PC always freezes up while Avast sends updates

[JanetA123]

Please help! I've been using free Avast for about a year and I  really appreciate it for being Free BUT, my PC always freezes up while Avast sends updates.  It took me a while before I caught on, but there's no doubt in my mind now that this is the cause. Any suggestions?

[Aventador]

What other security are you running? What is your OS? Are you on dial up on high speed internet?

[Simion]

Also, amount of RAM installed and how long this has been happening. Which numeric version of Avast?

[JanetA123]

Thanks Aventador and Simion for your replies. I'm a Newbie and don't know the answers to your questions, I'd have to look them up. But, no worry, today when I visited the forum and tried to find which thread I was in yesterday, I accidently found similar questions to mine and many replies.  Good to know I'm not alone in this query. BTW I found these related q&a's in ""Child Boards - Beta- Discussion about new beta
Moderators: igor, pavels, lukor, lukas.hasik""  Thanks Again 

[Simion]

You're welcome. The beta board is for posting issues with a pre-release (beta) version of Avast. Normally, any issues found would be resolved before the products final release and would therefore not affect you. Were you able to resolve your issue with the information you found?

[JanetA123]

Well, I read all of the Q&A's in that thread but all I gathered is that I'm not alone with that question.  Except most of the users are dial-ups and I'm on fast internet cable, so I didn't totaly relate.  To answer your question  LOL, no I didn't find an answer, I just know now that Avast takes 5 - 10 mins. whenever it sends an update, slows everything down or even freezes, finally it sends that window saying it just updated. Like the others, I wish it would show some sign on screen to let the user know what its doing so the user won't start ctrl/alt/del trying to get the system to respond. Such a waste of time.  For now I'll just live with it.  Any help would be welcomed.  I'm using Windows XP. BTW I changed my on screen name to JanetsQueSera.  Thanks for hearing me out 

[Simion]

Well, I'm also on XP with high speed internet but my Avast updates are unnoticeable and take < 1 minute. Perhaps if you answer Aventador's and my initial questions we could help you find a solution, or at least a cause.

[JanetA123]

Thanks so much for your patience with me Aventador. I think I found the answers to your initial questions. My OS and Avast info is the following;
Microsoft Windows XP, Home Edition, Version 2002, Service Pack 3, Pentium(R) 4 CPU  3.06GHz 3.06GHz, 496 MB of RAM.   avast! Free Antivirus   Program version: 8.0.1489  Virus definitions version: 130609-1  Number of definitions: 4.666.933.  I use fast Internet from my cable provider.  More than a year ago AOL had McAfee running but I discontinued that so I could use Avast. Let me know if you need any other info.

[JanetA123]

I'm sorry --- I called you Aventador    I meant Simion

[Aventador]

Thanks so much for your patience with me Aventador. I think I found the answers to your initial questions. My OS and Avast info is the following;
Microsoft Windows XP, Home Edition, Version 2002, Service Pack 3, Pentium(R) 4 CPU  3.06GHz 3.06GHz, 496 MB of RAM.   avast! Free Antivirus   Program version: 8.0.1489  Virus definitions version: 130609-1  Number of definitions: 4.666.933.  I use fast Internet from my cable provider.  More than a year ago AOL had McAfee running but I discontinued that so I could use Avast. Let me know if you need any other info.

Wow...............Your system is severally old and out dated. Your pc is around 10 years old if not more. 4GB of ram is standard now a days. Never mind only having 500MB of ram. You can upgrade your ram for cheap but considering you processor speed you wouldn't gain much.

[iroc9555]

I would increase your RAM at least to 1GB. Meanwhile you can make sure you do not have any McAfee renmamts in your system. Apply MCPR.exe from here: http://mcafee-removal-tool.com/ and reboot your system. Then repair Avast! just in case.

How to repair Avast!
Start > Control panel > Add & Remove programs > select avast! and click " Change/Remove ". Look for " Repair " > Next. Reboot when finnished.

[Aventador]

Here is great place to find the right ram for your pc. Remember that by the years end Microsoft is shutting of support for XP. So you might want to start budgeting yourself into a new pc. You can get a brand new laptop for under $400 off Amazon.

http://www.crucial.com/

[iroc9555]

...Remember that by the years end Microsoft is shutting of support for XP...

Precisely support ends April 8, 2014. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/endofsupport.aspx 
   
 

[Simion]

Thanks for posting your system information, JanetsQueSera. You did a fine job.

As already mentioned you do need more RAM, and crucial.com is a reliable and trusted source for this. While it is true that Microsoft will be ending official support for XP next year, there are many satisfied XP users like myself who will continue to use it. This "XP underground community" will provide the necessary tools, updates and service packs to keep your system safe online. Heck, I still use a Win 98 system online with very few issues, none of which are security related. If you choose to install your new RAM yourself (it's easy with a desktop) there's a good tutorial with video HERE. Good luck!

[Simion]

You can upgrade your ram for cheap but considering you processor speed you wouldn't gain much.

What's wrong with the processor speed? A 3.06 Ghz processor is quite adequate for Win 8, let alone for Win XP. Stop spreading FUD!