AVG-free problem

[hallmark]

You can get them manually here... http://free.avg.com/download-update

[Silas]

What message are you getting?

Hallmark, I will try it again and tell you what the message is.

[Silas]

Hallmark, first it says creating backup, then it carries on and comes up with 'installation failed' - that's all it says.  I have 'Googled' about this problem and loads of folk say they cannot uninstall AVG!  So, that's that, I give up, but thank you for your efforts.

[hallmark]

Someone kept getting a message coming up from  AVG icon at bottom of screenthat the AVG website could not be opened

They double clicked and opened up the icon and it showed  7 boxes - the one showing update manager said it need to be updated and was ticked red.

They tried to use the download - didnt work. They then clicked on the "Update Now" on left hand side of screen - it worked then and Update Manager was ticked green.

[Silas]

YIPEE !!  I have uninstalled 7.5 !!  Did it by going to All Programs via the Start button, clicked on AVG 7.5 and it gave me the option to uninstall - it worked! THEN I Googled AVG-free 8.5, found a site and it has actually downloaded successfully!!  I cannot believe it.  So, it is necessary to get rid of 7.5 first it seems.  Thank you so Hallmark and everyone else who has tried to help.

[hallmark]

Not a problem, glad you are sorted! Now....run a full scan!!

Dave.

[Silas]

OK Dave, will do that!  Phew, I'm worn out!!

[hallmark]

ME TOO!!! LOL

[downside]

I guess this of mainly academic interest now.

When you start Windows, various processes are started at boot time and they include at least 3 AVG processes.  If you launch Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete and click on the Processes tab, you should see those AVG processes which all begin avgxxxx.exe.

You cannot remove/uninstall AVG while those processes are still active.

In theory you could download and install AVG 8 even though you still have 7.5 on disk providing that you stop the AVG 7.5 processes first.

As you attempt to install AVG 8 though it should detect a previous installation and remove that before installing the later version.

Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel can only remove AVG in safe mode when the processes are not active.

Some anti-virus programs add an extra layer of security by changing the ownership of certain files so that even an Administrator or someone with administrative privleges cannot remove files.  The reason they do this is because it prevents a virus taking control of the anti-virus program and therefore taking control of the whole computer.