Avast needing update prevents Chrome from starting?

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MDD1963

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So my elderly mother was claiming 'Google' doesn't work (she means Chrome, of course!), but that Edge does...

Hitting the desktop shortcut or the taskbar shortcut does nothing, no error, nothing launched, just completely 100% ignored. Shutdown, reboot, problem persists...

Noticed Avast was in a 'needs update' state, and then it demanded a system reboot, which cured all..

Anyone else seen Avast appear to hold Chrome hostage from even launching?
 
johnrobert said:
Nothing to do with Avast, sometimes Chrome will not start a restart or log off fixes it.
Click to expand...

Except that he did shutdown and reboot (without fixing Chrome) before noticing that Avast wanted to update. Then he rebooted again after Avast updated, and Chrome worked. Coincidence? I bet not.

Personally, I prefer to blame Avast. Dump Avast and run with Windows Defender.
 
Was she actually using the chrome browser or did Avast hijack it and switch the default browser to use their horrible chromium based secure browser?. I get so many calls that they can't do something in the browser and say they are using chrome but turns out to be Avast's secure browser. Yet another reason I hate Avast so much.
 
JoeTech said:
Was she actually using the chrome browser or did Avast hijack it and switch the default browser to use their horrible chromium based secure browser?. I get so many calls that they can't do something in the browser and say they are using chrome but turns out to be Avast's secure browser. Yet another reason I hate Avast so much.
Click to expand...

She has a special 'Avast Secure Browser' (or similar verbage) shortcut (all this was installed by a technician doing an Xfinity TV/cable modem install a couple months ago) that opens a 'Chrome-like' looking browser, but, she does not use it. She "...ONLY USES 'GOOGLE'"!

What's weird is that there was no error message, no busy icon, no traces of it starting in task manager, no hints whatsoever as to why Chrome would not even begin to *think* about launching....; it's as though I was double clicking blank space on the desktop. Pure 'nothing'! (Only reason I partially suspected Avast was that I knew it had a browser extension installed on Chrome, and that Edge still worked, along with Avast's special 'safe browser'...)

Just curious if anyone else had seen similar...; if not, now they've at least heard of it, which might save someone else 10-15 wasted minutes...
 
MDD1963 said:
She has a special 'Avast Secure Browser' (or similar verbage) shortcut (all this was installed by a technician doing an Xfinity TV/cable modem install a couple months ago) that opens a 'Chrome-like' looking browser, but, she does not use it. She "...ONLY USES 'GOOGLE'"!

What's weird is that there was no error message, no busy icon, no traces of it starting in task manager, no hints whatsoever as to why Chrome would not even begin to *think* about launching....; it's as though I was double clicking blank space on the desktop. Pure 'nothing'! (Only reason I partially suspected Avast was that I knew it had a browser extension installed on Chrome, and that Edge still worked, along with Avast's special 'safe browser'...)

Just curious if anyone else had seen similar...; if not, now they've at least heard of it, which might save someone else 10-15 wasted minutes...
Click to expand...
Yes I've seen that also. These days my standard response when I see Avast is that's the first thing to go. I treat it as a virus. If you don't want to pay for a proper anti-virus then you're better off taking your chances with nothing.
 
I've not personally used/tested Avast, so this my first experience with it...it took a month for this snag to arise, so, I'll try not to prematurely condemn it based on just this occurrence (unless I read or hear of many horror stories, etc..)

As it's already installed, I'll forgive it this one single 'must be updated or prevents Chrome from launching' instance, barring any future fiascoes or glitches...(naturally, as it is a 'free version' I certainly would not be reluctant to remove it if needed, but, as it is my my own mother's computer, I have no 'paid products' I will be putting on her system; she gets regular Defender/Windows Security scans, along with Malwarebytes Antimalware (on demand) scans, examination of her installed stuff, and an occasional glance at Process Explorer, and Freefixer outputs.... (She had a rash of bogus browser extensions installed, but, I think those got installed prior to her Avast installation and during Defender only usage, so it would not be fair to blame Avast. Ultimately, I'm sure she somehow is responsible, as she is somewhat 'click-happy') :)
 
Possibly the stupid Avast VPN or firewall got triggered and tripped over itself in your case. There's a whole host of tweaks I make to Avast to head off issues at the pass: I ALWAYS do a custom install from the get-go to make sure that BS "secure browser" (which is really just so they can track you, I think) never gets installed, and "silence all notifications." PUP scanning is now enabled by default, which is good.

Avast has really gone downhill these last few years. They've gotten greedy and I'm disappointed with the non-stop bait-and-switch tactics and all the comeons they use now. Am I going to switch people to Defender, though? Absolutely not.
 
TechLady said:
Possibly the stupid Avast VPN or firewall got triggered and tripped over itself in your case. There's a whole host of tweaks I make to Avast to head off issues at the pass: I ALWAYS do a custom install from the get-go to make sure that BS "secure browser" (which is really just so they can track you, I think) never gets installed, and "silence all notifications." PUP scanning is now enabled by default, which is good.

Avast has really gone downhill these last few years. They've gotten greedy and I'm disappointed with the non-stop bait-and-switch tactics and all the comeons they use now. Am I going to switch people to Defender, though? Absolutely not.
Click to expand...

I recommend looking at BDGZ or Emsisoft. Stay away from that Avast trash.
 
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