AVG 2011 Update Causes Widespread Problems For 64-Bit Windows

phx_zs writes "Last night's mandatory update of AVG 2011 Free edition has caused most 64-bit Windows 7 PCs to fail while loading Windows. On their website they have an FAQ with instructions on how to repair the problem using a boot CD or USB device."

Comments

AVG? Feh.

[Pojut]

Does anyone actually use AVG anymore? There was a time when it was awesome, but it just got crazy bloated and slow...

Microsoft Security Essentuals

[Enderandrew]

I used to recommend AVG as the free anti-virus solution to people, but Microsoft Security Essentials has a much smaller footprint, it doesn't harass you to upgrade to a paid version, and it has a better detection rate.

AVG isn't particularly great when comparing free or paid products these days.

Re:Microsoft Security Essentuals

[Anonymous Coward]

Agreed on that one - I've migrated away from recommending AVG or AVAST to Microsoft Security Essentials to any Windows user who doesn't want to shell out for an AV.

(The turning point was the AVG link scanner. That was a terrible idea and a sure sign it was headed for the toilet quickly.)

To any who do prefer higher-quality, paid antivirus software, I've found ESET NOD32 to be consistently excellent, or Kaspersky AV if you want to trade speed for thoroughness on deeply-nested archives (not always a good idea). (I have to begrudgingly admit that the newest Norton is not completely awful like we've come to expect but still isn't something that would ever appear on my recommendation list. McAfee would never appear there under any circumstances.)

Security Essentials

[PIPBoy3000]

I used to recommend AVG, and have since switched to telling family members to use Windows Security Essentials. AVG isn't the lightweight, unobtrusive piece of software it used to be.

Re:AVG? Feh.

[JeffSpudrinski]

I've been discouraging my friends/customers from using it for about 18 months now.

Agreed that it was once awesome, but they took a dive when they starting including that crappy IE plugin tool that pre-verifies all the results of your searches.

They also make it nigh on impossible to find the free version on their site (or it was hard last time I looked, which has been a while).

While all AV programs are prone to screwing something up, this one won't help their already soured reputation.

I've been using Avast and Sophos for a while now and had little issues with either of them.

-JJS

Not suprising...

[Cyno01]

Of course something like this would happen with a free program, you get what you pay for. Nothing like this would ever happen with one of the quality anti virus programs, like McAfee...

Re:WTF?

[olddoc]

Sure they are tested. The problem ONLY occurs on rebooting. Who ever has to reboot a Windows computer?

Re:Antivirus?

[tgrigsby]

You don't get them by opening email or surfing the web these days. Tracking cookies are not viruses.

You absolutely CAN get an infection from simply surfing the web. I was one of the people affected by the AVG Update Of Death, but I recovered and I will continue to use them in part because it integrates with Firefox and has stopped numerous attacks by intercepting seemingly innocuous sites. If you're not aware of the danger involved in simply surfing the web, you should do a little honest research.

Re:Ask a friend

[Fulg]

What's a decent free one to use?

If you have to run Windows, the Microsoft Security Essentials package is excellent. I haven't had the urge to uninstall it yet (unlike Avast and AVG), and it doesn't noticeably slow your system. It's free if you have a valid Windows license...

Re:Antivirus?

[GIL_Dude]

If you have Adobe Reader or Flash installed you absolutely DO get them by surfing the web. Go to a site where their ad network has gotten either hacked or just had a bad ad get by their "review" and it is a done deal. Turning on DEP for all processes, installing EMET (video on it here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/ff859539.aspx) and configuring it to protect acrord32.exe and your browser, installing Adobe Reader 10, keeping Flash up to date and using something like FlashBlock to control when Flash can run, etc. can all help out in this space. But for the average user who doesn't update Flash or Adobe Reader - they absolutely get infections just browsing the web. My boss and my brother in law both got a fake AV from reputable sites recently - the ad networks had served an Acrobat Reader exploit. I'll recommend MS Security Essentials as a free as in beer, low impact AV product. But I'd look into EMET if you haven't already.

Re:using a boot CD

[Ihmhi]

Yes, and we'll also never be able to play the majority of PC games ever again.

I really wish people would stop saying "lololol get Linux no more viruses". No shit, I think by now a lot of us know that Linux has far, far less in the way of viruses and malware compared to Windows. The problem is that it also has far less software that some of us want to use.

"...I've never had a virus."

[repetty]

I haven't run antivirus software in years and I've never had a virus.

I've heard that one from Windows users before. You know what happens when I look into that claim? I find viruses every fucking time.