To the complaint DEPARTMENT

[MoreThenYourAverageGuy]

First off, I'm not the type of person that creates accounts to forums to ask questions. I usually just search, actually I hate having to register up accounts. I'm not a social person, and I tend to think of myself as a level headed person. I run a home based business, custom PC building and repair. I do not have a name, I just get paid to help the locals around here.

I want to note that every PC I build I preload with avast, or any repair I always load up my usual security suite of apps. Whenever I get into talking security tech with people I ALWAYS recommend avast.

Well I can now say that will no longer be happening, actually it's gonna be quite the opposite now. Avast your straying away from what you need to be taking care of and that's security (namely VIRUS) plain and simple. I know that software updates can lead to a security flaw. But updates should be taken care of by the user. Automatic updates lead to problems......  This rant isn't because of the problems I have come across installing the latest version. Though I have not been able to successfully do so yet. Well I have but booting into windows is another matter. Running vista ultimate 64bit no other security software installed vista fails to boot after installing latest version.

Now because I set up all my clients pc to auto update (myfault) I'm getting calls about it. I have a ton of work ahead of me, and it's all gonna be uninstalls. I'm switching, to something some company that wants to deal with virus (when i say virus, i mean rootkit malware etc) security. The firewall, software updater, etc etc facebook integration bloat bloat bloat, IS USELESS CRAP!. Firewalls are far from useless, but focus on one or the other. Just look at what happened to the other companies who tried to stretch themselves out. Learn from their mistakes. We need a sharp sword, not a rack of dull ones.

Sorry about this rant but I feel it had to be said, I Bid You Adieu.

[Alikhan]

You don't need to uninstall the product to remove the software updater... You can change the installation from control panel and remove the software updater.

[potjevleesch]

I guess auto update is suitable for noobs as most of them don't even know it's available

[DavidR]

Or use a custom install from the start and not install the components not wanted, I don't know if you would be doing manual installs or from a disk image, so you don't have the flexibility of a custom install.

There is no firewall in the free version of avast, there is a Tile in the Home page  is not active, you probably didn't notice it.

I would have though that finding a solution to the the issue with avast8 and Vista 64bit, but you are probably more concerned with your business, which is understandable.

[gary_dexter]

I wouldn't trust you to repair or install things on my PC that's for sure...

[MoreThenYourAverageGuy]

Yes, I'm aware of the custom install options. I opted out of those immediately. I am concerned about the business,  But it's more of my personal reputation and my recommendations of avast. Now well my rep isn't so great, if you catch my drift. Yeah I know people shouldn't link my rep to avast's decisions as a company. But that's not how people work. At least the type of people I deal with.

[MoreThenYourAverageGuy]

I wouldn't trust you to repair or install things on my PC that's for sure...

Thats just fine, and your entitled to have whoever you want to repair your pc.

[Para-Noid]

I wouldn't trust you to repair or install things on my PC that's for sure...

Hide your email unless you enjoy receiving spam.

[Para-Noid]

The first place to seek assistance is here on the forums.
There is no need to rant. If there is issue come here and we will be able to resolve your problems.
We like to help other users.

There have been issues with the roll-out of v8.0, but there will be issues with any security software release.
Especially with a new version. It is impossible to replicate 170 million different systems. However we can help fix those issues.
Most, if not all, issues can resolved right here on the forums.

[MoreThenYourAverageGuy]

The first place to seek assistance is here on the forums.
There is no need to rant. If there is issue come here and we will be able to resolve your problems.
We like to help other users.

There have been issues with the roll-out of v8.0, but there will be issues with any security software release.
Especially with a new version. It is impossible to replicate 170 million different systems. However we can help fix those issues.
Most, if not all, issues can resolved right here on the forums.

Oh I agree, completely. I cannot understand why I let frustration get to me. But it did. Perhaps you could share some wisdom. I am running Vista Ultimate 64bit, upgraded with popup notification. Was instructed to reboot, got the freeze.

Rebooted to safemode, was able to uninstall avast8,  ran the removal tool for giggles, and selected all previous versions I had had prior. Was instructed to reboot after selecting each one. (Perhaps this was my mistake, I closed removal tool and reran selecting another version, eventually going through all the different versions I had had) Lastly was instructed to reboot. Reboot, and it booted fine.

I went through and removed malwarebytes, spyware search n destroy, ran cc cleaner, removing temp files, and cleaning up installed software. Forgot to mention I ran removal tools for malware bytes, and spybot.

Downloaded latest installer of avast8 and installed, installed fine, was not instructed to reboot. I rebooted anyways to test. Got freeze.

Rebooted to safemode uninstalled, ran removal utility for version 8. Rebooted now I'm here. I do want to get the process down as I will have to do it a few more times. I really don't want to abandon avast, but my clients may have other feelings now.

[true indian]

did you try a clean install of avast on your machines I had the same issue on win 8 and it fixed the issue with a clean install 

a bloat is something that has many features and those features which just sit there and dont do anything at all and are completely useless and this is not the case here...I feel sorry about your situation but even I have had calls from clients about issues on avast v8 and I did clean install on all machines using aswclear: www.avast.com/uninstall-utility

and then clean installed avast v8 and it worked well!! try it.

I hope you continue to recommend avast for all clients..if you or your clients have any issues please direct them and yourself to this forum.

We would be happy to help 

[RejZoR]

Anyone who says bloat and avast! in the same sentence loses pretty much all credibility with me. Lets go through few facts...

a) Facebook and other social stuff has been around for several versions so this isn't something new to rant about
b) Software Updater is not bloat because its there for a very good (security) reason
c) Auto Update or Manual update to new version, if computer has problems it would fail either way eventually
d) avast! FREE doesn't have firewall so i'm not sure why are you ranting about it (if they had paid versions it would be there anyway even in older version)
e) please go and learn what "bloatware" really is

I really don't understand ppl who rush in here raging on every new program release, fill the post with nonsense and protest that they'll never ever use avast! again. It has been like this ever since i found avast! in 2004 or so? Weird...

Only thing here that needs resolving is the unbootable Vista system, but without knowing any other details it's hard to say anything. But in most cases systems don't hang for no reasons, they usually do it like this when there are existent problems...

[true indian]

Rejzor is 100% right there...without further info or crash dumps avast team is helpless 

[avast@@dvantage77.com]

I feel that Endpoint is the way to go, with all businesses!  That's why we don't have version 8 yet, as it needs to run through the Pro / IS systems first, so that these bugs can be worked out.  Also, I see the major problem IS upgrading 8 over 7.  When 7 is un-installed, system is rebooted, then 8 is installed, ppl usually don't have problems.  I have asked for the avast! installer to automatically do this. I was told it would.  Then I found out, that this only occurs when loading Endpoint over the top of avast! version 4. In my opinion (10 years with Avast Software) that this is and always has been the number 1 issue. So, UN-INSTALL 1st, and use avast! Endpoint products, and that strategy works for me!

[cdplatt]

I to have windows Vista but 32 bit instead of 64. I updated Avast 7 with the new one yesterday and had the problem of it not updating or registering. After trying to fix it for a couple hours and reading here I called tec support and they installed some SW so they could get in my computer and check it out and they could not figure it out either and suggested I try and install it again. So I did and it worked. Then late last night I went to my pc after watching tv and it was real slow and the internet kept stopping so I rebooted router and it kept up so I rebooted pc and it would not boot ( It kept stalling ) I finally today went in to safe mode and ran megabytes and ran a scan with Avast and still would hang on boot. I went back to SM and disabled all my start up thinking it was something else and still would not boot. So one last time in SM I uninstalled Avast and it booted up and run faster then it has in awhile. Any way don't want to run unprotected for to long so if there are logs I can show some one here or what ever to try and figure out how to keep Avast working good please let me know.
The Avast I updated with was just antivirus not security.