Avast Authors - I Have An Idea That Will Save A Lot of People A Lot of Trouble

[NoelC]

Next update, consider packaging up your clean uninstaller and fully remove any existing Avast! software, then install the newest version afresh.

An awful lot of folks appear to be having to do this manually.

Of course that assumes you've got whatever problem is causing your updater to botch up installations fixed.

-Noel

[Para-Noid]

What about custom installs?

Your suggestion could prove more trouble than it's worth.
Adding code with each update and each version, Free, Pro, AIS and Premier,
could be a daunting task indeed. Not to mention avast becoming bloatware.

No, keep it as is. It isn't that difficult to download the program and the uninstaller. 
In fact I prefer it as it is. Before I do a clean install I always download the uninstaller.

What about those who want to just uninstall without re-installing?
Some users do this for testing purposes. Then at a later date re-install avast.

[NoelC]

Not sure that makes sense in light of the fact that people who otherwise manage their computers well seem to have to be going through uninstall/reinstall cycles.  I'm not sure just ignoring the fact that there have been screw-ups in the updater implementation is reasonable.

They could offer a "complete uninstall" checkbox option that's not checked by default if that would be less intrusive. 

That would be better than having to a) become disgusted with the product and just stop using it or b) take the time to sign up here and become an Avast expert just to be able to get the product to work again.

-Noel

[chris..]

Ok for simple update inside the same version but it will not luxury each big change.

As I could say about my 3 pcs I was forced to do a clean install on each for v7 to v8 . It was not good enough to fix the new problems for v8 to v9.
It was not just little issue , when people have their computer near useless due to avast , do you think they have to remain happy ?


However you're right Para-Noid , never new  issues inside same version (2006 -> 2007 -> 2008 -> 2011)

That would be better than having to a) become disgusted with the product and just stop using it or b) take the time to sign up here and become an Avast expert just to be able to get the product to work again.

+1 and evangelist guys maybe do not realize the real impact that represent for newbe users

   

[NoelC]

That's just the thing, that's exactly what I did have - a problem with the updater in the same version (2014).  Mine was a new Windows 8.1 install, fresh from DVD (not an upgrade), and a fresh Avast 2014 install.

At some point - I'm not quite sure when - it became incapable of remembering settings changes.  Clearly their updater  twisted up the setup when upgrading from an earlier 2014 version to the one I had day before yesterday.

I run a tight ship here.  Nothing happens on this system I don't know about and I get to the bottom of any problems.  I suspect the problems may have been brought about because I use another security setup (mvps hosts file to block parasite web sites), and somehow that now bothers Avast (which it never has before).

I had to go through an uninstall and reinstall process to get Avast! working again.  It would have saved me literally hours of time and I'd never have had to come here if I'd had an "Extra Thorough Uninstall Including Settings Removal" option available during the first uninstall.

-Noel

[Para-Noid]

@ chris05   Each avast evangelist was a newbie at one point. And we know where a newbie is coming from.

@ NoelC    Your issue was ultimately resolved after avast realized what was happening.
                 Another user found something I didn't know at the time and was fixed.
                 Also as a tech you should know about "Murphy's Laws". avast is not immune to them.
                 Neither is Microsoft, Apple, Google, Firefox, I could go on but you get the picture.

[propheticus]

Even an uninstall, cleanup and re-install of the same version (9.0.2011) but then with more options enabled (trying the firewall again) caused issues here! I had to use avastclear again and reinstall a second time before everything was working again. My pc would boot, but the keyboard was not functional. I could not even start the on screen keyboard to login (seemed blocked from loading). A lot of disk activity was happening but after this had seized (I thought it might be a boot time scan) I could still do nothing. Even shutting down took ages. So I had to reboot and go into safe mode to run avastclear again, reboot and re-install (with right-click -> "run as admin" because otherwise Aswndisflt.sys drivers could not be installed).


Long story short, it does not seem to matter if you move from version 8 to 9 or upgrade within v9. Even when re-installing the exact same version, things go haywire.