avast! Users Frustrated With Unwanted Chrome Browser

Reports of the inclusion of Google Chrome with the latest avast! upgrade began trickling in several days ago when Version 7 was released. 

As  illustrated below, the issue is complicated by differing reports of the upgrade process.

• Some avast! users report that they were not presented with the pre-checked option to install Google Chrome.
• There are reports that the avast! window presented after reboot does not remain active long enough to uncheck the pre-checked options.  (Note:  it was also reported that the window was presented after the first hard restart rather than the initial restart installing the upgrade.)
• People with Google Chrome installed have reported that even unchecking the installation option resulted in a second install of Chrome! In addition, that second install wrecked havoc with the existing Chrome installation, resetting the current users profile to default and extensions missing.
• Others reported problems with Hostman Server and Sandboxie, necessitating an uninstall/reinstall of avast!.

Granted, the Google Chrome browser is not scareware, adware or spyware.  When a vendor includes an add-on such as a toolbar or, in this case, the Google Browser, the point is "pay per install", thus the reason for the pre-checked option. 

From the sampling below of comments from the avast! forum, in a situation where the option to uncheck the install is either not left long enough for the user to access or their choice is ignored, trust in the vendor product is lost:

"I used to recommend Avast.  I won't be doing that anymore.  I just don't trust it after this happened and I see all the issues others had."

"One more dissatisfied user here!  Avast notified me that it wanted to install Version 7.  NOTHING ABOUT CHROME!!  Then after it installed 7 a screen pops up asking if I wanted to install Chrome.  I responded NO and the then the 7 installation wanted me to click "Finish."  When the screen  cleared there was a Chrome icon on the desktop."

"The install welcome screen launched and before I had time to read the screen the install started never a chance to opt-out or configure the install."

"I didn't have Chrome on my pc before I updated avas6. On rebooting the pc I found to my absolute horror that the developers at avast thik they know better than me about what software I need and had installed chrome. At no time did ANY warning appear, or my consent was sought to install anything other than the update. I consider this action to be one of MALWARE."

Recommendations

1. When upgrading to avast! Version 7, select "Custom" install and select the options you want to use.
2. After the installation is complete.  Watch for the following window to appear:
   
   
   
3. According to your preferences, leave checked or uncheck the option to "Participate in the avast! community".
4. If you already have Google Chrome installed or do not want Google Chrome installed, uncheck the boxes in the following order:
   
   a)  First, uncheck "Make Google Chrome my default browser". 
   b)  Next, uncheck "No, do not install the Google Chrome web browser".
   c)  Click Finish.

References

• DSLReports Forums: Avast 7 installs Chrome
• Calendar Of Updates: Installers Hall of Shame (Unwanted add-on)
• Calendar Of Updates: avast! v7.0.1407
• Avast Forum: Avast 6 to Avast 7 installed Chrome, destroys existing Chrome install
• Avast Forum: Avast 7 installs chrome without permission

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