AVG Free conflicts with MS Outlook 2010

nala · 09 Jan 2017

Since updating to Win 10 in October 2016, I have relied on Windows Defender together with MalwareBytes and SuperAntiSpyware. This morning, I installed AVG Free having checked extensively on line re its relationship with Win Defender.
All seemed well until I opened my email programme, MS Outlook, which was totally locked up. As I had opened it a panel flashed up very briefly and, after 10 or 12 attempts, I managed to photograph and read it. This said " The path specified for the file G:\backup.pst is not valid". I could find no incidence of G: in either Win Explorer or Disc Management and don't recall seeing such a location before.
Eventually, I Restored the system to a point before the AVG installation and, thankfully, all seems well. However, I would very much like to be able to reinstall AVG but must keep Outlook and would appreciate advice on how I can achieve this.

Caledon Ken · 09 Jan 2017

My thoughts...

At some point did you back up your pst file to a USB or external drive. (Backup being defined in Outlook as "Export")

You may not be using pst files any more and it could be a file of addresses you exported to import in to Outlook.com to support phone syncing or maybe it was tasks. They all export as pst files.

G: is likely a removable drive. Outlook remembers where it last performed these exports so I will theorize that AVG is looking into a profile type file, when Outlook starts, and wants to scan that file. Maybe it is in registry.

I would research the AVG site for how to prevent this behavior with Outlook mail clients. If you re-install AVG I would look through all settings related to its scanning of mail.

nala · 10 Jan 2017

That makes sense, Ken. Some time ago, a colleague did some work on my PC for me and it may well be that he created the .pst file on one of his own sticks at that time as "temporary" safety.
If your suggestions are correct, it occurs to me that, if I were to now create another such .pst file and store it on my D: (Data) drive, would Outlook discard/ignore the "old" one, recognise the new and thus avoid confliction with AVG?

Caledon Ken · 10 Jan 2017

That would make sense but as one Outlook user to another, this is Outlook and its has a mind of its own.

With that in mind please have a look at this article I found after posting. I know its not your issue, but give me some leeway. It talks about settings in AVG.

Access Denied

There are likely others and your idea will take only minutes to test. Then with AVG installed you can reference the email settings.

Got to find somebody to tell me why I get accessed denied on links. Ouch.

nala · 11 Jan 2017

Thankfully, that appeared to work. After creating the new file I re-installed AVG and removed the email protection (bit apprehensive about that) and everything is working again.
Many thanks for your help Ken.

Caledon Ken · 11 Jan 2017

Excellent. I was hoping there was so granularity between all email and none. Really if you watch attachments you should be fine. Download, scan and then open. I've getting to point if I was expecting attachment I don't open.

Things are getting hairy out there.