Many Avast users have reported that when they are trying to update or uninstall the Antivirus software, they fail to complete the process. Instead, they encounter an error message “Avast setup is already running” which continuously pops up on the screen. The message reads “Setup is already running. Please try to start the setup later”.
Within this prompt appears, you will get to see a button for “View log”. By pressing this button, the Avast Log Viewer will appear. In this window, there are no troubleshooting methods to solve this problem.
So, if you are one of the users who is facing this problem, then do not worry. Just check out this article from top to bottom where the solutions to get rid of the Avast setup still running problem have been discussed in brief.
Causes Responsible for “Can’t Uninstall Avast Setup is Already Running” Problem:
The reason that leads to the “Avast setup process still running” problem is the “instup.exe” is running in the background. This file is continuously updating the definition of the virus. You will see a dialog box saying “The Operation could not be completed. Access is denied” when you try to stop the process.
Top-Notch Solutions to Fix the “Avast Uninstall Setup is already Running” Issue:
So, let us see the solutions that you can use to solve this “Avast setup process still running” problem.
Solution 1: Use Task Manager to Kill the Process
When you are facing this problem of “Avast update setup is already running”, you have to open the “Task Manager”. After that, find the “instup.exe” file from the list. When you have found this file, select the file and click on the “End Task” button. After clicking this button, a prompt will appear on the screen asking you to update Avast.
The background will be closed after this process. Now, check if the running of the Avast setup problem is still there or not. If the problem is not solved yet, then you can move to the next solution.
Solution 2: Disable the Process of Avast Self-Defence Module
Another method that you can use to solve this “Avast uninstall setup is already running” problem is by disabling the Avast Self-Defence Module. This is the software that contains the Avast Antivirus software and protects it.
So, first of all, you have to launch the Avast application by clicking on the icon from the desktop. Now, on the Homepage of Avast, you have to select the “Settings” option. After that, find the “Troubleshooting” option and then open it.
Here, you will see the “Enable Avast Self Defence Module” option. There will be a box beside it with a checkmark. You have to uncheck this box. After this, you have to click on the OK button to save the changes being made. Now, restart your computer and try to perform the Update. Check if the “Avast setup process still running” problem is still there or not.
Solution 3: Removal of Avast Utility Tool
If performing the above solutions won’t fix this “cannot uninstall Avast setup is already running” problem, then you need to uninstall the Avast Utility. To start with the uninstalling process, you have to open your browser and type the given URL. Then press the Enter button.
www.avast.com/en-us/uninstall-utility
Here, you have to download the “avastclear.exe” on your computer. When the installation process is completed, open the “Avastclear” option. After that, you have to press the “Yes” button. Then, you have to press the “Yes” option for one more time.
After this, your computer will be restarted in Safe Mode. Then, search the version of Avast you want to remove from your computer. Now, select that Avast version and press on the “Uninstall” option. Next, restart your computer so that the changes get saved.
Now, check if the “Avast update setup is already running” problem has been solved or not.
Solution 4: Find the Corrupted Files
Sometimes the presence of corrupted files can also cause this “Avast setup still running” problem to occur. So, you must check your computer for any corrupted files. To check for the corrupted files, you have to first open the Run box. Press the R and the Windows key to open the Run box. Then, Now, within the Run box, you have to write “cmd”. However, you can also search for the Command Prompt in the Start Menu.
When the window of Command Prompt will open, you have to write the given command and press the Enter button.
c: cd\chkdsk testing line
This will show you all the corrupted files present on your computer. You can then delete them from your system. Now, check if the “can’t uninstall Avast setup is already running” problem still persists.
Solution 5: Fix the Avast Software
If you see that none of the previous solutions were able to solve this problem, then you can try to fix the Avast software. For that, you have to first go to the “Settings” and open the “Control Panel”. After that, you have to change the option of viewing to “View by Category”.
Now, for the final step of solving the “Avast setup already running” problem, select the “Uninstall a Program” option. You will find this option within the “Program and Features”. After that, find the “Avast” option. When you will locate it, you have to right-click on it and select the “Repair” option.
This will make the Window start the process of checking if there is something wrong with the Avast software. When this procedure is completed, open Avast and see if the problem is still occurring.
Conclusion
All the above-discussed solutions are the best and most effective solutions for solving this “Avast setup already running” problem. You can start by trying the first solution and then move to the next one if that one does not work. These are very easy to apply and there is no doubt that one of these solutions will surely solve this problem.