Free Renewal Not Going Through

[Latias]

For the past week and half or so, I've been having issues with renewing my Free license, namely the fact that despite me attempting to renew it, it just doesn't seem to go through at all, and I'm stuck with Avast saying that it's going to expire soon.

You can see the issue in the images, it starts with image 1, I then click to renew and get to image 2, click the free option, the window hangs for about 20 to 30 seconds, and then goes to image 3. However when I click to close the window, I'm back to what I have on image 1, and have been like this since it started showing up.

I don't know if this is an issue with my Avast version, as I'm currently running 17.6.2310 (build 17.6.3625.243), on Windows 8.1, and while it is an old version, it's been functional up until now, hence why I haven't felt the need to update. I've attempted to repair it through the Uninstallation menu, but no success. Is this a situation where the version somehow isn't compatible with the renewal process anymore, and I MUST update, or is there any way to fix this? I don't think I can do a clean install with this version anymore, so it seems like my only option might be updating, assuming of course that fixes it and I don't have the issue anymore after updating, but chances are I could still have the issue even after doing it.

[DavidR]

Now, Image 3 is a pain in the backside as there is no graceful way to say No Thanks.  Closing it using the X Top right of the screen (as you did) used to be enough.

However, having a very old version of Avast isn't going to be a problem free ride as everything changes.

Even Windows XP was able to run Avast until version 18.8 and Windows 8.1 is as far as I'm aware is still compatible with the latest version of Avast.  Avast doesn't have old versions of the off-line installation executable.  Though there are some sites that do archive old off-line installation files.

For now I would suggest a restart and see if your attempts to renew have actually held.
I very long time ago after a period of time Avast Free did update if you continued past the expiration date (from memory I think this was 10 days) and it auto renewed.

[rocksteady]

What @Latias has reported is exactly the same experience I encountered trying to renew my Avast V18.5 Free. See here: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=220639.msg1705524#msg1705524

My 18.5 can still get updates and seems to be working (infrequenty booted Win XP), but licence is void and red "x" appears on the tray icon.

@Latias screenshots, including the last one where clicking to select the Free version has no effect, are the same as I encountered.
It seems Avast have removed the option to renew licences of Free versions of older Avast AV.

Noone from Avast has bothered to clarify this licence action as intentional or a bug, only forum member @DavidR has commented.

[DavidR]

Unfortunately old program versions aren't actively supported.  Part of that reason is also very few regular users are able to test/replicate or offer suggestions as their UI interface is also way different. 

The same would be true of Avast trying to replicate the issue in old version and how to resolve it without possibly impacting later versions.  The law of diminishing returns, even more so in a free product.

This I fear this is the problem/cost of sticking with old program versions (not just Avast).

[Latias]

For now I would suggest a restart and see if your attempts to renew have actually held.
I very long time ago after a period of time Avast Free did update if you continued past the expiration date (from memory I think this was 10 days) and it auto renewed.

I do boot my PC every day, so a restart wouldn't do much, and a post-repair boot also didn't give much results. That and given how this has been happening for almost 2 weeks now tells me that this isn't getting solved in my current version. And given what rocksteady said, seems like this issue affects every version below 18.8 at least, and the only solution is to update, even if it seems to be functional even with the license expiring.

[DavidR]

For now I would suggest a restart and see if your attempts to renew have actually held.
I very long time ago after a period of time Avast Free did update if you continued past the expiration date (from memory I think this was 10 days) and it auto renewed.

I do boot my PC every day, so a restart wouldn't do much, and a post-repair boot also didn't give much results. That and given how this has been happening for almost 2 weeks now tells me that this isn't getting solved in my current version. And given what rocksteady said, seems like this issue affects every version below 18.8 at least, and the only solution is to update, even if it seems to be functional even with the license expiring.

As I mentioned above your post, the longer you keep an old version the more likely you are going to bump into changes.

A very, very long time ago after about 10 days of not having renewed Avast used to update for another year.  You could wait and see, or bite the bullet and update to the latest version, which should still support Windows 8.1.