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CCleaner secret installs
ZenAndZen
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February 16, 2018 - 4:31 pm
Member Since: March 22, 2011
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After upgrading to Ccleaner v5.40, Avast was installed on my system without permission.

I pay attention during installs/upgrades of newer versions - no mention of the added 'bloatware'.

So Piriform have now resorted to underhanded secret installs - they have lost me & I will tell as many people as possible about this sneaky slimy practice
[this is part of the 'telling as many as I can'] - VERY grubby behaviour.

It's sad to see this formerly trusted software company go down this slippery slope

Richard Pedersen
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February 16, 2018 - 5:30 pm
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Hi ZenAndZen,

I have CCleaner 5.4 installed and there is no sign of Avast on my computer.

I would agree with you about Piriform, or any company, that installs unwanted software, but I see no evidence of this behavior on my system.

I cannot account for this discrepancy,
Richard

dandl
Lexa, AR
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February 16, 2018 - 5:36 pm
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Avast is indeed an options that can be installed with CCleaner. All you have to do is remove the check mark from the Avast install.
I guess CCleaner is just trying to get a little more revenue.

Mindblower
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February 16, 2018 - 7:01 pm
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ZenAndZen. Everyone should have "Unchecky" installed, https://unchecky.com/ . It warns users who sometimes click to quickly to install software. This will sound like sour grapes to you, but haste to click prior to reviewing the screen, will the blame lies with you. Clearly you accept no responsibility, which is a shame, Mindblower!

"For the needy, not the greedy"

jayesstee
Kent, England
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February 19, 2018 - 12:49 pm
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I endorse Mindblower's recommencation for unchecky, but an even simpler solution is to use the portable version of CCleaner. It works well with CCEnhancer as well!

Portable CCleaner can be found at: https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/builds
CCEnhancer at: https://singularlabs.com/software/

Using portable apps (where they perform as well as their installed cousins) is a no-brainer - so it suits me just fine!

Mindblower
Montreal, Canada
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February 23, 2018 - 6:26 pm
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To ALL: After downloading Ccleaner v5.40 from various sites, I find no truth to what ZenAndZen said, that "After upgrading to Ccleaner v5.40, Avast was installed on my system without permission."

Each file was scanned using VirusTotal, and there were no extra hidden files which could have been included. IMHO, ZenAndZen made a bogus claim. I do not doubt that ZenAndZen might of been infected, but not while downloading Ccleaner and not from Piriform.

It's been a week since this false claim was made, and nothing from ZenAndZen.

These are my personal comments and I stand behind them. It is too easy to slander a persons or company reputation, by wild accusations, Mindblower!

"For the needy, not the greedy"

dandl
Lexa, AR
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February 23, 2018 - 8:26 pm
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To Mindblower

I would not call it a secret install but the option to install Avast is indeed their and it will install if one does not remove the check mark.

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Mindblower
Montreal, Canada
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February 24, 2018 - 12:37 pm
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So I stand corrected dandl. Might I inquire which site presents that screen shot, Mindblower!

"For the needy, not the greedy"

dandl
Lexa, AR
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February 24, 2018 - 1:15 pm
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This came from Piriform. I use both Piriform and File Hippo to download CCleaner, both have the same CCleaner.exe.
I believe this only pops up if it is a new install of CCleaner, but I really haven't had the time to investigate the issue. I do know this started with CCleaner after the Trojan issue a few months ago. I'm thinking Avast and Piriform are sharing the same bed now.
The screenshot was taken from a Windows Vista PC that I was installing CCleaner on.

Mindblower
Montreal, Canada
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February 25, 2018 - 4:26 pm
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I am dumbfounded dandl. Two of the sites I used to d/l were Piriform and File Hippo, a brand new install (no previous traces of Ccleaner) using two computers with different Browsers, and each site did not offer any extras. Should add that I also used PC World, Cnet and forget the other site.

But since ZenAndZen stated "I pay attention during installs/upgrades of newer versions - no mention of the added 'bloatware'." and I can clearly see the box is pre-checked to receive Avast from your screen shot, this will remain a mystery, Mindblower!

"For the needy, not the greedy"

dandl
Lexa, AR
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February 25, 2018 - 11:10 pm
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To Mindblower
https://www.ghacks.net/2017/11/19/avast-bundles-ccleaner-with-avast-free-antivirus/
https://forum.piriform.com/topic/49301-avast-antivirus-installations-from-ccleaner-installer/?page=2

If you care to read then the above links can answer questions better than I. It seems like this all started when Avast acquired Piriform. Been using ccleaner for a long time but I for one will discontinue to use it if this isn't fixed. This has the potential to do harm to a lot of system by trying to install virus software without consent.

CCleaner update for my W8.1 PC this morning (2/26/2018). This is just to prove that this is actually a part of CCleaner's update or a new install. I just wonder how Avast or Piriform has the right to precheck the bloatware. Be aware if you are using CCleaner and be prepared to uncheck the Avast install. I do not run unchecky, for reasons of my own, so I cannot say if it will catch the bloatware. Daniel.

Mindblower
Montreal, Canada
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February 26, 2018 - 9:00 am
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Thank you for the links as they are an interesting read. What I still would like to see for myself are the sites which bundle the extra software.

Should point out all the protection software I use including Unchecky does not prevent me from getting added software. This just alert me during the install process. I too am using Windows 8.1 Here is what I get, Mindblower!

"For the needy, not the greedy"

dandl
Lexa, AR
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February 26, 2018 - 10:20 am
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To Mindblower
I do not know what triggers the bloatware to show, it doesn't always show in all of my Windows installs. I will say that ccleaner was updated this morning through ccleaner's update pop up, which finally linked me to filehippo.com from where the update v5.40 was downloaded.
All I can say at this point is users of ccleaner need to be aware. Will be looking very closely at the next ccleaner update. Daniel.

Mindblower
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February 26, 2018 - 8:29 pm
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To Daniel. I do thank you for enlighting us and kind of sorry for my harsh statements toward ZenAndZen. I only use the free versions of Specy and Defraggler, and will also keep a sharp eye on future upgrades.

Sad to see Piriform taking such a backwards step with its many followers, Mindblower!

"For the needy, not the greedy"

dandl
Lexa, AR
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March 15, 2018 - 1:24 pm
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I can see Piriform still has the Avast install option for Ccleaner v5.41. This popped up when trying to update my shop W10 PC this morning from Ccleaner v5.39. So be aware.
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