Alert for Avast users

2 min read

Deviation Actions

StevenRoy's avatar
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Avast's "Browser Cleanup" tool has a bug that may cause it to delete a large number of installed programs on your hard drive, while removing "unwanted" toolbars.

It sounds kinda far-fetched, but this tool just deleted a bunch of stuff from a relative's computer that I was working on, including Google Chrome, Google Earth, most of Firefox (it was running at the time but now it no longer starts), Malwarebytes AntiMalware (for shame!), Steam and all installed Steam games, some Microsoft components, and a bunch of other probably-important stuff.

So now I'm going to have to try an undelete tool and/or System Restore, to see how much I can get back... (I hate having to rely on System Restore. I've actually never had a success with it!)

Judging by the overall atmosphere around the Avast support forums, this tool has other issues as well. Thus, I am recommending that every Avast user uninstall the "Browser Cleanup" component.

This is done in "Add/Remove Programs" AKA "Programs and Features" in the Windows Control Panel. Find the Avast program, then select the "change" option. You should get to a list of installed components, in three columns. "Browser Cleanup" will be in the middle column. Deselect it, and then Avast will essentially reinstall itself without that tool. When installing Avast, you can select "custom installation" to get to the same list of components, and deselect "Browser Cleanup" to prevent its installation.

Avast is still, in most ways, one of the best free antivirus programs out there, but this tool is just... bad! Thank goodness it's optional!
© 2014 - 2024 StevenRoy
Comments3
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Cup-of-Javo's avatar
Thank you SOOOO much for this! This thing has been popping up for a while, and it has long since overstayed its welcome. I tried it once to see what it would delete, and when it listed Google Chrome, I was like, oh hell naw. Glad to see I can get rid of it!

Chrome and Firefox are my babies; they aren't going anywhere. :D