Avast AV comes with every GOM player update?

[jenny2017]

 I've just deleted my AVAST AV that couldn't be deleted the ordinary ways. Just a warning for others not to download the AVAST AV, because you can only delete it in Safe Mode.

 

  Neither YourUninstaller, nor IObit Uninstaller worked, they just froze in to get rid of the 2 GB files. When you're doing the setup for a newer GOM player version, please watch the steps, there's one part where you've got to go back that the update doesn't install AVAST.

 

  

 

     

[chrisinth]

I don't understand your post Jenny2017. I use GOM Player as well; I have just downloaded the latest version and installed it. Avast doesn't, at least from what I saw does not download and piggyback on the installer. Not sure about getting rid of a 2GB file dump either, that is a lot of files to accumulate on a maintained computer.

 

This was my sequence of events about 20 minutes ago, the last snap on the details of the .exe:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jenny2017]

9 minutes ago, chrisinth said:

I don't understand your post Jenny2017. I use GOM Player as well; I have just downloaded the latest version and installed it. Avast doesn't, at least from what I saw does not download and piggyback on the installer. Not sure about getting rid of a 2GB file dump either, that is a lot of files to accumulate on a maintained computer.

 

This was my sequence of events about 20 minutes ago, the last snap on the details of the .exe:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you very much for taking the time to upload these screenshots. GOM player was the only program I've updated in the last days and all in a sudden had AVAST AV installed. I don't recall that there's another file, so I'm only assuming that it installed AVAST when I did the update.

 

But I do remember that GOM player sometimes tries to install other programs,. perhaps the reason why it's free? Sorry, it was not my intention to write something that's not true. Maybe it's important from where you get this update, I've received the usual message when GOM player was running that an updated version was waiting and only clicked yes, because I know it's always coming back and asking. 

 

P.S. Is it possible that it's different when downloading the program or doing an update of an existing version? The file ( AVAST) first showed 0.9 GB, but when uninstalling it, it deleted 2 GB of files that were associated with AVAST's AV. 

Edited August 12, 2018 by jenny2017

[jenny2017]

Short update. I remember having the Chromium browser and a few other unwanted software on my machine from downloading or updating GOM. It seems that I'm not the only one.

 

  https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/608956/gom-player-installing-malware/

 

Here we go: It's GOM player that installed Avast. Please see:

Finally, once GOM Player had installed two more windows reared their ugly heads, pushing the Opera browser and Avast Free Antivirus. Again, if you weren’t alive to this, you could easily end up replacing your web browser and antivirus with unfamiliar alternatives.

 

https://topnewreview.com/gom-player-review/

Edited August 12, 2018 by jenny2017

[lungbing]

I'm glad it's hard to remove Avast.  That means the malware can't do it easily either. 

[jenny2017]

4 minutes ago, lungbing said:

I'm glad it's hard to remove Avast.  That means the malware can't do it easily either. 

It freezes good uninstall programs in. No idea if that's a good sign. I don't think so. 

 

Even the AVAST uninstall tool ( see attached) doesn't work. You must remove it in Safe Mode. 

avastclear.exe

Edited August 12, 2018 by jenny2017

[chrisinth]

33 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

Short update. I remember having the Chromium browser and a few other unwanted software on my machine from downloading or updating GOM. It seems that I'm not the only one.

 

  https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/608956/gom-player-installing-malware/

 

Here we go: It's GOM player that installed Avast. Please see:

Finally, once GOM Player had installed two more windows reared their ugly heads, pushing the Opera browser and Avast Free Antivirus. Again, if you weren’t alive to this, you could easily end up replacing your web browser and antivirus with unfamiliar alternatives.

 

https://topnewreview.com/gom-player-review/

The last bleepingcomputer.com post was from April 2016, so I don't consider that relevant to the most up-to-date versions.

 

Using the link advised by the second article (not sure when this was written or what version they refered to) ( http://player.gomlab.com/?language=eng ), this bounces you to https://software.thaiware.com/9911-GOM-Media-Player.html , site in Thai so unsure if the download was in Thai also (probably not!) but I opted downloading from https://gom-player.en.softonic.com/ without a problem and no secondary windows for additional installs, either browser or AV during the install process and nothing shown during or after the first run (just watched The Equalizer 2 and even though it was a HDCam, worth watching). 

 

Operating system checked and clear.................

[jenny2017]

24 minutes ago, chrisinth said:

The last bleepingcomputer.com post was from April 2016, so I don't consider that relevant to the most up-to-date versions.

 

Using the link advised by the second article (not sure when this was written or what version they refered to) ( http://player.gomlab.com/?language=eng ), this bounces you to https://software.thaiware.com/9911-GOM-Media-Player.html , site in Thai so unsure if the download was in Thai also (probably not!) but I opted downloading from https://gom-player.en.softonic.com/ without a problem and no secondary windows for additional installs, either browser or AV during the install process and nothing shown during or after the first run (just watched The Equalizer 2 and even though it was a HDCam, worth watching). 

 

Operating system checked and clear.................

Sad is that I didn't even realize that AVAST was being installed. I just saw the logo soon after the update. The joke's that you can't even uninstall it with the avast uninstaller tool. Only in Safe Mode. 

[Crossy]

Even that bastion of computer cleaning CCleaner will install Avast if you don't uncheck the box, at least the box is clearly visible on the first page of the installer.

 

[elfpattaya]

13 hours ago, Crossy said:

Even that bastion of computer cleaning CCleaner will install Avast if you don't uncheck the box, at least the box is clearly visible on the first page of the installer.

 

Apparently the company who previously owned CCleaner (Piriform) has been taken over by Avast.

Once downloaded it is very difficult to completely remove Avast, did so in error once when updating CCleaner. You have to download the Avast uninstaller and run in safe mode, as Jenny2017 says.

[NanLaew]

My GOM player just advised there was an update available. After the 'Choose Components' file association window was accepted, I got the Express (recommended) versus Custom Installation (advanced) options. The default Express wanted to install Ad-aware web companion and redirect my browser's default search engine. You have to select Custom and then deselect the 2 add ons to avoid getting stuff you don't need. It's a pain in the butt that makers of decent software STILL write their setup instructions to try and trick people into installing stuff they can do without. Here's the 3 screen get around.

 

 

 

Edited August 15, 2018 by NanLaew

[chrisinth]

9 hours ago, NanLaew said:

My GOM player just advised there was an update available. After the 'Choose Components' file association window was accepted, I got the Express (recommended) versus Custom Installation (advanced) options. The default Express wanted to install Ad-aware web companion and redirect my browser's default search engine. You have to select Custom and then deselect the 2 add ons to avoid getting stuff you don't need. It's a pain in the butt that makers of decent software STILL write their setup instructions to try and trick people into installing stuff they can do without. Here's the 3 screen get around.

 

 

 

Fully agree with the way to install any software, if you have the option of custom install, use this every time. It appears that for GOM player at least, there seem to be different installers. I also prefer going to the software homepage for any updates (on lower end 3rd party free software) rather than updating through the program as in many cases that option will lead to 'express' install parameters and you 'may' get additional programs installed without you being aware until it is too late. Old habits on my part.

 

Downloading the installer direct from the download link on their website didn't give me these options when I updated on Sunday just gone. That installer just installed (without any piggy-backed software) the update.

 

Expanding on that, after the install, when opening GOM player, I was getting about a third of the screen (on the right) taken up with ads to upgrade to Plus; I have never had this before. It doesn't really affect me as I use the player full screen and in that mode the ads disappear. If anyone really likes GOM player they have an offer to upgrade to GOM Plus for $15; I did this last night, one time individual license. Still looking through the additional features (AD free!) and for only $15 will probably be worth it. Perhaps the ads in the free version actually worked on me!

 

I know there are a lot of alternative media players out there, but in my case, being a long time GOM user seems worth it. Besides, don't have the time to review others.......................

[Aforek]

Always go the software home page to download and uncheck the box

the uninstaller for Avast is "avastclear.exe" https://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility

 

for media player, I use VLC, you read everything with it 

Edited August 16, 2018 by Aforek