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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: Gandalf1369 on January 26, 2010, 02:10:15 AM

Title: How to TOTALLY Uninstall avast 5 . . . .
Post by: Gandalf1369 on January 26, 2010, 02:10:15 AM
I am currently using avast 4.8 and tried last night to update to avast 5 (both free versions).  I downloaded the version 5 setup file, read on the avast website that the install of the new version would uninstall 4.8 automatically, and proceeded to install 5.0 over 4.8.

To make a long story short the install was unsuccessful - I wound up with neither 5.0 or 4.8 working.  I checked the Alwil Software directory in Program Files and saw that there were two subdirectories - Avast4 and Avast5 both of which contained relatively few files.  I was able to delete the Avast5 directory but the system would not let me delete the Avast4 directory.  I used the avast uninstall utility (aswclear.exe) in safe mode to completely remove all traces of 4.8 and then reinstalled 4.8, which is now running fine.

I want to try an install of version 5 again, but this time I will first uninstall 4.8.  My question is  - - - If the installation of version 5.0 is again unsuccessful, what is the best way to COMPLETELY uninstall version 5??  Would using the "Add or Remove Programs" in Windows Control Panel be sufficient??  Is there an uninstall utility from avast that will work with version 5??  I just want to be sure that if things go south I will be able to easily reinstall 4.8.

Thanks for any help . . .
Title: Re: How to TOTALLY Uninstall avast 5 . . . .
Post by: DavidR on January 26, 2010, 02:30:51 AM
What is your OS ?

Yes, use add remove programs to uninstall avast5, if required.

A clean install would be advised.
1. download and save the avast5 installation file to your hard disk (if you didn't save the last download).
2. uninstall avast4 an reboot.
3. run the Uninstall Utility from safe mode and reboot.
4. install avast5.
Title: Re: How to TOTALLY Uninstall avast 5 . . . .
Post by: Gandalf1369 on January 26, 2010, 02:38:57 AM
Dave,

OS - Windows XP SP3 . . . .

Thanks for the tips - just wanted to make sure that I could easily and safely go back to 4.8 if required.
Title: Re: How to TOTALLY Uninstall avast 5 . . . .
Post by: DavidR on January 26, 2010, 02:47:30 AM
You're welcome.

From the forums it seems that many of those suffering update problems (install 5.0 over 4.8) are those with XP (don't know if that is limited to SP3). I installed over the top and had no issues whatsoever, so it isn't that I'm lucky just that it isn't effecting everyone.

For those that it has effected a clean install seems to have worked for them.

Me I took precautions as I always do for large changes to my system, I use drive imaging software that makes an exact image of your disk or partition, so if you have any problem it is a real easy task to go back under 20 minutes. I have an outpost firewall pro update I need to do but that will have to wait until my next routine backup drive image (weekly).
Title: Re: How to TOTALLY Uninstall avast 5 . . . .
Post by: fatbellybinky on January 26, 2010, 01:57:09 PM
From the forums it seems that many of those suffering update problems (install 5.0 over 4.8) are those with XP (don't know if that is limited to SP3). I installed over the top and had no issues whatsoever, so it isn't that I'm lucky just that it isn't effecting everyone.
Oddly enough it was fine on my XP SP3 system, installed OK and removed V4 too as I only have an "avast5" subdirectory. On the other hand, it really made a dog's dinner of my son's Vista laptop.  Had to manually clean up and revert to V4.
Title: Re: How to TOTALLY Uninstall avast 5 . . . .
Post by: jwall on January 26, 2010, 02:20:26 PM
I ran a beta version of avast 5 on my old P3 laptop.  I uninstalled via add/remove and ran the uninstaller too, but not in safe mode.  I also, carefully, removed any trace in the registry.
I installed the final version of avast 5 and everything is fine.  I'm running only the file and web shields, have streaming unchecked, and have most of the persistent caches off.

I also did install avast 5 on my desktop after removing avira, and everything is fine.

Both machines are XP Home SP3.
Title: Re: How to TOTALLY Uninstall avast 5 . . . .
Post by: DavidR on January 26, 2010, 06:06:50 PM
From the forums it seems that many of those suffering update problems (install 5.0 over 4.8) are those with XP (don't know if that is limited to SP3). I installed over the top and had no issues whatsoever, so it isn't that I'm lucky just that it isn't effecting everyone.
Oddly enough it was fine on my XP SP3 system, installed OK and removed V4 too as I only have an "avast5" subdirectory. On the other hand, it really made a dog's dinner of my son's Vista laptop.  Had to manually clean up and revert to V4.

That is what I have been saying it isn't effecting everyone and of those effected XP SP3 seem to have the lions share of those suffering the problem. I too had no problem and I installed 5.0 over 4.8 with XP Pro SP3.
Title: Re: How to TOTALLY Uninstall avast 5 . . . .
Post by: Gandalf1369 on January 27, 2010, 04:26:25 AM
Just a quick update on my Avast 5 status.  Followed DavidR's instructions above about removing Avast 4.  Followed that up with a clean install of Avast 5.  Everything went smoothly and, so far, Avast is functioning with no problems.
Title: Re: How to TOTALLY Uninstall avast 5 . . . .
Post by: DavidR on January 27, 2010, 04:40:35 AM
Thanks for the feedback and glad that it is now working for you.
Title: Re: How to TOTALLY Uninstall avast 5 . . . .
Post by: gandalf2010 on January 27, 2010, 07:25:30 PM
i have the same problem with win7.

It is a long story about the problems i had with 4.8 version installation, finally i uninstalled 4.8 in safe mood and reinstall it and only then it worked.
last night i updated that version to version 5, and the following happened:
1. avast didn't work at all talking about corrupt installation file???!!!
2. ALL the previous restore points were deleted!!!!!!!!!!! and i left with only 1, AFTER 5.0 installation.

i uninstalled 5.0, uninstalled 4.8, tried to install from new download of 5.0 it refuses to get installed saying it is already extracted??
i am not able to either uninstall the remaining of 5.0 or install 4.8 or 5.0.

what can i do?
Title: Re: How to TOTALLY Uninstall avast 5 . . . .
Post by: Gandalf1369 on January 28, 2010, 02:38:22 AM
Did you follow DavidR's instructions (see the second message in this thread) exactly??  I did - uninstall 4.8, reboot, reboot into safe mode, run the avast uninstall utility, reboot, install 5.0.  At that point everything works great.  Good luck . . .