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[chrissie]

Hi again 

Well the deed is done I've uninstalled (I think!) AVG and installed AVAST Free and so far so good though I'm on the lappy atm as I'm not too trusting of the PC yet.  I ran a scan on AVAST and found nothing thank goodness, I will do an online scan with Housecall later.  However, there's a couple of things puzzling me and I'm wondering if you good people can give me some gen on them please?

I still have the AVG uninstall tool and text file folder with results on my desk top.  I uninstalled the AVG first at the uninstall location on the computer then I ran the uninstall tool.  I then did a search for files and folders to check if all the AVG related things were gone but it came up with over 200 files found (some were screen shots of the problems in my pics file so they are ok).  Some of the files I noted down were AVGIDSAGENT one was boot one graph another malware another node and last one removed.  They were located apparently in C:windows Temp diagex files (with loads of numbers after them on file name) with D.cab at the end.  I deleted all the Temp files but another search came up with same files.   So I looked in the desk top "remove" Notepad file and the log there (not all understood by me of course), said amongst other things that certain "things" failed. 

My questions now are, should all the files have gone with uninstall or do I have to delete over 200 files manually or just leave them?  Observation....when the Trojans were picked up by Housecall scan last week before uninstall, they were TROJAN AGENT.AVI  are these the same as the AVGIDSAGENT files remaining with the over couple of hundred on my PC?

Once again I value your help so much and appreciate any advice you can give me, thanks everyone. 

Chrissie

[tuftedduck]

All these files with lots of numbers and ending in .cab are harmless.

.cab = cabinet, meaning that they are archive files that Windows wants to keep.
They are best left alone. Ignore them and forget that they are there.
As they are in a Temp file they will disappear when you next do a diskclean or a cleaning run with CCleaner or similar.

In that location, AVGIDSAGENT is safe....again I would just forget it is there, it wont to any harm.

Glad the change went ok.........hope you are now rid of that AVG splash screen freezing your system.

TD uses Avast Free so if you have any queries about it.......just ask. 

[silversurfer44]

Nice to hear you have got your Avast installed and you are running. You seem to be in capable hands with Tuftedduck.  I might add though maybe it is time to do a disk clean up, with whichever tool you use. After that you may be due a defrag.
Best of luck with it all.

[BritBrat]

Have you updated AVAST and done a full virus scan?

If not start it and leave it running to the end.

[chrissie]

Thanks everyone for your help.  TD the rogue box hasn't come up since  thank goodness so one hopes that went with the uninstall (all crossed).  Thanks for the info re the files but there are still about 200 on there with AVG file names...but I don't know which to get rid of or how...  I really need to get this computer cleaned it gets very slow at times and windows hangs and I get program not responding messages (end now) etc so I'd love to get rid of things if I could.

@ Colin 2  I did the disk scan and defrag before I installed Avast I will probably do another one soon thanks for reminding me.

@ BB Yes I did the updates on avast or rather it automatically does it and I did a full scan, will do another today if I'm able.  First off though I want to a Housecall scan to see if it still picks up on the YSIGNU~1.EXE thing so will do it and see.  Takes over 2.5 hours though so will have to be done when I'm orff the computer.

I now want to get a free firewall so will have to look for one of those that will go with Avast....to think without all your help on here I wouldn't even have uninstalled AVG etc etc so thank you all so much for helping this dummy out 

Chrissie

[silversurfer44]

Glad things are working out Chrissie. The files with AVG in the title are they all to do with AVG?
If they are and you are confident they are I can tell you a way to delete them all.
I can tell you a way to delete these files, but only the ones you are sure about. This will require a fair bit of finger pressing. 

[UncleUB]

I now want to get a free firewall so will have to look for one of those that will go with Avast..

Just use the Windows XP firewall.It is more than capable,if you feel it isn't then heres one or two to consider

http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-us/zonealarm-pc-security-free-firewall.htm

http://www.agnitum.com/products/outpost/download.php

http://www.comodo.com/home/internet-security/firewall.php

[BritBrat]

If they are and you are confident they are I can tell you a way to delete them all.

This is what I used to do when not very confident on what to delete (and I stiil do from time to time) Dont delete them just rename them like this.

Example:

YSIGNU~1_OLD.EXE

But use the same "_OLD" for each one and only do a few at a time, then if they were required for something you just rename them back.

By using the same "_OLD" each time they are easy to find using a search (*_OLD) and after some time you can search and delete them.

You could use "_chrissie" if you like, just something easy to search and remember.

[silversurfer44]

Normally I would agree BritBrat, but we have a couple of hundred files here. Leaving them on the drive in whatever form means they will be cataloged and checked by a full av scan, as well as slowing the pc down. If they are AVG bits of files then they may as well go.
I'm talking about using the command line (command prompt in Windows speak) to do the job.

[BritBrat]

Normally I would agree BritBrat, but we have a couple of hundred files here. Leaving them on the drive in whatever form means they will be cataloged and checked by a full av scan, as well as slowing the pc down. If they are AVG bits of files then they may as well go.
I'm talking about using the command line (command prompt in Windows speak) to do the job.

Are you sure Chrissie would be up to that?

On a side note:

Removing an illegal directory

This always comes in handy whenever you download an illegal directory from an ftp site and think your stuck with it. Well the good news is your not and here's how to fix it.  
  
 To get to this command in XP goto > start > run > cmd > then navigate to where the illegal directory is at.  
  
 rd {path} /s /q  
  
 Above is the syntax of of how its done and below is a practical example because I hate that p00 above. Make it simple for me to understand thats what I always say.  
  
 Example one: Deletes testfolder and everything inside it  
  
 rd c:\testfolder /s /q  
  
  
Remember everything below that directory gets deleted so don't do this to an important directory that is going to affect your system.  
  
 Here's another example going deeper that you can follow to try it :  
  
 1. cmd  
 2. cd.. keep doing this until you reach the c:\  
 3. or do it the easy way and chdir c:\  
 4. make a folder called testfolder by typing mkdir testfolder  
 5. type cd c:\testfolder  
 6. type mkdir garbage  
 7. type dir so you can see your new folder  
 8. type chdir c:\  
 9. type rd testfolder /s /q  
 10. type dir to see the results, everything below testfolder is now gone.  
  
One last word or caution, you cannot undelete actions done here so be careful ok!
 _________________
 
 
 If anyone really cares:
 
 /S = Delete specified files from all subdirectories.
 /Q = Quiet mode, do not ask if ok to delete on global wildcard

[silversurfer44]

I'm sure Chrissie would be up to the task. It's easier than using the GUI sometimes. She some canny lady when she puts her mind to it.

[chrissie]

Hi guys

Wow a lot to think about here lol but again thank you for bearing with me.  I did another search for files and folders with AVG in the name and it came up with 386!!  A lot are temp files but I don't even know where the look for them as they don't come up when you use run %Temp% or none that I can see.

I did another housecall scan today and it only came up with the YSIGNU~1.EXE (don't know where it is though) and it won't fix it because it says it could delete a legitimate file!  I'm still wondering if it's a fpositive.

I agree that these 386 files are taking up space but I am concerned that I might delete things that shouldn't be deleted....I can't even get a copy of the list from the search as it won't copy to paste in a word doc so I could post it somewhere and even if I could it wouldn't show all the file path would they...sigh.

Some of the file endings have dump on the end...mean nowt to me tho.  I don't know why the avg8 and avg10 folders are still there, I thought almost everything would have gone when I uninstalled, should I try another uninstall with the downloaded thingy or wouldn't that make any difference.. I knowa nuthin!


Anyway not to worry too much,, at least I got rid of AVG and the rogue page...so I'm happy about that.  Thanks again you are so kind to me.

Chrissie

[BritBrat]

You may not be able to find/see them as they are hidden.

Try this:

From Windows Explorer menu: TOOLS > FOLDER OPTIONS > VIEW > Scroll down list > Hidden files and folders (select the show option) > scroll down futher > Hide extensions for known file types and de-select it > scroll down > Hide protected operating system files and de-select it.

Press the OK button.

Then have another look for them

[tuftedduck]

Chrissie, as I mentioned before all these old AVG files are not causing you trouble. They are safely tucked away and are not  a threat.
Although there are two hundred of them, and you are worried about that, they are ywo hundred very, very small files......only a few kbs each..which are not taking up any great space and are not slowing down your PC.
Forget they are there and ignore them.

As to the file YSIGNU~1.EXE , it is legitimate. It is part of the other file that that you queried before ( AVGINSTALLEDAPPX.EXE ) . Here is the official word from AVG.., and I quote from the AVG forum at http://www.avgforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1448

quote "Hello,

The AVGINSTALLEDAPPX.EXE file is an official file from AVG Technologies. Please allow AVGINSTALLEDAPPX.EXE to pass though the firewall, it is a part of our Cloud technology for Product Improvement Program. If you have any other questions please contact us by http://www.avg.com/support
Arthur M.
Business Support Specialist
AAS, Information Systems Security

AVG Technologies USA, Inc.
Education, Government Sales and Support
2105 Northwest Blvd.
Newton, NC 28658
828-459-5422 " .....................unquote.

So that is a legit file and should be ignored. It is still showing up as a registry item on your PC...but it will not do any harm. Forget it.


As to your slow and sluggish machine.
Was it like that before you made the avg-to-avast switch ?
If not, it is something to do with Avast........nothing to do with "infections" ( you do not have any infections....avast, malwarebytes and Trend housecall all give you as clean ).
I suspect it is the "Behaviour Shield" in Avast. When first installed, this part of Avast tracks and learns your every move and learns your behaviour patterns on the basis that if anything then happens that is not within your behaviour pattern...it will question it and flag it as unusual.
It would be worth turning off that part of Avast to see if that is what is slowing you down.
To do that, open Avast GUI, on the left hand side click on "real time shields" then click on "behaviour shield" and when that happens click on the stop button and then apply/ok out of that. (The systray icon will change at this point and tell you that you are unprotected...ignore that for the moment until we see if this shield is the problem. We will rectify that in a moment ) 

One other thing about the slow PC.............can you let us know how much RAM is istalled, can you also post a screeny of the "processes" tab in taskmanager (expand that window to show all processes ) .............that will show us what is running on your PC and may throw up something that is slowing you down.

[scottiesmum]

Please excuse me interrupting here   ....    I have had for years  a very small programme called ATF Cleaner  ...every so often I run it on the  'Main'  section  (I clear out the dustbin separately)    (I have a separate Firefox cleaner)    ...  it is simplicity itself  .....I find that it clears out a lot of rubbish without doing any harm (some of those cleaners terrify me  ) and this in turn quickens things up .....   not sure if it is relevant here but just thought I'd mention it  ...

http://bit.ly/levUDi