How to Remove AVG Secure Browser from Win7 Pro Safely?

[RickV]

Unfortunately, I got bit my AVG moments ago. I deleted the entry promptly from the list of programs & features but this method is insufficient. Can anyone 'help me remove all traces of this software' from my pc?

 

[flavallee]

Download AVG Clear (Remover) - MajorGeeks

 

[RickV]

I ran it but many examples of it still reside on my laptop. It had me restart the pc twice but it does not seem to have performed the desired function.


I tried to delete files located in Program Files (x86) in the command prompt but this was also ineffective. Then I started this thread.


Any other ideas?

 

[RickV]

Still no luck. I ran AVG Remover a second time and experienced the same results. This caused me to remove the AVG free antivirus I installed a few months ago. I did see AVG executes this removal tool online as well. This may be useful but this is speculation.

 

[RolandJS]

There is another way, however, many forums do not recommend registry cleaning nor editing. Booting into Safe Mode (with or without Networking) and running a registry search & delete utility is one last resort. This last resort should only be done after making restorable backups onto external media.

 

[file3456]

You first need to toss AVG to the curb. Now perform an exorcism on your computer with a combination of Revouninstaller, and Autoruns. I'd also fire up Everything.exe and search for AVG. If after AVG is gone and you find AVG crap, press and hold the shift key on an AVG file and hit delete. You may also want to try a program that's called FreeFixer. No, it's not what the name suggests. It's a companion to an anti-virus solution and will list all the modules listed on your Comp. You should be able to see AVG related crap and nuke it from orbit.

Now while this is technically not good advice, from my perspective and how I personally role, I don't use anti-virus products. As a power user they can and will get in the way. They are also massively overblown with crap. My strategy is running the browser in Sandboxie, scanning all downloads at Virus Total (there can be false positives. You have to know how to understand the results), and periodic full disk clones should disaster ever strike.

Just run something like ClamWin, SuperAntiSpyware, TDssKiller every once in a while and you'll be fine I'm sure. It's really all on how you use the Internet. If you have a bad habit of downloading shady stuff, visiting shady websites or using the Piratebay, you run the risk of getting owned and tea bagged.

Revo Uninstaller Free - Remove unwanted programs easily

Autoruns for Windows - Windows Sysinternals | Microsoft Docs

FreeFixer

Downloads - voidtools

Free Antivirus for Windows - Open source GPL virus scanner

Download SUPERAntiSpyware Professional X Edition & Free Editions

https://usa.kaspersky.com/downloads/tdsskiller

PS: There are many ways in which one can get a malware infection. I've only scratched the surface on this. By in large, using Sandboxie for the browser and scanning ALL downloads at Virus Total will greatly help you. It's not 100% full prof, but better than the bloat that is a typical anti-virus product in this day and age.

 

[RickV]

Updates from posts of last evening. After waking this morning I began to make detailed notes of my experiences with this situation so I could add comments here that would help me proceed or with obtaining help from others here.


1 - I was able to make 'some level of progress' in my own 'manual efforts' to resolve these issues with AVG. Yes, in fact AVG has been thrown to the curb as you suggest F22 Simpilot. AVG does not own my laptop so they will not be permitted to take any form of control over it. I take this position with any software provider. Lastly, I do not know of the applications you referred me to but I will look into them immediately. I like your choice of the word 'exorcism' but I must confess I hold concern regarding 'outsourcing' these actions. I have a lot think about.



How did I achieve this? Honestly, the reason for my success is unknown. I ran AVG_Remover a second time and this appears to be a factor before I understood the benefit this offered. Typically, you will observe AVG Secure Browser launches once the desktop loads. This stopped occurring. I attempted to use the icon for this browser (at the top of my Start Programs list) and Windows informed me it could not find the program and asked if I wanted to remove the icon. YES!


I restarted the laptop and the icon had moved to the normal listing of Start Menu entries rather than a separate entry above this list. I used the icon in this new location, received the same results and deleted this instance of the icon as well. More incremental progress!



2 - What remains? This is challenging to convey because I have searched considerably but it does not mean I have found every remainder of this unintended installation. No references in 'Programs and Features' or 'Default Programs' but I do still see it under 'Applications' in CCleaner (again free version). This bothers me. In addition to this I find numerous entries in the Registry under the usual suspect 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE' and 'SOFTWARE' but I will not go further than this for the sake of exercising restraint to avoid arming others with powerful tools beyond their capability. Unfortunately, I also see references to Comodo, McAfee and a few others I know no longer reside on the laptop...except in the registry.


RolandJS - Your points are well put and understood. However, I must also add that I have edited the registry in the past in situations such as these 'cleaning efforts.' Small steps. However, it is clear I have a larger problem to contend with as this regards the current state of my laptop. I am uncertain how to proceed with this method under these circumstances and need to evaluate additional actions carefully before proceeding.

 

[RickV]

I forgot about Revo. I have used this previously but neither AVG or AVAST was identified in the list of 87 installations.


I moved onto Autoruns and it offered some assistance in that the AVG Secure Browser was listed so I removed the check and deleted the entry. Similar results for AVAST but I do not recall the literal entry name at this point.


I next ran 'Everything.exe' and this proved to be a large hammer. This allowed me to remove several files and folders but it did not remove the registry entries. Perhaps I need to read more on how to use this utility.


Regardless, I am in a much better position than I was late yesterday.


Thank you both. More updates will occur as I work through these issues.

 

[RolandJS]

Precision rifling rather than shotgunning with registry cleaners/editors has more often than not served me very well.

 

[RickV]

I am in complete agreement with you.

 

[file3456]

Everything.exe won't remove registry entries. It just allows you to search for files on the whole system and even storage attached like a USB drive. That's why I mentioned it. If AVG left behind DLLs and crap you'll find it with Everything.

I wouldn't worry about the registry. You probably already have thousands of entries from software that was long ago uninstalled. It's not going to do anything unless it's in the form of a rootkit.

 

[RolandJS]

Incidentally, Revo Uninstaller includes precision registry cleaning if I understand what Moderate and Advanced Scans do. Somebody will correct me if I am mistaken.

 

[RickV]

My experience w/Explorer.exe agrees w/F22's description. He is also correct regarding the accumulation of registry entries that are invalid. Nonetheless, I do not like to see this garbage. This does not mean I go rouge or 'stray off the reservation' to clean my registry despite having done this in the past - lot's of potential for danger here.


While it has been some time this discussion has made me realize I am familiar with Revo, SUPERAntiSpyware, and ClamWin. I learned of these tools years ago while trying to protect my Win2000 system. I still have and need this OS but I have not been able to determine to add W2k as a 3rd boot option or run it in a VM.