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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: Computer_Guy on September 22, 2009, 11:22:52 PM

Title: How do I transfer avast from an old computer to a new computer...
Post by: Computer_Guy on September 22, 2009, 11:22:52 PM
How do I transfer avast from an old computer to a new computer that is using a 3 year active subscription.

I plan on buying 23 - 27 copies avast for friends and family.

Of course we all know that computers crash, fail, or get upgraded.

In the event that sometime during the next 3 years someone has to replace their old computer with a new one...

What is the process to transfer the existing active key from the old computer to the new computer?

This process has been asked by a couple of people I know and they are unsure they want to purchase for 3 years if you can't easily transfer it to the computer or drive in the event of a failure or upgrade.

I searched the forums and found no clear answer or question for that matter.

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I live in Canada and wasn't about to make the over seas call to the Czech Republic for an answer.
Too costly, even if we are saving some money in volume pricing. lol.

And just a note about my experience with Avast. Until recently I used AVG and nothing else.
I can't stand how Norton locks down the computer, I didn't like the sometimes cryptic and constant pop-up messages from Norton, McAfee, and others... Avast only pops up a small temporary message when there is an update, and only when a virus is detected. I like the non obtrusive style it uses. I have uninstalled many different viral solutions and installed avast only to find that the computer was indeed infected by some virus. Avast seems to be the program at the right price for the moment. Thanks.

I have had many great laughs about stories of people being very scared when their speaker volume is up and the voice that states your "virus database has been updated" speaks. The people have been at home all alone and freaked out wondering who is in the house with them. Or they were passing the computer as it talked to them lol.

Hope to have a definitive and complete answer before October 1st as we plan to make the purchase on Friday October 3rd 2009.
Title: Re: How do I transfer avast from an old computer to a new computer...
Post by: DavidR on September 22, 2009, 11:26:33 PM
Ensure you/they keep copies of the license keys for the systems.

When you install on a new system (and remove from the old one) you just input the license key in the new installation and it is valid for the remainder of the license period.
Title: Re: How do I transfer avast from an old computer to a new computer...
Post by: Computer_Guy on September 23, 2009, 12:25:47 AM
So there is no special process for the old computer?

I don't have to run a process that will temporarily deactivate the key?
Adobe uses this type of system.

In the event that a system crashes completely and there is no way to "remove" or uninstall avast from the old machine...
I can just install a new FULL copy of Avast and use the already active key and as you said it will be active for the remainder of the subscription.

If that's the case then my question has been answered.
Title: Re: How do I transfer avast from an old computer to a new computer...
Post by: Lisandro on September 23, 2009, 12:30:38 AM
So there is no special process for the old computer?
I don't have to run a process that will temporarily deactivate the key?
No. Just keep the key (email), uninstall the old, install the new one, add the key.

In the event that a system crashes completely and there is no way to "remove" or uninstall avast from the old machine...
I can just install a new FULL copy of Avast and use the already active key and as you said it will be active for the remainder of the subscription.
No, you can't copy an installation and no, the key won't be trapped into the old installation.
Title: Re: How do I transfer avast from an old computer to a new computer...
Post by: Computer_Guy on September 23, 2009, 01:04:56 AM
Thanks for the quick responses.

I had meant install a new FULL copy as in a new full download.
I read elsewhere in the forums that most times your license will not necessarily work or activate with the download installer or the CNET download version, and that it had to be the COMPLETE and FULL (larger) download for a specific language.

I think all my questions have been answered.
Now I can confidently tell everyone else that there is no reason we shouldn't purchase this many copies for all our computers.

Thanks again,

Computer_Guy
Title: Re: How do I transfer avast from an old computer to a new computer...
Post by: Lisandro on September 23, 2009, 02:53:25 AM
Now I can confidently tell everyone else that there is no reason we shouldn't purchase this many copies for all our computers.
Note, only one computer could be installed with avast Pro at a time.
Each computer running avast, each license.
Title: Re: How do I transfer avast from an old computer to a new computer...
Post by: Computer_Guy on September 23, 2009, 03:26:56 AM
Now I can confidently tell everyone else that there is no reason we shouldn't purchase this many copies for all our computers.
Note, only one computer could be installed with avast Pro at a time.
Each computer running avast, each license.

I assumed that part thanks.
I would never try nor would I have thought that it would have worked to install more than 1 copy per machine.
Unless of course I had a dual booting computer and then it would be 1 Avast (install and license) per operating system.

I have friends and family with a total of about 27 computers throughout.
I have 3, my mom has 2, and various others have up to 4 at their place.
The average home nowadays will have more than 1 computer.
For me it's my computer, my kids' computer, and my laptop.