Yes, I think I learned how to do that once, as per instructions I received for removing something else a long time ago lukor.
So I just go to regedit>Edit> Permission? Under Permission for Administrators I see that Allow is checked for Full Control and Read. Under Advanced I see both SYSTEM and Administrators defined as Full Control, although SYSTEM is listed at the top and highlighted.
The text to the right saying "This key and subkeys" tends to indicate that you have to have the exact permission you want to use highlighted for each deletion, is that correct?
Polonus posted http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=14363.0 about this. In short,
1. Open a command prompt (Start>Run>cmd) and type at HH:MM /interactive cmd.exe (HH:MM should be 2 minutes ahead of the current system time in 24H format).
2. At the time you typed above, the new svchost.exe command prompt will appear, through which you can run programs of your choice with SYSTEM account right. Type regedit to start registry editor on XP, of course.
Still having problems, even though the other night no Avast showed up with regedit>Edit>Find>Avast searches after managing to delete one key.
I played with the permission settings in regedit, and managed to get it set so I could remove one more of the Avast entries, but the rest won't remove.
This has got to be the most annoying program I've ever seen. To make matters worse, I'm still having net connection problems sporadically.
I tried your suggested HH:MM trick, and all I got was the black command prompt screen flashing instantly.
I guess I'll just format and reinstall, I have a lot of videos I made I'd like to save to disc first though, but I don't know if I can figure out how to do that. All I have are regular CD-R discs, and I don't even know if they'll store video data.
The videos have all been hosted via either a free hosting service I use, or a friend though, so I don't know if I should really be worried about it, as I can probably recover them there if needed, just a lot of more annoying downloading that's all.
I'm thinking I should probably format before I get too much more installed on my system though, as right now there's not terribly too much to reinstall.
I really can't see how anyone could possibly put up with a program that first limits access to the net, then leaves crap all over the registry you can't even remove, not to mention the tech guy emailing me back offering nothing other than a feeble apology.
I'm swearing off Avast, or any Alwil products for good, and I thoroughly resent the so called advice given by the guy that recommended it in the first place.