Avast free will not allow re-register of free version

[captokita]

Ok, I've looked for answers to this, but have yet to find one that matches my exact issue. I've had this exact issue on my computer, my mother's computer, and 2 neighbor's computers.

Running Avast Free Version 6.0.1289. My free license is expiring, and it wants me to re-register. Fine, click on re-register now, and get the choose level page. All is good to this point.

Now, I just want to keep my FREE version, so I click on SELECT under base protection, and get nothing. It's selectable with the hand just as the paid version is, and it looks just like the initial install register page does. 

Now, if I click on the PAID version, it takes me to the purchase page with no issue.

Having this happen once is bad enough, but I've now seen this EXACT behavior on 5 different systems. This is NOT cool. I realize Avast would like to see more paid subscriptions, but this reeks of being shady, the "free" link is broke, but the "buy now" one works?

I know I can manually register again, and I can remove/reinstall it, but this is an issue that needs to be addressed, why isn't the free option working?

[DavidR]

The servers are likely to be busy, try the off-line registration method, see link below.

Web site (Off-line) Registration rather than using UI Registration see support.avast knowledgebase article 459. Whilst this mentions avast5 it is the same for avast6.

[captokita]

Servers busy? At 5 completely different times? I highly doubt that one. If that IS the case, then Avast should ditch the free version completely, and just offer the paid version in flavors, because they are doing a disservice to those of us that use their software, but don't want to pay for more than what they need.

Like I said, I know I can "manually" do it, but I need a solution I can provide friends that call me when their Avast expires because I'm the "computer guy", I don't like the idea of walking people through manually re-registering.

[Asyn]

Like I said, I know I can "manually" do it, but I need a solution I can provide friends that call me when their Avast expires because I'm the "computer guy", I don't like the idea of walking people through manually re-registering.

Well, tell them to wait until tomorrow or try again later.

@Dave: Time to update your links.
https://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=612

[DavidR]

<snip>
Like I said, I know I can "manually" do it, but I need a solution I can provide friends that call me when their Avast expires because I'm the "computer guy", I don't like the idea of walking people through manually re-registering.

Then that would be the point at which you give them the link on how to do it so you don't have to walk them through it, in the same way we have here.

[toptor]

How long does the free  version last?  I downloaded it only a couple of months or so ago, and now I keep getting a popup box saying it's run out and showing a special offer.

[DavidR]

The registration is for 1 year and you need to re-register.

The key (excuse the pun) is which way did you register, from the avast web site and get an email with the registration key or via the avastUI (user interface) ?

If the former you need to have entered that key of the trial period is 30 days.

If the latter then check your system date, especially the month and year, adjust if required.

[mmcfaddin]

I too have tried to re-register the free version on 3 computers, all on which the one year registration is expiring shortly. Just like the OP, I click SELECT under "Base Protection avast! Free Antivirus", and get nothing - absolutely nothing - day and night, around the clock for 5 days so far.

And, like the OP, if I click on the "Full Protection" PAID version, it takes me to the purchase page with no issue.

A number of people who are running avast! at my recommendation will jump to AVG rather than manually re-register to continue using avast! I don't want to see it losing credibility over an annoyance like this. Can it be looked into please?

Thanks so much for years of protection... for free! And yes, I manually re-registered for this PC and will do so for the other two now.
mcf

[e5husmc]

I agree, after many years of recommending avast to family and friends, some of which have chosen to purchase a paid version, I will no longer recommend a company that employs bait and switch tactics on their customers.  I just spent an hour on the phone with my 78 yr old mother trying to renew her key but only to have a working option to purchase the paid version.  I did find out that if you go through the renewal and start closing the windows before checking out you will get to the Avast console that now has a button to renew (this option was not there when the tray icon was right clicked) and at the bottom of the console page was a bar for offline registration and mom was able to enter a new key there.  Next time I am at her house Avast will be removed completely and AVG installed.

[DavidR]

It isn't bait and switch, just that the servers are busy (I have been using the free version for over 7 years and never been forced to buy), you could have tried the off-line registration method as mentioned above.

[lukas.hasik]

Guys, the link should work and let you continue with free version. If it doesn't work for you then it's most probably a bug.

We'll try to reproduce it here to find the root cause (to fix it). However it would help if you could analyze the URL that the program is connecting to (wireshark, fiddler) ...

thank you
Lukas.

[lukas.hasik]

There was a bug in the offer screen. Should be fixed now.
Is anybody able to reproduce it now?

[Asyn]

There was a bug in the offer screen. Should be fixed now.
Is anybody able to reproduce it now?

Well, few of us register free versions that often to give you feedback here right now.
But just watch the forum, if the related requests go down, it should be fixed.

[DavidR]

There was a bug in the offer screen. Should be fixed now.
Is anybody able to reproduce it now?

The problem is we aren't able to reproduce it as the avastUI, Maintenance, Registration section doesn't let you re-register at a time of your choosing. The registration interface doesn't change until you are 14 days away to allow you to re-register.

[pl7]

I have suffered from this problem several times in the last couple of months and it just happened again on a rarely-used machine which was running v5.0.507
The "Re-register" button on the form is greyed out.

I can confirm that updating the program to the current version (v6.0.1289) fixes the problem.

Thanks.