New Avast! Version Available - Do I Dare?

[NoelC]

Last update didn't go so well...

Anyone done it yet?  If you have, did it make hash out of your OS or did it work?

Should I just go ahead and do a full remove and install, then re-do all my configuration options?  That seems to be the norm lately.  Sure would be nice not to have to do that.

Off to my virtual machines to give it a try.

-Noel

[Undead-Divine-Assassin]

No.

Wait a few weeks until the carefree early adopters have done so successfully or not. Why gamble?

[thekochs]

I have a lot of W7 64bit machines and did one non-critical (don't care if it blows up PC) just to look/correlate things to posts.
.....but not about to do the rest of the machines for probably a code turn past this one or two.  I'm still on Avast8 for other PCs.

FYI....you can save your Avast8 settings/config and restore them to Avast9.
With that said, I'd sure write them down anyway.

Also, as you said.....seems the clear winner/bet is to do a clean install: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=143284.0
I'm sure there a tons of folks that are just fine on the GUI but reading the Forum this is the #1 advice to any issues....so why not start there IHMO.

Also, I'm trying to figure out by my reading what I do and don't use in the Custom Install.
Also, what other tweaks do I need to do even after this Custom (lite) install.
For me I really only want/need the shields and not sure if any of the Tools.

[NoelC]

Likewise I don't need any tools, though the Software Update checker is a nice reminder.  I can turn off the many self-updaters and just have this watch for updates.

Thing is, it will likely be tough to tell whether people on the forum in general are having an exceptional amount of trouble...

• The rabid aficionados will no doubt get it to work perfectly right away.
• There's almost no chance it will work perfectly for everyone.  There will always be general public who will have problems and post here about how it broke their systems.
  

I did get it installed as a simple upgrade without incident in one of my Windows 8.1 virtual machines, and as expected it required a reboot.  Looks like it works well enough there afterward.  That's more like the Avast! we used to know - simple, trouble-free.

-Noel

[thekochs]

I'm not giving up on them yet....but I also don't believe 200M people have converted to Avast9 and only 10s or 100+ posters on this Forum are having issues that they should not.  To me, it is not number of posts that trouble me....go look at AVG or any software Forums.....tons of posts, tons of ticked people.  What bothers me here is the types of recurring issues that are the same.  An example, tons of posts on aswRvrt.sys during boot locks machine and you can't even get to Safe mode.  The blame goes out that Windows updates went wrong but don't think personally it is coindence the last loaded driver is Avast.  My guess is that as a more intrusive A/V version (Avast9 vs Avast8) that Avast9 is hanging systems on these updates and the Windows install is now corrupt......I have no proof of that only conjecture. Essexboy helps many with FRST to basically blow away Avast but many have to re-install their O/S.........these type things scare me to death.  I went thru the AVG8 to AVG9 change that almost mirrors this effort. It was a HUGE re-write and they thru in other software "tools".  They literally bricked thousands of PCs overnight and many folsk never could recover.  Avast has missed that horrific bullet and I know the Avast Team is working hard on BETAs, etc......but I'm what I believe one of the many in wait-and-see mode.

Bottom line.....IMHO.....Avast8 still works great and why jump into the deep end of the pool when a little patience may prove to avoid a lot of pain.

[digmor crusher]

Installed latest version overtop, no problems. I would think that if previous version works ok on your computer that new version should as well, software is the same right?

[Cast]

Sure if the software itself stays the same but in .2011 the webshield was changed for Windows 7 & 8.

[irongod]

   ... With WinXP SP3 ... I finally did not have any particular issue since v2011 (currently the only problem I have is some random BSOD when enterng SafeZone! not too bad!) ... nevertheless I had to modify other things on the machine to make AIS v9 not cause me issues that made the PC unusable! I feel the code is getting finally mature (we are approaching February ... usual Avast release date, before commercially decided to squeeze it to October!  )

Remember you can always do the trick with WebShield.ini to basically restore v8 behaviour... it seems to work!


I am preparing another topic explaining what I had to modify on the machine to make AIS v9 (but it applies to all the versions, I feel) run without freezing every other mouse click ... maybe it will help someone of the guys that have still issues... 

[NoelC]

So far I haven't had a problem with 2014.9.0.2013 on my test systems after just applying the update (with MVPS hosts file in place).  That's good.

While there's an aptly named Emergency Updater scheduled in the Task Scheduler, I don't see any GUID-named application in the startup Run keys (e.g., via Autoruns) yet.

-Noel

[thekochs]

  ... With WinXP SP3 ... I finally did not have any particular issue since v2011 (currently the only problem I have is some random BSOD when enterng SafeZone! not too bad!) ... nevertheless I had to modify other things on the machine to make AIS v9 not cause me issues that made the PC unusable! I feel the code is getting finally mature (we are approaching February ... usual Avast release date, before commercially decided to squeeze it to October!  )

Remember you can always do the trick with WebShield.ini to basically restore v8 behaviour... it seems to work!


I am preparing another topic explaining what I had to modify on the machine to make AIS v9 (but it applies to all the versions, I feel) run without freezing every other mouse click ... maybe it will help someone of the guys that have still issues... 

Can you post those tips/tricks to this thread ? : http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=143284.0
It's a How-To thread.

[bob3160]

It always amazes me how a few folks who have a problem always try to scare the majority.
The majority of users. myself included, have no problems at all with the latest update and,
had no problems with almost all of the updates that have been  done in the past 10 years
that I've been using avast!.
The only problem I had was related to another program, not avast! which is currently being addressed.
The new version always protect you better than old versions even if the older versions are receiving VPS updates.
For that reason, I always use the latest version.
Just because my body gets older, doesn't mean my software has to.

[thekochs]

It always amazes me how a few folks who have a problem always try to scare the majority.

It also amazes me how dismissive people are that there are problems.
I am not saying that there aren't folks that work well......but unlike the folks commenting in the forums I am not dismissive there are problems.
The same logic should apply that while some people don't have problems that some people do.
So, the real question......instead of this BS argument.......becomes how significant are those issues ?
So, it becomes each person's opinion of the risk versus reward.
Just read the Forum posts and judge.....I am.
The standard answers are: "do a clean install", do FRST to remove Avast.
So, the poster asked if they dare....my opinion.....yes, my opinion, is to wait and see....I'm also not alone on this opinion.
Avast9 is not just a "tweak" by Avast Team own admission it is a big rewrite added with a lot of new software/tools.
It has gotten better but IMHO it still offers a lot of risk......perhaps a turn or two it will be more solid.
Giving the answer that all is well because 200M people have jumped off the bridge and only few insignificant people post problems that are not issues is a dismissive comment........pure and simple.

The new version always protect you better than old versions even if the older versions are receiving VPS updates.

This is also not necessarily ture.
Not comparing Avast to others but Avast8 to Avast 9......Avast 8 was ranked higher in protection.
Avast8: http://www.av-test.org/no_cache/en/tests/test-reports/?tx_avtestreports_pi1%5Breport_no%5D=133160
Avast9: http://www.av-test.org/no_cache/en/tests/test-reports/?tx_avtestreports_pi1%5Breport_no%5D=134923

[bob3160]

Just read the Forum posts and judge.....I am.

I probably spend a lot more time on this forum than you.
You also forget that Avast protects over 200 Million users and,
Most users never come to this forum at all since they have no need to do so.
Most users that come to this forum have some sort of problem or question or they would not have
come here in the first place.

[thekochs]

You also forget that Avast protects over 200 Million users and,

OK....show me the breakout of this 200M people of Avast8 vs Avast9.....I'll bet you they are mostly Avast8.

.....and again...the argument is not how many people are OK...the question is what is the risk of the issues for the people that do have issue.
I'm sure the folks that are having to re-install their O/S aren't going to agree with you how happy they are about all the people that are OK.
It is not relevant how many people are OK...what is relevant is the impact of the errors that are seen.

[bob3160]

You also forget that Avast protects over 200 Million users and,

OK....show me the breakout of this 200M people of Avast8 vs Avast9.....I'll bet you they are mostly Avast8.

.....and again...the argument is not how many people are OK...the question is what is the risk of the issues of people that do not.
I'm sure the folks that are having to re-install their O/S aren't going to agree with you how happy they are about all the people that are OK.

There isn't any argument. I've given you the facts which you obviously don't seem to like or agree with.
You may continue this discussion on your own.