Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: AtlBo on March 15, 2013, 02:24:22 PM
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XP Pro SP3 c2duo 4GB. I am using Avast free and have been for the last 3 years.
Tested a program for a developer friend, and it caused some graphics problems, so I removed the program. The graphics problems stayed, however, so I ran a restore point. After the restore, Avast was off, and I couldn't turn it on, so I reinstalled. Everything has started from scratch even though I have had Avast for about three years. Then a little while ago I got a message that Avast Pro has expired and that I would no longer be receiving updates. Is this normal and is there anything I should do?
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If you have the license then just re-insert it to reset the date
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It sounds like you may have mistakenly downloaded the trial version not the free version.
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System Restore and avast aren't the best of friends as the avast! self-defence module doesn't like what it is trying to do to avast, so essentially you would need to disable the avast! self-defence module before using system restore.
Having done an uninstall your existing registration is gone, when you reinstall you need to re-register, avastUI > Maintenance > Register.
If as mentioned you may have got a trial version of Pro/AIS, you can check and if necessary revert to the free version from the avastUI > Maintenance > Registration, scroll down to Other Options and the "Switch me back to avast! free" option is there.
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ok...thanks for the replies. I have a very old license key from when I first signed up...it doesn't fit in the registration key space for activation. I may have downloaded the wrong version not sure.
DavidR, I don't see an option to register.
At the top it says in red "Trial Period not activated" with a button to activate it. Below is "Insert license" and below that "Insert activation". Left tabs are Update, Subscription, Scan Logs, Virus Chest, Remote Assistance, About avast!
Should I activate the trial or go another route?
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You don't have a license for avast pro trial that you appear to have, so your old avast free license won't fit nor would be valid.
You are in a bit of a state of limbo in not having activated it and not having a path back to the free version. Now you could go through a clean reinstall of the free version (a little more complex) or Active the trial period and then revert back to the free version as I mentioned before - avastUI > Maintenance > Registration, scroll down to Other Options and the "Switch me back to avast! free" option is there.
EDIT: Addition of what the page should look like when you expand the Other Options.
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ok thanks DavidR...I'll activate it and try to revert back. Rather not attempt to uninstall a/v I don't think...
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Looks like option to return to free isn't available after activating the trial period. Nothing at all below "Insert activation code". Could that be something that shows up after several days, etc? I am more than willing to wait if so...
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That isn't correct, so there appears to something wrong there, try a reboot, probably needed to update.
Since you mentioned the magic word 'Subscription' check the avastUI, Maintenance, Subscription, if this section exists, check for the presence of Other Options there.
If that doesn't resolve the data displayed in that Registration/Subscription section - Try a repair of avast:
XP - Add Remove programs, select 'avast! Anti-Virus,' click the Change/Remove button and select Repair, click next and follow.
You may need to reboot after the repair.
Out of interest, can you confirm you are using avast 8 (as I'm assuming) and not avast 7 ?
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yes avast 8. I will try the repair. Here is what subscription looks like
(http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/AtlBo/avastsubscription_zpsc357366a.jpg)
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DavidR...thanks for assisting. It was strange.
After the system restore avast was completely nulled. Just the red x and the note that I was not protected. So I tried the installation. I may have installed the pro trial not sure.
Repair wanted me to update, but attempting to update the program failed. I followed the request to update the update the defitions, but it didn't even start. The button worked, but it froze on 0%.
Is there anything special I need to do to remove avast and reinstall?
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Apologies...forgot to mention avast is running...just won't update apparently. All shields are working and scanner is scanning, etc...
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This looks more like you have downloaded the full version of avast! Pro and installed, as now you have activated it you have got 29 days (of 30) left. If this was an upgrade to the trial version from within the avastUI the trial period would only have been of 20 days.
That is why it isn't showing the Other Options section, unless you have any scroll left, but it doesn't look like it.
In this installation of the Pro trial version it hasn't been installed (from an existing free version) with a view reverting back to the free version. So I'm afraid it is looking like a clean install of of avast free is going to be required.
- Download the latest version of avast, 8.0.1483 http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/avast_free_antivirus_setup.exe (http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/avast_free_antivirus_setup.exe) 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, aswClear.exe find it here (http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility) and save it to your HDD (it has uninstall tools for all versions). - 1. Now uninstall avast! (using add remove programs, if you can't do that (as appears to be the case) start from the next step), reboot.
- 2. run the avast! Uninstall Utility, it will request it be run from safe mode (and will handle the boot into safe mode), first for 7.x if previously installed and then for 8.0, once complete reboot into normal mode.
- 3. install the latest version, reboot.
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DavidR...I think my version must have gone back to avast 4, anyway I removed all of them to be on the safe side, and it worked...
Thanks, your help saved the day...
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You're welcome, but avast 4.x was light years ago the Program Version History page http://www.avast.com/release-history (http://www.avast.com/release-history) only goes back to avast 5.0.462 released on 2010-03-09