Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: JohnnyBob on March 03, 2011, 04:29:07 PM
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I don't like free avast! version 6. Can I redownload version 5? Where?
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I think avast 6 better than avast 5. But you can try to download v5 from http://www.filehippo.com/download_avast_antivirus/9090/
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I don't like free avast! version 6. Can I redownload version 5? Where?
Hi johnnyBob: I'm just curious.
Is there a specific problem you were having with Avast Free v.6?
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Thanks for the link! I'll backup and reinstall a 5 version, at least temporarily. I can't remember exactly which one I had before updating to v6, but it was working OK.
I just don't like v6. How can I count the ways?
I had problems with v6 from the start... It causes a problem with Outlook Express:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=72731
It's very slow to update (takes at least 3-11 minutes) and uses a lot of resources (25%+ of processor time). It put an unwanted add-on (WebRep) in my Firefox browser without asking for my prior permission, which can't be uninstalled from the browser. It coughs up some kind of sandbox nonsense whenever I try to run some of my old application software, saying it is dangerous - although I've been running it for many years with absolutely no problems! It's getting too big (60+ MB) and the GUI is getting too complicated. It tries to install the Chrome browser, which I don't want. Nothing I've seen has been in favor of v6.
I think part of the problem is that I'm running Windows XP on a 7-8 year old computer, and I don't need all of the stuff that's really designed for later op systems and fast multicore processors.
I've looked around and will probably change to different protection software if I can find something better, and simpler. I've tried MSE but it's unsatisfactory, uses too many resources - frequent interruptions of my computer with a lot of processor time.
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You can uninstall the webrep from within add remove program easyly, and you can add the program that sandbox notify's you about to the excluded programs in sandbox, plus google wont be installed if you untick it in the installer, version 5 will also ask you about wheather you want google as well.
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You can uninstall the webrep from within add remove program easyly...
How? It doesn't appear in my Add or Remove programs list, and the option to uninstall it from the Firefox browser is grayed out (inactive). Hopefully it will disappear when I uninstall v6, then won't reappear in whatever v5 version I revert to.
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If it (avast) doesn't even appear in the add remove programs list then you have a corrupt installation.
So you need to do a clean reinstall.
- Download the latest version of avast, 6.0.1000 http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_free_eng.exe (http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_free_eng.exe) (English only) and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again (if you didn't save your last download). Use that when you reinstall.
- Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, aswClear5.exe find it here (http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility) and save it to your HDD (it has uninstall tools for both 5.x and 6.0.x). - 1. Now uninstall avast! (using add remove programs, if you can't do that as you mention start from the next step), reboot.
- 2. run the avast! Uninstall Utility from safe mode, first for 5.x if previously installed and then for 6.0, once complete reboot into normal mode.
- 3. install the latest version, reboot.
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To clarify...
avast! appears in my Add or Remove Programs list, and it appears to be installed OK.
However the WebRep add-on for Firefox does not appear in that list, as suggested by a prior poster. It only appears in my Firefox add-ons list, but the option to uninstall it therefrom is grayed out (inactive). So there's no way to get rid of it, apparently, except to uninstall v6 completely (hopefully it will happen then). I can't perform that uninstall immediately because I'm running some other software which I don't want to interrupt for awhile...
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However the WebRep add-on for Firefox does not appear in that list, as suggested by a prior poster. It only appears in my Firefox add-ons list, but the option to uninstall it therefrom is grayed out (inactive). So there's no way to get rid of it, apparently, except to uninstall v6 completely (hopefully it will happen then). I can't perform that uninstall immediately because I'm running some other software which I don't want to interrupt for awhile...
You can uninstall it via:
1/ Avast GUI - Additional Protection - WebRep - click uninstall
2/ Control Panel - Programs and Features - choose Avast from there - click Uninstall/Change - in the GUI, click Change - uncheck Web Reputation plugin
3/ Directly on install, you can choose custom install and not install WebRep at all.
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Thanks for the link! I'll backup and reinstall a 5 version, at least temporarily. I can't remember exactly which one I had before updating to v6, but it was working OK.
I just don't like v6. How can I count the ways?
I had problems with v6 from the start... It causes a problem with Outlook Express:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=72731
It's very slow to update (takes at least 3-11 minutes) and uses a lot of resources (25%+ of processor time). It put an unwanted add-on (WebRep) in my Firefox browser without asking for my prior permission, which can't be uninstalled from the browser. It coughs up some kind of sandbox nonsense whenever I try to run some of my old application software, saying it is dangerous - although I've been running it for many years with absolutely no problems! It's getting too big (60+ MB) and the GUI is getting too complicated. It tries to install the Chrome browser, which I don't want. Nothing I've seen has been in favor of v6.
I think part of the problem is that I'm running Windows XP on a 7-8 year old computer, and I don't need all of the stuff that's really designed for later op systems and fast multicore processors.
I've looked around and will probably change to different protection software if I can find something better, and simpler. I've tried MSE but it's unsatisfactory, uses too many resources - frequent interruptions of my computer with a lot of processor time.
Hi JohnnnyBob,
Sorry you are having problems with Avast. Have you had any other AV software on the machine before Avast? It sounds like because your computer is at least 7 years old, that other things may be happening to it, where unfortunately a reformat of the harddrive and reinstall of Windows and all your updates may be needed if you have never done that.
My computer is a little younger than yours, but it was going slow and freezing. My relative came over, and I backed up all my personal data and got all my program recovery disks and we reinstalled Windows, all my drivers and updates back in August. We also cleaned the keyboard and tower case with a big industrial power vac. (Opening the computer and getting all the crap out after six years.) It took about five to six hours but it was worth it!!!! System runs much better and quieter now. If you have your recovery disks and a good computer guru who has time to help with his, as well as your back-up data handy, it might be needed to do this option! NOTE THAT YOU WILL LOSE AND HAVE TO REINSTALL EVERYTHING ON YOUR COMPUTER IF YOU RE-INSTALL WINDOWS! But there might be a lot of internal contents and fragmented programs over the years, that until this is done, the issues you are having might sadly get worse.
If you don't want to go through a reinstall of Windows, I would suggest cleaning out your History, Cache, and if you have your log-in passwords written down, your cookies as well from all your browsers. Next, boot into Safe Mode and log in as an Administrator. Right-Click on your hard drive, and select Properties, and run disk clean up. UNCHECK any options about compressing the drive data.
When Disk Clean up is finished:
1.) Go to Start
2.) Type "Temp" (No quotes)
3. Delete all the files in the Temp Folder
4.) Close out when done.
5.) Go to Start again
6.) Type "Prefetch" (no quotes)
7.) Delete all the files in this folder.
8.) Empty your Recycle Bin.
9.) Go to Start and Defrag your hard drive. Select Disk Defragmentor. This may take anywhere from 1-4 hours approximately.
10.) When finished, exit out.
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1.) Go back to Start Menu and Select Restart. The boot time will be longer! This is due to the prefetch files being cleaned out, but these processes might make your computer run better. It sounds like they have not been done for a very long time. This is just some good housekeeping.
2.) If you are not going to reformat the hard drive, at least do these steps. Than see if that helps the computer and your Avast experience. If it does not:
A. Get a fresh copy of Avast 6 from the website.
B. Also get a copy of the Avast Uninstall Utility, but just save it at this point to your downloads folder or to your desktop. Don't run it yet.
C. Boot into Safe Mode and Run the Avast uninstall utility. Follow the prompts exactly.
D. Reboot when prompted and now install the new fresh version of Avast 6.
Good Luck!
Jack
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Jack1000,
I'm familiar with all of those things and would only reinstall my op system if something serious happens with recovery impossible. True, various quirks accumulate in an op system over the years, and a clean reinstall is the only way to fix them. However mine is running fine in general, no serious problems. The problems I'm having with avast6 are probably the fault of that software, not my op system, IMHO. Of course there's no way to know for sure. Everything about computers is just virtual reality anyway. :)
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You can uninstall it via:
1/ Avast GUI - Additional Protection - WebRep - click uninstall
2/ Control Panel - Programs and Features - choose Avast from there - click Uninstall/Change - in the GUI, click Change - uncheck Web Reputation plugin
3/ Directly on install, you can choose custom install and not install WebRep at all.
I was gonna post just that ;D it's amazing how many people keep asking about how to get rid of webrep :D I understand that some don't like it. I don't either, but well how to uninstall it or not installing it at all shouldn't be a discussion.
On a side note, I agree it shouldn't be installed silently, but the custom install is there as an option before the setup starts. Btw, for troubleshooting purposes I didn't install it during my last AIS setup from scratch, installed webrep later, rebooted and there was just the option to install it from the UI, the extension itself wasn't installed in any browser, first time I see that.
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On a side note, I agree it shouldn't be installed silently, but the custom install is there as an option before the setup starts.
Shrug. If you disable it by default, you'll get the opposite complaints - I'm missing the feature, why Avast didn't install it? Or the people won't know about this new feature at all. Anyway, my experience from upgrade was that there's nothing automatically enabled in browsers, you get prompted to install it for IE/FF after reboot.
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On a side note, I agree it shouldn't be installed silently, but the custom install is there as an option before the setup starts.
Shrug. If you disable it by default, you'll get the opposite complaints - I'm missing the feature, why Avast didn't install it? Or the people won't know about this new feature at all. Anyway, my experience from upgrade was that there's nothing automatically enabled in browsers, you get prompted to install it for IE/FF after reboot.
The very first thing that I actually installed on a new PC was avast! V6 by means of a custom install without WebRep and guess what is in my toolbar list.....Webrep. Windows Explorer, IE8....
So the first thing that was installed on the PC resulted in corrupt scribbles in my registry after I specifically said not to do it during the install. Brilliant.......
I don't like this webRep. It's to open for screwing up the web and it's already proven it has more say so than me as far as what is allowed to make changes.
I can only imagine what it will do to search results.
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You can get rid of WebRep and you can also easily turn off the sandboxing from within the file shield settings. For me, V6 runs better than v5 did on my XP, single core, 2005 vintage laptop.
I'm surprised though , that you're getting any sandbox alerts at all running XP. I haven't had a single one even from installing things that other people say will trigger it. VLK has acknowledged that it's not working as well in XP as in Vista and 7. When they fix it, if I start getting alerts for known safe things, I'll just turn it off.
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Jack1000,
I'm familiar with all of those things and would only reinstall my op system if something serious happens with recovery impossible. True, various quirks accumulate in an op system over the years, and a clean reinstall is the only way to fix them. However mine is running fine in general, no serious problems. The problems I'm having with avast6 are probably the fault of that software, not my op system, IMHO. Of course there's no way to know for sure. Everything about computers is just virtual reality anyway. :)
Thanks for the update,
So just to confirm, version 5.1 caused no problems? If so, I would uninstall version 6 and just go back to version 5.1. I am sure there will be several updates for version 6 to work out bugs:
According to the Avast release history page: (Thanks for providing this guys!) Note the following:
http://www.avast.com/release-history
There were seven builds for version 5. When I first got version 5, it was very buggy. But each build made it better. And version 5.1 is smooth as butter with no problems at all for me:
I'm giving version 6 a three month grace period before updating (minimal) just so that these issues can be worked out. Note that each successive build will only make version 6 better and better.
Jack
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JohnnyBob webrep isnt seperate in the programs list you will have to double click avast in add remove programs and then click change, once you get the popup screen then untick webrep and the gadget if you dont want that either, click ok then reboot.
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On my old XP PC >6 years, avast! 6 really has helped speed up things. I also do not like webrep and on the prompt to install it after re-boot, I simply clicked no.
Uninstall webrep like craigb said, uninstall chrome (if by mistake you clicked the checkbox ok to install it) and disable auto sandboxing or add your normal programs to its allow list.
Even with v6.0.1, my old single core PC is much faster (and I have never done any re-install at all these 6 years) than with v5 or initially with AVG.