AVG Update Kills Windows
Users of AVG 7.5 and 8.0 should be on the alert for a false positive Trojan virus warning after downloading an update on November 11th. It concerns the legitimate Windows system file user32.dll, which AVG wrongly identifies as infected and advises that it should be deleted. Don’t do it!
If you do Windows will not load after a reboot. Apparently it only affects the Dutch, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish language versions of Windows XP and AVG has published a rescue plan. It involves running the XP Recovery console, which means you need an installation disc. Of course not all PCs come with one, in which case AVG has come up with a downloadable utility that should fix the problem. AVG has issued a profuse apology but it’s a serious black mark against a program that millions of users have come to trust
As a follow-up to the rapid distribution of recovery instructions and repair CDs, AVG Technologies is offering all affected users a free license or license extension as follows:
• For affected users of commercial AVG 7.5 products, a one-year license for the equivalent AVG 8.0 product
• For affected users of commercial AVG 8.0 products, a free license extension for one year
• For affected users of AVG Free products, a free one-year license for AVG Anti-Virus 8.0
Beginning the week of November 24th, 2008, AVG Technologies will contact affected customers and advise them on how they may obtain their complimentary license or license extension.