AVG Anti-Spyware can't delete malware it finds

[cyberdiva]

I am running the free version of AVG anti-spyware 7.5.1.43 on Windows XP Pro. After downloading the most current definitions, I ran a full scan. AVG found 55 tracking cookies, and it recommended that I delete them. I clicked on the button that said "Apply all actions," but instead of deleting the cookies, it reported "Error while deleting!" for each of the 55 Tracking Cookies except for one, which it apparently deleted (it reported "done").

What troubles me most is that I've been having this same problem for months, with different versions of the free software. Regardless of whether I choose "delete" or "delete after rebooting" or whatever, AVG fails to perform. I'm hoping that someone can help me understand and solve this problem. If not, I guess I'll simply have to remove the software from my computer. I'm hoping that won't be necessary.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[karl.ewido]

Please close all open Internet Explorer and Firefox Windows and then try again to remove the Cookies with the AVG Anti-Spyware.

[EliteKiller]

Originally Posted by cyberdiva

What troubles me most is that I've been having this same problem for months, with different versions of the free software.

If you're interested in deleting cookies then you can either delete them manually, or simply run CCleaner or ATF Cleaner before running AVGAS.

[cyberdiva]

Originally Posted by karl.ewido

Please close all open Internet Explorer and Firefox Windows and then try again to remove the Cookies with the AVG Anti-Spyware.

Thanks, but I always have all browser windows closed before I run a scan, and that doesn't seem to make any difference. I just tried again, and AVG found 54 tracking cookies. The action was set to Delete, but when I clicked on the button that would put that into effect, AVG again reported that there was an "Error while deleting" for each of them. On several previous occasions, I had also tried other options, but none worked as it was supposed to. I guess I'll remove AVG from my system.

[cyberdiva]

Originally Posted by EliteKiller

If you're interested in deleting cookies then you can either delete them manually, or simply run CCleaner or ATF Cleaner before running AVGAS.

Well, yes, I'm interested in deleting the cookies that AVG finds, but I really have no wish to rummage through all my cookies picking out the 50 or 60 that AVG has identified as problematic. Nor do I wish to add yet another piece of software to my already software-rich computer. I appreciate your suggestions, but if AVG can't do the job it's supposed to do, it seems to me that rather than add yet another program to deal with AVG's deficiencies, I'd be wiser simply to remove AVG.

[Someone]

Originally Posted by cyberdiva

Well, yes, I'm interested in deleting the cookies that AVG finds, but I really have no wish to rummage through all my cookies picking out the 50 or 60 that AVG has identified as problematic. Nor do I wish to add yet another piece of software to my already software-rich computer. I appreciate your suggestions, but if AVG can't do the job it's supposed to do, it seems to me that rather than add yet another program to deal with AVG's deficiencies, I'd be wiser simply to remove AVG.

Well, AVG anti-spyware's primary ability is to detect spyware, trojans, rootkits and stuff. Not tracking cookies.

No program is perfect.

And CCleaner is a great software. It's only about 2mb download and uses no resources except when you open it. What's wrong with that?

[cyberdiva]

Originally Posted by Someone

Well, AVG anti-spyware's primary ability is to detect spyware, trojans, rootkits and stuff. Not tracking cookies.

No program is perfect.

And CCleaner is a great software. It's only about 2mb download and uses no resources except when you open it. What's wrong with that?

Thanks for your response. Since the only thing that AVG seems to find on my system are tracking cookies, and since it can't remove them, I see little point in keeping it.

As for CCleaner, thanks for the recommendation. At some point, I may give it a try, but I don't really want or need a program to "clean" my history files (which I use), my temp files, the registry (JVPowerTools does a fine job), or MRUs, which I also find useful. As for cookies, I want to keep a number of cookies, and I don't want to have to go through them all to tell CCleaner which ones I want. AVG does the best job I know of identifying undesirable tracking cookies, but it's of little use if it can't then get rid of them. I do have other anti-malware programs as well, and though they don't find as many tracking cookies as AVG, at least they have no problem getting rid of the ones they find. Hence, I guess I'll just depend more on these other programs.

I was hoping that there was some trick I had missed to get AVG to delete what it finds. Apparently that's not the case. Back when it was ewido, I didn't have these problems. Oh well.... Thanks again.