasting time here when you would make such an excellent "disclaimer" lawyer?

I've paid for plenty of useless software in my time, and whether or not I persoanlly paid for this garbage is missnig my and the previous guy's point entirely...

Reasonable qulaity control is part and parcel to being a big-time software writer, and AVG has shown now they are just another wannabe with little if any real ethics behind their claims. For you to side with anyone who takes in millions 30 bucks at a time writing and turning loose poorly tested product and then try to minimize their resposibility for their actions is precisely the attitude that encourages more of the same. Yeah I guess WE screwed up, We trusted them, We are the ones who should just shut up and waste our time cleaning up AVG's mess, and just be damn happy we had the honor of doing business (free OR paid, don't matter!) with AVG.

You must never take your car in for warranty repairs, or take something back to the store that is missing half of what's supposed to be in the box either, do you? Accountabiltiy is something you don't seem to understand, but then that's old fashioned now isn't it?

Done here, you must work for Grisoft...
 
Why are you wasting time here when you would make such an excellent "disclaimer" lawyer?.
Well, because I don't consider it waste of time adding indignation to injury. And, since I didn't cause the "injury" in the first place, there's no guilt.
I've paid for plenty of useless software in my time, and whether or not I persoanlly paid for this garbage is missnig my and the previous guy's point entirely...
So does this mean you're the other guest's lawyer?
Reasonable qulaity control is part and parcel to being a big-time software writer, and AVG has shown now they are just another wannabe with little if any real ethics behind their claims.
As I said in a prior post, I have AVG 2011 installed, with auto update turned on, and the PC works just fine.
For you to side with anyone who takes in millions 30 bucks at a time writing and turning loose poorly tested product and then try to minimize their resposibility for their actions is precisely the attitude that encourages more of the same.
I side with whoever demonstrates veracity. Again, for the third time, I don't think this update bricked my machine. There are multiple explanations for that. Possibly I just missed it. After all the update has been pulled.
Yeah I guess WE screwed up, We trusted them, We are the ones who should just shut up and waste our time cleaning up AVG's mess, and just be damn happy we had the honor of doing business (free OR paid, don't matter!) with AVG.
Did you know that "Ego", means "I" in Latin? Well, now you do.

OK, so you're fully free to take any of your free business someplace else. In fact I wish you would, if only for the peace of mind it would give everyone involved.

However, if you're expecting an AVG tech to come out and hold your hand while he or she fixes your computer, I suggest not holding your breath. That really isn't the way this industry works, and certainly not when you haven't paid for enterprise class support. So, that isn't going to happen, no matter how much you pout, or how much you're naughty or nice, or how big a tantrum you throw. The likely relevant outcome, is that Santa's reindeer may s*** in your Christmas stocking.

You must never take your car in for warranty repairs, or take something back to the store that is missing half of what's supposed to be in the box either, do you? Accountabiltiy is something you don't seem to understand, but then that's old fashioned now isn't it?
Accountability is something I understand very well. So, I'm not one of the clowns that come through here and Newegg, that RMA things they've broken, as "defective". Or for that matter, somebody that runs his mouth about, "how bad the movies are, and that's why I download them". We have plenty of those passing through here also.

Done here, you must work for Grisoft...
I don't work for Grisoft. The likely explanation for you being done, is that you've whined yourself out, at least for a time.
 
On Friday the February 2011 edition of "Computer Shopper" magazine landed through my door. It had an interesting front page; "ANTI-VIRUS, the UK's only test to use live internet viruses" splashed all over the front cover.

It features the following editions of AV software:

  1. AVG Free edition, 2011
  2. Avira Anti-Vir Personal 10
  3. Microsoft Security Essentials (I use this for all my W7 computers)
  4. Bit Defender Internet Security (I use their AV for all Linux computers)
  5. Bullguard Internet Security 2011
  6. Eset Smart security 4 home edition
  7. F-Secure Internet security 2011
  8. G-Data Software Internet Security 2011
  9. Kaspersky Internet security 2011
  10. McAfee Internet security 2011
  11. PC Tools internet security 2011
  12. Symantec Norton internet security 2011
  13. Trend Micro Titanium internet security 2011
  14. Webroot internet security essentials 2011

Of all these AV/IS packages, AVG Free edition 2011 won the best budget buy award (and its free!). The best buy award went to Trend Micro's Tianium Security 2011. Interestingly, the tests used real viruses, and the results found that, in comparison with Microsoft's Security Essentials Anti-Virus, the following was found:

Basic malware protection, of the 31 web threats each AV was subjected too:

  1. AVG (as well as Webroot, Trend Micro, BitDefnder and Norton) found 100%, and provided the correct protection to avoid infection.
  2. MSE found 87% of them.
  3. Interestingly, the worst was McAfee with only 81% detection rate.

Complete remediation, the percentage based on the AV/Is of detecting, and rendering the test viruses from running:

  1. Trend Micro came out top with 100%
  2. AVG free edition 2011 came in with joint third place at 90% (with Norton)
  3. MSE only achieved 61%)
  4. The lowest score was 48%, by Avira.

Overall (including false positives), based on basic malware protection results, with points deducted for each false positive found. It shows overall accuracy:

  1. Trend Micro, and BitDefender came out joint 1st place with 100%
  2. AVG was joint 2nd place with 97% (along with Norton, Kaspersky and Eset)
  3. MSE managed joint 5th, with the third lowest of 87%
  4. The lowest was Webroot with only 32%

Finally, compromised; A percentage based on the number of viruses that made it past each AV/IS' defences. Its worth noting that ALL detected everything thrown at them, but some were simply overcome by them: (lower is better in this test)

  1. AVG is joint first place with 0% (along with Webroot, Trend Micro, Norton and BitDefender). So not one single virus or piece of malware beat these AV/Is defences.
  2. MSE was in 4th place with a 13% failure rate.
  3. Last place went to McAfee, which was the worst in the test at a 19% failure rate!

I'm going to quote the comments regarding AVG:

"If you don't have much to spend, you're in luck. AVG Technologies AVG free edition 2011 has achieved its first perfect score. This means it either blocked the malware completely or it stopped it working once it was on the PC. AVG has fewer features than a commerical anti-virus suite and mis-identified one of our benign programs as a potential threat, but these are minor concerns when you get such high-quality protection for free. Its a Budget Buy."

The summary of the Best Buy award, Trend Micro Titanium internet security 2011:
A couple of security suites have a greater range of features, but nothing we've seen can beat Titanium for defence against web-based malware.

The summary box of AVG (Budget Buy award)
AVG's free anti-virus tool has performed better than almost every paid for suite. If you want simple protection this is the product to have.

The summary of MSE:
Security essentials is good enough to provide peace of mind, but it failed to protect against as many threats as AVG's free anti-virus protection.

Some food for thought I think!
 
i think i heard the same before about avast update pulled and some malicious issues arises. it was on techspot as well if i remember correctly.
 
It crashed Windows XP, too. Got rid of it after I had the same problem on two different PCs. Bummer, used to be a good program.
 
Interesting comparison Leeky; funny thing is, I've so far upgraded five (5) computers to AVG 2011 without any issue at all, so I am kinda suspecting that it probably have something to do with some sort of 'specific' conditions; not something which affects every situation.
 
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