[bobbyjack58]

Hi, installed Avast Premium Cleanup.  Had it execute all functions.  Afterwards, browsers won't open unless I use Windows + R command.  More importantly, downloads of any kind won't download.  A table opens and says "View and track your downloads."  Upon trying to "run" or "save and run" a download, it appears to start with the message "running security scan."  Nothing happens and the table adds at the top of the list, the download just attempted.  Nothing will download, so I can't get remote help.  Can you help?

 

I contacted Avast.  They told me to UNinstall Avast and any other anti-virus programs, which I did.  The above problem still exists.

Edited by bobbyjack58, 05 November 2020 - 08:40 AM.

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Is System Restore turned on?  Could you restore to before you ran the Avast Cleanup?

 

https://support.hp.c...ument/c01835735

 

If that doesn't work then:

One possibility since you are having problems running programs:

 

Copy the text between the stars (but not the stars)

 

****************

[Version]
Signature="$Chicago$"
Provider=Symantec

[DefaultInstall]
AddReg=UnhookRegKey

[UnhookRegKey]
HKLM, Software\CLASSES\batfile\shell\open\command,,,"""%1"" %*"
HKLM, Software\CLASSES\comfile\shell\open\command,,,"""%1"" %*"
HKLM, Software\CLASSES\exefile\shell\open\command,,,"""%1"" %*"
HKLM, Software\CLASSES\piffile\shell\open\command,,,"""%1"" %*"
HKLM, Software\CLASSES\regfile\shell\open\command,,,"regedit.exe ""%1"""
HKLM, Software\CLASSES\scrfile\shell\open\command,,,"""%1"" %*"
HKCU, Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System,DisableRegistryTools,0x00000020,0

*****************

 

Open notepad

 

paste the copied text into notepad then File, Save As (to your desktop), call it "unhook.inf"  (Do not leave off the quotes or it will get .txt tacked on and won't work) OK.  Now Find Unhook.inf on your desktop and Install.

 

Which browser are you using?  Sounds like IE so this might help:

 

 

1. Open Internet Explorer
2. Click on Setting button of Internet Explorer
3. Select Internet Options
4. Go to Security tab
5. Then, under the section ‘Security level for this zone’, click the ‘Custom level’ button.
6. Find Downloads, Under it File Download option 
7. Select Disable on the radio button.
8. Click OK and Exit.
9. Restart Internet Explorer.

I have two other possibilities:

 

Following is a workaround for Vista/Win 7. This defeats the security feature that calls for the scan so all downloads should be manually scanned before using.

Copy the lines between the stars (but not the stars):

****************
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments]
"ScanWithAntiVirus"=dword:00000001


****************

Open notepad and paste the above into it. Verify that you have it all then File, Save As, (to your desktop) "NoScan.reg" OK (Make sure you includes the quotes around the file name)

Close notepad. Right click on NoScan.reg and select Merge. Allow it to merge. (If you don't see the Merge option you probably left off the quotes and notepad tacked on .txt)

What I think is happening is that AVG (or some other anti-virus tho AVG seems to be the most common) attempts to stop Windows Defender and take its place in the scan but somehow breaks Windows Defender. No proof yet. This may not fix IE but oddly enough it fixes Chrome and Firefox. With IE I have had to uninstall and revert back to an earlier version like IE 8 before it started working again. Then reinstalling IE 10 broke it again.

Firefox has another possibility for a workaround:
If you have Firefox you can bypass the whole problem. Type in:
about:config
and hit Enter
then scroll down until you find

browser.download.manager.scanWhenDone

then right click on it and Toggle. Close and reopen Firefox and try to download something in Firefox.

 

One last possibility.  AVAST adds a bunch of subkeys
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\


These should be removed.  We can check if they are there:

 

Copy:

reg query "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options" /s >  \junk.txt

 

Start, All Programs, Accessories then right click on Command Prompt then Run as Admin.  Right click in the Command window and Paste or Edit then Paste and the copied line should appear.  Hit Enter.

 

Now type:

notepad \junk.txt

 

 

Copy and paste the text from notepad into a reply.

[RKinner]

Is System Restore turned on?  Could you restore to before you ran the Avast Cleanup?

 

https://support.hp.c...ument/c01835735

 

If that doesn't work then:

One possibility since you are having problems running programs:

 

Copy the text between the stars (but not the stars)

 

****************

[Version]
Signature="$Chicago$"
Provider=Symantec

[DefaultInstall]
AddReg=UnhookRegKey

[UnhookRegKey]
HKLM, Software\CLASSES\batfile\shell\open\command,,,"""%1"" %*"
HKLM, Software\CLASSES\comfile\shell\open\command,,,"""%1"" %*"
HKLM, Software\CLASSES\exefile\shell\open\command,,,"""%1"" %*"
HKLM, Software\CLASSES\piffile\shell\open\command,,,"""%1"" %*"
HKLM, Software\CLASSES\regfile\shell\open\command,,,"regedit.exe ""%1"""
HKLM, Software\CLASSES\scrfile\shell\open\command,,,"""%1"" %*"
HKCU, Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System,DisableRegistryTools,0x00000020,0

*****************

 

Open notepad

 

paste the copied text into notepad then File, Save As (to your desktop), call it "unhook.inf"  (Do not leave off the quotes or it will get .txt tacked on and won't work) OK.  Now Find Unhook.inf on your desktop and Install.

 

Which browser are you using?  Sounds like IE so this might help:

 

 

1. Open Internet Explorer
2. Click on Setting button of Internet Explorer
3. Select Internet Options
4. Go to Security tab
5. Then, under the section ‘Security level for this zone’, click the ‘Custom level’ button.
6. Find Downloads, Under it File Download option 
7. Select Disable on the radio button.
8. Click OK and Exit.
9. Restart Internet Explorer.

I have two other possibilities:

 

Following is a workaround for Vista/Win 7. This defeats the security feature that calls for the scan so all downloads should be manually scanned before using.

Copy the lines between the stars (but not the stars):

****************
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments]
"ScanWithAntiVirus"=dword:00000001


****************

Open notepad and paste the above into it. Verify that you have it all then File, Save As, (to your desktop) "NoScan.reg" OK (Make sure you includes the quotes around the file name)

Close notepad. Right click on NoScan.reg and select Merge. Allow it to merge. (If you don't see the Merge option you probably left off the quotes and notepad tacked on .txt)

What I think is happening is that AVG (or some other anti-virus tho AVG seems to be the most common) attempts to stop Windows Defender and take its place in the scan but somehow breaks Windows Defender. No proof yet. This may not fix IE but oddly enough it fixes Chrome and Firefox. With IE I have had to uninstall and revert back to an earlier version like IE 8 before it started working again. Then reinstalling IE 10 broke it again.

Firefox has another possibility for a workaround:
If you have Firefox you can bypass the whole problem. Type in:
about:config
and hit Enter
then scroll down until you find

browser.download.manager.scanWhenDone

then right click on it and Toggle. Close and reopen Firefox and try to download something in Firefox.

 

One last possibility.  AVAST adds a bunch of subkeys
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\


These should be removed.  We can check if they are there:

 

Copy:

reg query "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options" /s >  \junk.txt

 

Start, All Programs, Accessories then right click on Command Prompt then Run as Admin.  Right click in the Command window and Paste or Edit then Paste and the copied line should appear.  Hit Enter.

 

Now type:

notepad \junk.txt

 

 

Copy and paste the text from notepad into a reply.