Avira just killed everything!

[bigseb]

Did an update on my Avira Antivirus and it killed everything. None of my software works and even the OS is stuffed.

Any ideas on how to fix this before I re-install the whole lot?

 

[Bill2]

Do a system restore.

 

[bigseb]

It won't let me. Avira deleted everything! I cannot access anything to do with the OS. Even Explorer shows up as a virus.

I am very disappointed with Avira. This is unacceptable.

 

[Bill2]

Try booting from your win7 install dvd, then do a system restore.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/668-system-recovery-options.html

 

[Dwarf]

Have you tried METHOD TWO here?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html

 

[chev65]

You mean that an A/V software caused problems? Say it ain't so!

 

[bigseb]

Had to completely re-install Won't muck about with AV anymore though. From now on I'll just scan my Windows partition with my Linux partition.

Thanks for all your help though. Much appreciated.

 

[Product FRED]

Woah, good thing I switched to MSE a few weeks ago. Although Avira seems more powerful to me, MSE is more streamlined, plus it's made by the same people who developed Windows. Good luck fixing it man, hopefully you have a backup to fall back on.

EDIT: Use Microsoft Security Essentials.

 

[Dwarf]

Had to completely re-install Won't muck about with AV anymore though. From now on I'll just scan my Windows partition with my Linux partition.

Thanks for all your help though. Much appreciated.

Not such a good idea. Although there are people who do run their systems without any form of AV protection, I do not recommend that. Many of us here use Avast! (including myself), and there are also alternatives available, both paid for and free. It is possible that they have had a rogue definitions update (it does happen), and this may well be the case here.

 

[CarlTR6]

To support what Dwarf, MSE nor Avast will cause problems with your system. I urge you to install one of them and not run without AV protection.

 

[Corrine]

I haven't seen anything elsewhere, including the Avira Support Forum, about a false/positive in Avira. Are you sure it wasn't one of the three rogues of a similar name, Antivir, Antivir 2010, or Antivir Antivirus? There are other rogues that include include rootkit components, block A/V, Windows Update, System Restore, Safe Mode, Task Manager, and more.

 

[Bill2]

Do you remember the update number and other details? There may be many members and visitors using Avira and it'll help them to be aware something like this happen. Plus somebody may reasearch into this issue, in case there are some rogue updates floating around, as Corrine suggested. If there is an Avira expert on these forums, some more light can be shed, maybe the matter can be reported to the Avira makers.

 

[pacman10]

Did an update on my Avira Antivirus and it killed everything. None of my software works and even the OS is stuffed.

Any ideas on how to fix this before I re-install the whole lot?

You could simply restore the contents of the hard disk from your last image backup. Very easy to do. All that will be missing is the data between today and your last image backup but assuming you do regular and frequent backups that should be manageable.

 

[madtownidiot]

Another reason I don't use an AV on my own computers. Something like that happening at the wrong time could cost me a fair chunk of cash. Better just to reimage my system on my own time whenever it shows signs of slowing down

 

[pacman10]

Another reason I don't use an AV on my own computers. Something like that happening at the wrong time could cost me a fair chunk of cash. Better just to reimage my system on my own time whenever it shows signs of slowing down

If your system is business-critical then running without AV and frequent image backups is an excellent way to waste time and money. It's like transcendental bungee jumping. You experience total freedom and it is fatal.

Oh, and you and BigSeb might like to look at http://www.articlesbase.com/securit...e-avira-anti-virus-removal-guide-1990841.html If these reports are correct then the problem is not with an AV product but with malware masquerading as AV.

 

[madtownidiot]

lol... interesting way to put it. I keep all my personal files on a separate partition, with a backup of those on an external hdd. The image backups are a life saver. I just go right back to about 5 hours after windows was installed, once every 2 weeks at most, and I get a system that does a full restart in 20-23 seconds and never slows down, nor do I lose any progress.

 

[pacman10]

lol... interesting way to put it. I keep all my personal files on a separate partition, with a backup of those on an external hdd. The image backups are a life saver. I just go right back to about 5 hours after windows was installed, once every 2 weeks at most, and I get a system that does a full restart in 20-23 seconds and never slows down, nor do I lose any progress.

If I have understood this system correctly then it is vulnerable to malware because each time you restore the image of the original Windows 7 system you overwrite any Windows 7 security updates which have taken place in the meantime.

 

[madtownidiot]

lol... interesting way to put it. I keep all my personal files on a separate partition, with a backup of those on an external hdd. The image backups are a life saver. I just go right back to about 5 hours after windows was installed, once every 2 weeks at most, and I get a system that does a full restart in 20-23 seconds and never slows down, nor do I lose any progress.

If I have understood this system correctly then it is vulnerable to malware because each time you restore the image of the original Windows 7 system you overwrite any Windows 7 security updates which have taken place in the meantime.

No more vulnerable than a system with a fresh install of windows that hasn't been updated yet. Even less, because the image contains a working copy of the comodo firewall and some of the updates. If malware can get in via windows update, (malware other than some of the windows updates anyway) we're all screwed regardless.

 

[Jacee]

I use Avira Premium Security Suite, I can't imagine that it would wipe out a system .... something went berserk

 

[madtownidiot]

It may be that corrine has a point too.. either way, those rouge AV programs out there are so difficult to get rid of it's easier and quicker to reinstall windows than to try to remove one.