Cannot delete file, preventing Windows Update

[slonslon7]

Hello,

I’m using Windows 10, and any updates stop installing at 50% due to Avira.

However, Avira is completely uninstalled on the system and after reading Microsoft’s and Avira’s documentation, I found one remnant called “avipbb.sys” in the System32/Drivers folder.

I’ve been unable to delete this file no matter what.
I’ve tried:
-renaming it
-changing ownership permission to my current user over the Drivers folder (doesn’t allow me to change permission successfully)
-using specialized tools such as FileAssasin, LockHunter, IObit unlocker, Blitzbank, and Unlocker…all of which have failed.
-running command codes as admin to remove the file

The error message always says something along the lines of access denied, no permissions.

Would appreciate any help or assistance on how I can get rid of this file once and for all so I can update windows.

Thanks very much

[Bastet]

Try this by Vijay on the MS forum:
Unable to update Windows 10 due to "Avira AntiVir" - Microsoft Q&A

This is a known issue and Microsoft has released an utility to handle this problem.

Download this utility from ( Search - Microsoft Bing ) and double click to unzip the file. This has 2 files which you should copy to somewhere on your computer.

appraiser.bat
AppRaiserScript.PS1

Double click appraiser.bat to run and it will run and do all required tasks for you on its own to remove required blockers.

After this runs successfully, you can try to update Windows again.

Source - https://answers.microsoft.com/thread/84822c03-b…

[slonslon7]

Thank you,

I just tried this method again (running as admin) but the powershell comes up with 19 results but also an error which I’ll paste below. I know the location of the file is C:\Windows\System32\drivers

Test-Path : Cannot bind argument to parameter ‘Path’ because it is an empty string.
At C:\Users\SamSwanson\Desktop\AppRPS\AppRaiserScript .PS1:31 char:20

• if ((Test-Path $folderpath) -And ((Get-Item $folderpath) -is [Sys ...

•                ~~~~~~~~~~~

  • CategoryInfo : InvalidData: ( [Test-Path], ParameterBindingValidationException
  • FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationErrorEmptyStringNotAllo wed,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Test
    PathCommand

And the Log file is:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

App Vendor: Avira GmbH
App Name: Avira AntiVir
Dir Path:

[Bastet]

Strange.
Have you tried removing it under safe mode?
If you have Macrium Reflect you can use the boot media & boot to the PE environment, open explorer then find the file & try deleting it that way.

[slonslon7]

Safe mode worked! Changed the owner first, then went to safe mode and it deleted without any issue. Starting the windows update process now but we should be able to consider it resolved. Thank you very much for the help.

[Bastet]

Glad to hear all is now OK. (y)