Topic: AVG update cripples some Windows XP systems

[Clive]

On Tuesday an update for AVG 8 suggested that a Windows system file is a Trojan horse, and users who delete the file form the system could leave their Windows XP systems endlessly rebooting or unable to reboot at all. The problem only affects users of AVG 8 products running the Dutch, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish language versions of Windows XP. AVG immediately sent out a corrected update to its customers, including those using the free editions of AVG.

A representative for AVG said, "AVG is actively working to remedy the problem some users are experiencing related to the most recent update to commercial and free versions of AVG 7.5 and AVG 8.0 in some languages. A number of users who installed the update mistakenly received a warning that the Windows system file user32.dll product version 5.1.2600.3099 was infected with a Trojan virus and were prompted to delete a file essential to the operation of Windows XP."

In response, the Czech antivirus company has posted details and a fix tool on its site.

For users unable to use their Windows XP machines, AVG says they "should contact their AVG reseller or ask a friend to download the information and fix tool for them."

AVG has suffered some embarrassing glitches of late. Last month, an AVG update declared some ZoneAlarm firewall files to be part of a Trojan horse. In July AVG had to reconfigure its Linkscanner tool after various Web sites complained about the increased traffic as a result of the tool's proactive scanning for malware.


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[GillE]

The one good thing I have to say about Vista is that AVG was incompatible with it when I bought my new machine.  As a result, I switched from AVG to Avira - and now I'm pleased I did.  Even before the switch I thought AVG was behaving erratically.

[Simon]

It does seem as though we hear more negative things about AVG than positive.  A while back, it was letting viruses through, now it's blocking things it shouldn't!   

[Reno]

Avira has those pain in the neck ads that keep popping up. It took me awhile to figure out how to disable it in lesser versions of xp.

[sam]

It does seem as though we hear more negative things about AVG than positive.  A while back, it was letting viruses through, now it's blocking things it shouldn't!   

and where does these stories comes from.... symantec... 

[Simon]