I must have screwed up

[fire]

I downloaded the latest program update 8.0.1483 (to the free version) about 10 days ago or something like that. Today when I turned on the computer it told me that avast would no longer update because the trial period for the paid version was over. I must have accidently downloaded the paid version (which I never had before). I uninstalled avast and then reinstalled the free version again and everything seems fine. I really don't know how this could have happened as I've used avast free for years and whenever I downloaded the latest version I never had this happen. I must have slipped up somewhere. Just curious did anything like this happen to anyone else?

[DavidR]

We have seen a few instances of this, some corruption/confusion that avast thinks you have the paid version installed.

It will probably be quickest in the long run to do a clean install of avast free.
- Download the latest version of avast, 8.0.1483 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 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 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.

[fire]

David thanks for the quick response. As a computer novice when it comes to trying to correct problems I'm not very good. I may just monitor this to see if it happens again and if it does I'll do the recommended fix. I know it probably doesn't matter but in the registration it says I'm good for 365 days (as I re-registered today after the install).

[DavidR]

You can try the avast Repair option first if you wish, but in this instance I'm not sure if it is enough with avast thinking you have a Pro version. As the message mentioned the updates won't happen if it also feels the trial for the paid version was over.

[fire]

 I will just see what happens before I try anything else. I did d/l and save the free version along with the uninstall utility in case I have to go that route. I'll post what happens in any event in the near future. One other thing,,do I reboot back into the normal mode simply by using the "start" button in the left bottom corner of my screen,,,sorry for sounding like an idiot,,just I've never used the safe mode before.

[mchain]

hi fire,

To enter Safe Mode, follow these instructions here:  http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/boot_failsafe.mspx?mfr=true

These steps apply to all versions of Windows.  What you will see is the system starting up, the manufacturer screen showing and just before it ends, press F8.  You want to press F8 in the gap or period before the main Windows startup screen begins. 

A menu screen will appear.  Select Safe Mode at the top.  Press Enter on your keyboard. 

Allow Windows to fully load in safe mode before you begin operations.  Choose the administrator desktop you want to work within.  Note there is an option to use System Restore; select Yes to enter the administrator desktop without selecting System Restore.

Safe Mode has two flavors; Safe Mode and Safe Mode with Networking.  The latter can be used in emergencies if the Network function does not work in normal desktop to be able to get needed software updates and such should you ever need to do so.

Safe Mode loads only the essential drivers and files for Windows to run; all third-party drivers and program files do not load and run as they normally do in normal startup mode.

Just be careful what you delete using avast aswclear.exe  Select only the folders for avast! and nothing else, and must have the aswclear.exe on the the desktop only when you run it.

Reboot after each version removal.  When done, proceed to the normal user desktop.

[DavidR]

I will just see what happens before I try anything else. I did d/l and save the free version along with the uninstall utility in case I have to go that route. I'll post what happens in any event in the near future. One other thing,,do I reboot back into the normal mode simply by using the "start" button in the left bottom corner of my screen,,,sorry for sounding like an idiot,,just I've never used the safe mode before.

You don't have to worry about getting into safe mode when you try to run the new version of the avast uninstall utility, it asks to be run from safe mode and if you answer yes it handles the boot into safe mode.

Safe mode only loads certain elements and not many programs (why it is called safe mode), the first thing you will notice is it is a lower resolution and lower colours 256 not full colour range. So it looks a bit weird but other than that not really an issue and you are only there for one thing, to run the avast uninstall utility, as outlined above.

[fire]

Thanks guys

[DavidR]

You're welcome.

Until you choose what action to take, monitor your updates to see if they are actually getting done, http://www.avast.com/virus-update-history.

[iroc9555]

I am keeping an eye on this thread. I have a member who is going thru the same experience.

Install Avast! FREE, registered it and then out of the blue it turns into trial mode with 10 days left. She also inadvertently, trying to fix it, ended up with Avast! Pro trial. The only thing is that she has reinstalled clean Avast! free several times and each time Avast! free returns to trial mode after a VPS update.

[DavidR]

I thought you might be

[fire]

>iroc9555,,,just curious but you said everytime you do a reinstall of avast it will eventually return to the trial mode for the paid version,,,do you remember how many days after a reinstall of the free version that it thinks you have the paid version,,,thanks

[iroc9555]

Not me. This is a member in the Spanish forum.

The first time it happened to her was when she upgraded from Avast! 7 to 8. It took like 2 or 3 days for her to realized that Avast! FREE became a trial version. Like you, she tried to fix it and ended up with Avast! Pro trial.

She reinstalled Avast! again. This time using the clean method she found here in the forums, but next day she found Avast! has switched again. She said she tried again with the same results. She then posted here looking for help.

I asked her to clean her comp of junk, CHKDSK, download a fresh copy of Avast!, look for any traces of other Avs, and run aswclear in safe mode for Avast! 7, and 8. However she returned again next day with a screenshot of Avast! FREE saying that the trial time period has expired and with 10 days left in the time bar.

So it takes from 1 to 2 days. On my account it happens when Avast! updates VPS but I might be wrong. I sent a Support Package to be analized. So I am waiting

[fire]

David if you read this please reply,,,as a test of my ability to uninstall and reinstall avast using your suggestion for a "clean" uninstall,,I have an old laptop we only use if our good computer is having any problems so I thought I'd try it on that. I followed all the steps and when I ran the aswclear.exe I came up with the following list,,now this is not the list from our desk top computer that I statred this thread about,,

avast          4/home/professional
avast          4 server edition
Bart cd manager
avast for kerio
avast PDA edition
avast 32
avast managed client
avast distributed network manager
avast windows home server edition
avast 5 free/pro/internet security
avast 6  "   "   "     "    "
avast 7  "   "   "     "    "
avast 8  "   "   "     "    "
avast business protection (plus)

Under that list was the following 

Enter path to folder where selected product is installed. Make sure that the path contains selected products program files. All files from this folder will be deleted.

So my questions are this,,if I were to continue to uninstall using this, out of the list I posted which of the above would i have to remove,,,next,,,do you have to do one at a time,,reboot and then do the next one,,and lastly how do I find the path to the folder for each one. Now like I said this is dry a run for me in case I do this with our good computer. I don't know what list I will find if and when I run the aswclear. For me this isn't as easy as it sounds,,,thanks David or whoever responds. I hope you can understand this post OK. I can't get back til later to check on any replys to this.

[DavidR]

Because the aswClear.exe is designed to be able to uninstall all avast products the drop down list can be long, you are only concerned with a small sub-set of the avast free/pro/internet security program versions.

Select the program/s from this smaller list (in the order they were installed):
avast 5 free/pro/internet security
avast 6  "   "   "     "    "
avast 7  "   "   "     "    "
avast 8  "   "   "     "    "

Generally it will probably mean running it for avast7 free/pro/internet security then for avast8 free/pro/internet security and then boot into normal mode.

The Path is usually completed for you when you select the program version you wish to uninstall. But the default for the last fre installed versions has been, C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\.