AVG AntiVirus is Actually Malware? - Comments Page 2

I had so much trouble with shady and/or ineffective anti-virus programs on Windows that I switched to Linux. I've never been sorry, and now have no problems viruses, updates, errors, etc.

Like others, I took your advice some time ago to switch from AVG to AVAST. I'm satisfied with the results, and just ignore their attempts to get me to upgrade to the paid version. I also use CCleaner and Malwarebytes and CryptoPrevent, which altogether seem to keep my computer safe and clean.

How can I remove ALL aspects of AVG?

Are you actually telling us that there is other anti-virus applications than Windows Defender?

Windows Defender does not interfere with the Windows Operating System, it's free, and it works pretty well. I, of course, must keep my computer patched in order for it to work properly, but it will do the job as long as I remain vigilant when on the internet.

Avast ... AVG, ... and the many others are a drag on the computer, they slow it down, and they are only work as well as the guys that write their software want them to be. Defender is written by the guys that work for the folks that wrote the Operating System and Microsoft's reputation is on the line every time they change it. MS will not intentionally add malware to Defender because, if they do, people would leave the OS in droves, myself included.

Why use anything else than Defender? Why? Why?, WHY?

I have used AVG for around 15 years. It kept out invaders, ran smoothly until recently since time they started pushing to "fix" problems. Tried Avast & didn't like it. Ccleaner I deleted this year, Malwarebytes had problems. Use Revo uninstaller & just hope they don't "overdevelop" it - newer is NOT always better. Maybe some of those smart hackers should get together and write a master protection program!

I used AVG years ago, but gave it the flick when an Australian Government security agency suggested I use Zonealarm. I've been using Zonealarm Extreme for years now with absolutely no problems. It also includes a PC Tuneup capacity which is handy.

Thanks for your many interesting articles Bob.

Thanks to you, Bob, I bailed on AVG some time ago. Went to Avast and have been pleased. Now I am still using CCleaner which has always performed to my expectations, but now wonder if I should be concerned. Should I?

Well, Bob, shame on you for using and promoting either product. I used avast! for a number of years- until they got reckless. So, we switched to Kaspersky Internet Security and haven't had any issues, conflicts, what have you. Year after year, Bitdefender and Kaspersky have claimed the 1-2 title, while avast! and AVG have lingered further down stream. Just is what it is, and we question your seemingly always promotion of avast!...take it for what it's worth.

I used AVG years ago but dropped it when it started snowing computers down. No fan of Avast or Avira either. Windows Defender and Malwarebytes have kept all my Windows computers clear. I do like Kaspersky as well.

Hi Bob,
RE: Deleting files which deny access.
Raymond.cc has an excellent article "6 Tools To Take Ownership and Get Full Control Of Files and Folders" (see URL at end of my comment).
From those suggestions, I use TakeOwnershipPro, and it does the job effortlessly.
URL: raymond.cc/blog/easily-take-ownership-and-grant-full-control-permission-with-winownership.

Hey, this would even be worth a full-length article!

I have paid for Webroot Anti-virus via the Best Buy Geek Squad for several years now with no problems whatsoever. You get what you pay for, so maybe you guys ought to fork over some money and forego the worry of the the free stuff.

Well, thanks probably to articles I've read here, I've switched back and forth a number of times between AVG & Avast; currently using Avast. This article prompted me to check & I appear to have a bunch of AVG files remaining on my computer, some going back years. Also, why does Avast appear as a PUP in MalwareBytes; when I clear all the junk from a MBam scan, Avast goes with it and has to be re-installed.

For some reason, when I close CCleaner, it won't restart. I get some goofy message which I can't call to mind. So it is left running. If it gets closed, I reinstall. On one of my reinstalls, I missed the checked INSTALL AVAST BOX. Not having done a restore point, I used IOBit uninstaller which got rid of every bit of it, best I can tell. The EVERYTHING app could not find anything with "AVG" searched for, and I haven't gotten any more than annoying ads. I am currently using MBAM Premium and Windows Pretender.

I tried to remove AVG from a pc, using revo and editing the registry, but it came back.
Then I discovered one more file that was named Avast.
Once I removed the Avast file AVG was gone.
I only use Windows Defender and Malwarebytes for protection.

I tried AVG and it wasnt for me. Getting rid of it also a pain. Used Geek - Revo is Ok but Geek goes one step farther. Have both.
I run SAS Pro have done for around 16 yearn, s
See that BOB? this happens lately - was typing years now. CAnt find what is doing this. Can you? Googled and many more than I have this problem.
I currently running trial of premium Malabytes. Its is good but costs $90 Aussie dollars. I wonder is it worth it when havent had real problem just odd pup.

I used to use AVG then switched to Avast then i deleted both, they dont do anything but slow down your computer. I use Spywareblaster that blocks 1000's of malware sites thru the HOSTS file, i run occasionally SuperAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes and each night I run Advanced system care and Privazer as well as the old microsoft REGCLEAN and I never have any problems!

Bob, Of all people who preach back ups, you should know better. The only true restore point is an image backup. However, your mistake led you to discover the unethical behavior of AVG. Excellent topic as it did bring out a lot of good comments and suggestions.

AVG is to AVAST what Cingular was to ATT. A few of us still remember that merger in which Cingular was one of the best telephone companies around. That is until ATT came and offered a few million for a merger. Then it all went downhill for Cingular. ATT started chipping away the best parts of Cingular (Customer Service, great plans, and so forth.)

Then people started switching from Cingular to ATT, as its service became crappy, which made ATT look good and a better option. (When in reality ATT is less than desirable.)

This is a practice all big companies do to destroy the competition and bounce customers around for their own purposes. The truth is that now, neither AVG, nor AVAST are the best choices for antivirus... (Right, Bob?) Don't be fooled, some of the best antivirus software are less known, but better work horses than these two. Thanks for your article, Bob.

About uninstalling: The Windows control panel program remover uses an uninstall directive file which is provided by the vendor of the software you are trying to remove. So, it's up to the software manufacturer to decide what to actually remove or leave behind. All software programs leave something behind, especially in the Registry. Using the Windows program remover is only the first step. You can cleanup after a Windows uninstall, but it takes lots of searches to find the bits and pieces, some of which may not have a recognizable name associated with the software you "removed". Programs tend to hide files and markers in just about anywhere on your drive, so you’ll need a real search tool to find them (by “real” I mean NOT the bogus Windows search engine. Try something like https://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/ ).

About not having Admin rights: That's true, the administrator account that you set up your computer with is not a real, all-powerful administrator. There is a System-level administrator (similar to root in Linux) to which you don't have access and cannot get access to unless you have a Pro or higher version of Windows. Even then, you must spend a lot of time fiddling with dozens of esoteric permission settings. The problem with opening up all permissions for a typical user is that you become more vulnerable on the internet. Sometimes you can by-pass the “access denied” message by booting in Safe Mode and then deleting files. Sometimes, and curiously, you can rename a file that you can’t delete, reboot and then delete the renamed file (but, in most cases exhibiting this behavior, there is some other hidden running process which will recreate the file you renamed).

About AVG surviving a Restore: As I said above, programs tend to hide markers anywhere on your drive. Just as a Restore point cannot remove a virus, it cannot remove all markers left by a program. A Windows Restore does not replace the entire Registry or all the contents of Windows OS folders. It only selectively restores certain files and settings, so it cannot possibly eliminate all hidden files installed by a program. Bob said that after uninstalling AVG, there were ads in his browser. This could happen even if you delete all your cookies because any site with affiliation with AVG/AVAST can run a script searching for the AVG markers and then generate an ad. Or the script can install and run a process on your machine to generate an ad.

Bob said that “an AVG_Remover utility should not be necessary”. If the world was a nice and fair place that would be true, but AVG is not the only software to behave this way. McAfee, Norton, Adobe, Kaspersky all cling to your machine like leaches and there are special “remover” tools for those also. In fact, there is one for Microsoft’s Security Essentials (predecessor or Defender).

As one commenter has posted, uninstalling anything with Revo Uninstaller is an eye-opener as far as learning how programs that had been supposedly uninstalled leave behind a huge chunk of registry entries. Nowadays, using just a simple uninstall will not cut it. There are even videos on YouTube showing how to completely uninstall both AVG and AVAST--the latter's newest version had literally taken over my computer.

Today I use Windows Defender. I find it easy to use (making sure it is updated) and have no problems at all. Together with Malwarebytes and CCleaner, I feel like I am "good to go". I've had it with the Big Guys.