I stopped including AVG when listing "free for personal use antivirus software" in March when Grisoft added the "Security Toolbar". The list is growing on why I continue to leave AVG off the list:
Granted, false/positives occur but after the crippling false detection of user32.dll I would have expected closer scrutiny. It certainly makes it appear that Grisoft doesn't test their updates on even a basic setup.
For the F/P of user32.dll, see the following entries on the AVG FAQ page:
In case you are not able to run your Windows XP operating system after AVG 8.0 virus definition update, it may be caused by a false positive on a specific "user32.dll" system file. The file was moved to the AVG Virus Vault and deleted. Therefore it is not possible to start Windows. Please follow the steps below to rectify this situation: In case you do not have Windows XP installation CD with the latest updates, we strongly recommend you to use our fix tool instead. The mentioned fix tool can be found in FAQ 1575. WARNING! There is a high probability of incompatibility with other system files (for example with winsrv.dll) if the latest installation CD is not used. This can also cause inabitity to start operating system. 1. Please insert the Windows XP installation CD and boot computer from this CD (if you do not have the installation CD please follow steps mentioned in our FAQ 1575). 2. Choose and run Recovery Console. 3. Choose Windows operating system you want to repair. 4. Disable AVG Resident Shield from loading. You can disable loading services/drivers with "disable" command, i.e. you have to type the following commands (some of them might not be present in all AVG editions): disable avgMfx86 disable avgMfa86 disable avgldx86 disable avglda86 5. Restore the User32.dll file from the Windows XP installation CD (instead "D:" use letter of your CD-ROM drive): expand D:\i386\user32.dl_ c:\windows\system32\ In case the command fails, please use the following command to rename original user32.dll and repeat the command above. ren user32.dll user32.bak 6. Restart computer and boot Windows normally. 7. In order to re-enable the AVG Resident Shield services we recommend that you perform the AVG repair installation as follows: - Download the latest AVG installation package from the following webpage and save it on your hard disk: http://www.avg.com/download?prd=aav (AVG Anti-Virus 8.0) http://www.avg.com/download?prd=ais (AVG Internet Security 8.0) http://www.avg.com/download?prd=avf (AVG Anti-Virus plus Firewall 8.0) - When you are prompted, please do not open this file directly from the internet, but click the Save button and choose a location, where the installation file should be stored. We recommend saving the file to the Desktop. - Restart your computer. - Locate the downloaded AVG installation file (it has a four color square icon and its name starts with AVG_...) and launch the installation by double-clicking on it. - Follow the installation wizard. - When prompted, please select the Repair installation option. - Enter your license number when you are asked (we recommend that you use the copy&paste* method to enter this license number into the installation form). - Restart your computer and update AVG.
Too bad about AVG. IT were a really good product for many years.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to your fine list, I would add two more:
AVG now uses too many system resources and seems to slow machines down, which other programs (like the two you mention) show is unnecessary.
AVG's detection rate is no longer competitive with the best AV products (like the two you mentioned).
Have fun, Corrine (and Go PSU and Bills!)
-Brian (AKA The Dean)