Right clicking on any file will either cause a fatal error in Explorer when the system tries to generate the context menu item for Avast!Not likely this is caused by Avast. More likely is a bad registry. Or better said a bad registry entry. Avast is working without any problems with Windows 9.x
First, this problem only happens when Avast! is installed. After I found this problem I uninstalled Avast! and everything was fine. After I reinstalled the problem was back.
Second, when the computer crashes you can see the context menu come up with all the entries until the place where Scan With Avast! should be. From that point down the menu is blank.
Third, when the menu does actually come up without crashing, hovering the mouse over the Avast entry for more than about half a second will cause a system crash. This does not happen with any other item in the menu.
It could be a registry issue but it must be coming from something that Avast! is adding since the problem does not exist anywhere else.
Next, since I installed Avast! the system hangs on the shutdown screen. I haven't had this problem for several years and it seems Avast! brought it back!
This can be caused by the fact that Avast is still scanning while you are trying to shutdown. Check what is still running and close it before trying to shutdown to see if this is the case.
I can try that but I was not running a scan when I shut down. This now seems to happen every time I shut down or even restart. Is Avast! always scanning?
It can also be caused by a bug in Windows 98(se), did you apply the shutdown patch from MS?
I don't have SE. This computer originally came with Win 95. Since I bought it right before Win 98 came out I got a free upgrade to 98 from Dell when it came out. When I first upgraded I used to have this problem all the time. Several years ago I got a new hard drive and I did a fresh install of 98 and I haven't had the problem since. This is going back now several YEARS. Now since installing Avast! the problem is back. It seems pretty clear to me that it has something to do with Avast! since this is the only system change that has been done now.
I would consider upgrading to the Pro version but if these problems can't be resolved I will have to switch again to a different anti-virus.
Again? Do I understand correctly that you have tried several and none settified your needs? No need to switch in my opinion. Just relax and trouble shoot is the way to go and we are here to help you in the best way we can. You are not on your own 
The problems you have are (although inconvenient) minor ones and I believe we will be able to track down the cause of it and solve it.
I've been using EZ-Antivirus from CA for several years. I started with them back when they were still InoculateIT and free. I was very happy with their product through version 5 or 6 but they really messed up with their latest version. Then after making an inferior product they had the nerve to raise the price. Avast! is the first program I've tried since. I have mixed feelings in general about Avast!. As a tech guy I prefer a more simple but more functional interface than a more graphic but less informative one. I like the features that it has though and it seems to do a scan in decent time.
It identified a few files as trojans and I am strongly suspicious that at least two are false positives but I can't be sure. If they are in fact trojans then it is already showing improved detection from EZ-AV. If they are false positives then that could be problematic.
I also can't seem to find an option for the program to make intelligent choices automatically when it finds an infected file. I've serviced systems that had over 1,000 infected files on them. Could you imagine having to specify manually what to do with all those files? I'm glad I don't have any major infection on this machine!
I still have to hunt some more through the options. If this option exists let me know where I can find it.
I also emailed support a few days before starting this post and I still haven't heard from them. I'll cut some slack here since this is a free program but I would expect better if I buy the Pro version.
In short, I haven't removed Avast! yet. I'm still giving you a chance. If you can resolve these problems I will be very happy and very inclined to go Pro. If I find myself running around in circles and getting nowhere then I'll have to give AVG a try.
Thanks for your help. I appreciate that there is someone out there to help that really tries. My biggest gripe with CA was that their tech support clearly did not read the questions you asked and just shoved out standard replies. If they want to charge for their program they have to do better than that. It seems that here I at least have you guys and that's a good thing.
Thanks!
