Author Topic: "Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???  (Read 5244 times)

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Telegraph_Sam

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"Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???
« on: November 07, 2013, 09:28:37 PM »
I have been using Avast Free for a number of years.  Since upgrading to 2014.9.0.2006 I have discovered, almost by accident and with some horror, that when I boot up I am by default no longer protected.  In the past there was no need to check, it switched itself on automatically.  Now I have to remember to click on the system tray icon, bring up the interface open screen which encourages me to upgrade to Pro, click on "Resolve All" (I think that's what it's called) and wait for protection to be restored.  If I overlook this then I suppose I must be unprotected according to the Windows XP Security Centre.

I can't and don't complain in the least that Avast encourages me to upgrade to Pro (it just so happens that I have got the other benefits installed from other sources).  But to use scare tactics to do this is I believe either an oversight, or a bug in my upgrade / system, or a bit disreputable.

Am I a unique case?  How can I resolve the issue?

dprout69

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Re: "Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2013, 09:51:00 PM »
Lol...

Well first the latest version is 2014.9.0.2007... second... if you just installed it then it sounds like you are experiencing one of the problems that was fixed with 2007... third... upgrade to 2007... fourth... many many many many people have had problems with XP and the 2014 so steps one, two and three may be moot... but overall, 2014 is buggy for everyone so dont take it personally

Offline Alikhan

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Re: "Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???
« Reply #2 on: November 07, 2013, 10:27:09 PM »
Lol...

Well first the latest version is 2014.9.0.2007... second... if you just installed it then it sounds like you are experiencing one of the problems that was fixed with 2007... third... upgrade to 2007... fourth... many many many many people have had problems with XP and the 2014 so steps one, two and three may be moot... but overall, 2014 is buggy for everyone so dont take it personally

... It's not buggy for everyone. The majority (200 million plus) haven't complained and the forum is just a small amount of users with problems... Plus, it's a Help and Support forum so people complain about problems and rarely praise.
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Telegraph_Sam

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Re: "Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2013, 10:40:07 PM »
I have updated my version to 2007 and rebooted as instructed.  Same scenario as before from what I can tell.  May be it will take a few more reboots to sort itself out?
Accepting that forums are more likely to be populated with folk like me with concerns to air (and seek help with) rather than the lucky 199.9 mill for whom everything is sweetness & light. 

Offline Alikhan

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Re: "Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???
« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2013, 10:42:21 PM »
I have updated my version to 2007 and rebooted as instructed.  Same scenario as before from what I can tell.  May be it will take a few more reboots to sort itself out?
Accepting that forums are more likely to be populated with folk like me with concerns to air (and seek help with) rather than the lucky 199.9 mill for whom everything is sweetness & light.

There are bugs with Avast 2014 and XP so until they are fixed you can stay with this is OR revert back to v8...

You can go back to Avast 8.0.1497 but I'd rather want the issue to be resolved...

Anyways...

1. Download the right aswclear and the appropriate program

Avast 8.0.1497 : http://www.filehippo.com/download_avast_antivirus/download/0c203d8e8244458c5da81998eb76f523/

v8 and below : http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility
v9: http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avastclear.exe

2. Uninstall Avast by control panel  [If you don't have Avast in control Panel go to #4]
3. Uninstall in safe mode using aswclear (v8 or below) or avastclear (v9) [If you don't have Avast in control Panel just install it]
4. Download and install your version
5. Reboot.

Note : Once installed make sure you change program update TO MANUAL.
Windows 10 Home 64-bit • Avast Free (latest stable version) •  Malwarebytes 4 Premium (On-Demand) • Windows Firewall Control • Google Chrome • LastPass • CCleaner • O&O ShutUp10 •

Telegraph_Sam

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Re: "Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2013, 10:51:26 PM »
If I can take from what you say that the problem has been recognized in high quarters, and that people are working on a fix, then my inclination is to continue with what I've got, remembering to "Resolve All" at the start of each session, in the hope that the fix won't require endless patience before it turns up.

Offline DavidR

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Re: "Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???
« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2013, 10:58:47 PM »
Well I have XP Pro and no such problem.

What you are experiencing certainly isn't the norm.
I would suggest that you do a clean install of avast 9.0.2007 (not take a step back):
- Download the latest version of avast, 9.0.2007 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, avastclear.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 (as appears to be the case) 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), Select the avast product it is you want to uninstall from the dropdown list (see image, click to expand), once complete reboot into normal mode.
  • 3. install the latest version, reboot.

Note: The default install location for avast is C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast.
Programs & Features, Uninstall/Change
Note 2. save the copy of avastclear.exe so it can be reused as some users are reporting that after running it, it is self-deleting.

EDIT: modified instructions to reflect new avastclear.exe, as it caters for product removal, so no multiple version specific removal required.
« Last Edit: November 09, 2013, 12:44:06 AM by DavidR »
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dprout69

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Re: "Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???
« Reply #7 on: November 07, 2013, 11:35:26 PM »
Lol...

Well first the latest version is 2014.9.0.2007... second... if you just installed it then it sounds like you are experiencing one of the problems that was fixed with 2007... third... upgrade to 2007... fourth... many many many many people have had problems with XP and the 2014 so steps one, two and three may be moot... but overall, 2014 is buggy for everyone so dont take it personally

... It's not buggy for everyone. The majority (200 million plus) haven't complained and the forum is just a small amount of users with problems... Plus, it's a Help and Support forum so people complain about problems and rarely praise.

I'm not going to hijack this person's thread but I will say this... 200 million people have not updated yet... dont even know there's an update available because the program doesnt notify them unless they happen to be one of the few who clicks on the update page and even if they did see it they haven't done so because they are not savvy users that like to keep their computers updated.  The update was launched two weeks ago and erupted with tons of threads from newbies who have never had a problem and experienced users alike.  Those same threads were then viewed by thousands of people, who are not casually strolling the forum because it's just great and what a better way to spend an evening.  I personally have never had a reason to come on here until this release so your characterization of the majority having no problem is completely flawed.  This release is buggy and even tho mine is functional I can personally list about a dozen small glitches... which is nothing in comparison to the multitude of XP users having problems.   

Offline Vladimyr

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Re: "Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???
« Reply #8 on: November 08, 2013, 12:21:31 PM »
Hmmm. If "200 million people have not updated yet" - just who is reporting these problems?  ;D

Seriously.
Lots of people are reporting problems, True.
Lots of people aren't having problems. Very Likely
Of the 25 or so avast! users I am in regular contact with, none have experienced any serious problems with 9.0.2007.
I will say though, that on my advice, none of them installed 9.0.2006. (We waited.)
And the only problem so far has been with XP SP3- taking 2 or 3 reboots before a number of tray icons (including avast's) spring to life at startup.
There is a way that seems right to a man,
       but in the end it leads to death
.” - Proverbs 16:25

Undead-Divine-Assassin

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Re: "Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???
« Reply #9 on: November 08, 2013, 02:00:06 PM »


There are bugs with Avast 2014 and XP so until they are fixed you can stay with this is OR revert back to v8...

You can go back to Avast 8.0.1497 but I'd rather want the issue to be resolved...

Anyways...

1. Download the right aswclear and the appropriate program

Avast 8.0.1497 : http://www.filehippo.com/download_avast_antivirus/download/0c203d8e8244458c5da81998eb76f523/

v8 and below : http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility
v9: http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avastclear.exe

2. Uninstall Avast by control panel  [If you don't have Avast in control Panel go to #4]
3. Uninstall in safe mode using aswclear (v8 or below) or avastclear (v9) [If you don't have Avast in control Panel just install it]
4. Download and install your version
5. Reboot.

Note : Once installed make sure you change program update TO MANUAL.



Are you sure those AVAST uninstall tool links are correct as both the downloads for v.8 and v.9 have the same file version shown 9.0.2007.172?

The older AVAST uninstall tool I have, downloaded from a link in another thread a few weeks ago, is shown as 9.0.2006.159.
« Last Edit: November 08, 2013, 02:04:14 PM by Cluster-Lizard »

Offline DavidR

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Re: "Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???
« Reply #10 on: November 08, 2013, 02:36:19 PM »
Essentially there is only one version, or there would be two versions on the http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility page, not one, avastclear.exe, which was introduced for the new version. Otherwise if it only had the uninstall for avast 9 there would need to be somewhere to get the old aswclear.exe.
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Telegraph_Sam

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Re: "Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???
« Reply #11 on: November 08, 2013, 11:49:29 PM »
Having kicked off this particular thread and as a result upgraded to 2014.9.0.2007, I was on the point of following the advice and uninstalling what I've got (in Safe Mode) and reinstalling (not in Safe Mode).  Now in view of the uncertainty (??) over 1. which uninstaller to use**, and 2. whether what is currently on offer is bug-free, I'm undecided.   Might it be a better idea to discipline myself to check and if necessary "resolve all" each time I boot up, and only make any changes once the dust has settled, the bugs are gone and the air is clear?
Otherwise I'm all set up with the downloads and ready to go!
I've just checked: Avast Free does figure in Control Panel Add / Remove Progs. Is there any reason to use / not use the unstaller download instead of the Control Panel? Might save the slight hassle with Safe Mode?

Offline DavidR

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Re: "Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???
« Reply #12 on: November 08, 2013, 11:56:33 PM »
Basically use the clean reinstall method, following the steps outlined in my previous post, Reply #6 above.

Doing it this way and in this order saves both time and possible hassle. If you were just to use the regular add remove programs, reboot and reinstall, since you have a pre-existing problem you might well still have another problem. Then you would be forced to d the full clean reinstall routine.

It is essential to also run the uninstall utility for the avast version prior to installing avast 9 (as outlined in Reply #6). That way hopefully you will only do this once.
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Telegraph_Sam

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Re: "Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???
« Reply #13 on: November 09, 2013, 12:05:04 AM »
Will do, assuming you are not advocating waiting till later.  I happened to see that this topic had come up in another thread and there the advice seemed to be to both uninstall and reinstall in Safe Mode if I understood correctly.  I suppose you would disagree? Do I go "safe" before running the uninstall exe?

Offline DavidR

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Re: "Covert" withdrawal of protection in 2014???
« Reply #14 on: November 09, 2013, 12:11:56 AM »
Any instruction I have ever given does not state to install avast from safe mode, that is only required to enable the uninstall utility to run, if you haven't been able to fully remove avast in normal mode.

The new uninstall utility will if you run it in normal mode ask to run in safe mode, answer yes and it will also handle the boot into safe mode. This information is in my Reply #6 above
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security