I have just installed CCleaner and it also installed Google Chrome and made it my default browser!
According to other threads*, it's easy to unselect Google Chrome during the installation. No, there was no mention at all of Chrome, as I show in the following screenshots I took during installation:
This is disgraceful. I used to think programs like CCleaner were helping to protect my computer from PUPs and crapware, but now I can see that Piriform are part of the problem and I for one will never trust them again.
So you decided to take screenshots of every screen BEFORE you even began/started?
Why?
Did you have an agenda?
OR
If you had already downloaded Chrome (by mistake) before you took those screenshots then of course they would not show an option to download it again, you already had it.
Buy pro, get no google. Wait 1-2 weeks after release get slim installer, no google. In other words it's very possible not to get the chrome. However, my guess is you missed something in the installer.
Many many times I have completely uninstalled CCleaner, manually cleaned out all the registry entries, then reinstalled it. Both the Pro and the free version. Always during the installation the option to install chrome or not was offered.
It has been a while, and I'm not saying your situation didn't happen as you say, but it is very unlikely. Don't have time to o it again just now, but I'm quite sure that on an initial installation you get the option to decline chrome.
Chrome was absolutely not mentioned during installation!
In recent years I have become extremely careful when installing any software, ever from companies I trust (Adobe have now started bundling crapware, and if they can do it anyone can!).
I carefully read the T&Cs, I clicked on "Customize" and then "More". I went back and forth a few times looking at every part of the installation wizard to make sure there was nothing I'd missed. I read each of the checkboxes carefully and made my selection. There was no mention of Chrome whatsoever.
I have no reason to lie about this. I have happily used CCleaner for years and I thought it was excellent software until now. If anyone thinks I have to be mistaken because Piriform/Filehippo are beyond selling out, you are being naive. Almost everyone is selling out these days.
I invite people to check it out for themselves. This is the installer file which I have uploaded: http://wikisend.com/download/480886/ccsetup527.exe My system is Win 7 x64 and Chrome had never been installed before.
Bear in mind that even if there is a Chrome warning in the code, we know it will sometimes “hide” the warning (as my screenshots show). It’s very easy to imagine them creating a bug to make it “accidentally” hide sometimes - for example, it might hide the warning if ANY Google product is already installed. (I use Google Earth.)
I see on the BleepingComputer thread that FileHippo is being blamed. An easy way to remove blame from them is to also download the installer from Piriform.com and then compare the MD5/SHA-1/SHA-256 hashes of the files, they should actually match.
I get a matching SHA-256 for the downloads from Piriform.com and FileHippo.com, which is:
And we have to remember the delay or lag thing, with it taking a while for the "offer" to be shown which has been proven in the past. This post by Alan_B made it a reminder.
One of the reasons I always go with portable versions of software when it's offered.
You have still not explained just why you were taking screenshots of every stage of the process BEFORE you got the alleged unwanted 'silent' Chrome download.
Duh, sorry my bad read on it. Ignore this nothing to see here, carry on.
What?
I personally just modify the Google key in my registry, I won't be offered anything Google related in any installer. Not that Chrome matters since my OS is too old to install it anyways, although I wish I could get a newer version.
I was once caught out by the delay between one stage of the install dialogue opening and the "extras" offer appearing. With testing later, I found It was several seconds, and I had clicked to the next stage before it appeared.
I'm sure I made an issue of it at the time because it felt like a sneaky way to get google installed.
However, not being a coder I have no idea as to whether it was normal for that delay or not. I reserved my judgement at that time and it hasn't happened since because of the way I update CCleaner.
I'm pretty sure this is the only way an "extra" can get by someone carefully watching an install, as I always did.
I was once caught out by the delay between one stage of the install dialogue opening and the "extras" offer appearing. With testing later, I found It was several seconds, and I had clicked to the next stage before it appeared.
EDIT: Forgot to say, I think the OP, John, may have been simply caught out by the delay. And I can understand his being as pe'ed off as I was at the time.
I notice in the OP's screenshot of the install page, the bit at the bottom where you untick the toolbar option (as shown in login123's screenshot) is cut off.
