I can no longer get Avast to work on my Windows 7 laptop (please help)

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So... I've been having A LOT of problems with my Windows 7 laptop. All revolving around x64 Windows Updates that SERIOUSLY screwed up my laptop. Even though I've done updates like that in the past and they worked fine.

The taskbar (start button, etc.) wouldn't respond at all. System Restore didn't work. I had to use msconfig to disable everything but Windows stuff and then re-enable it for it to work again. Until another update caused the exact same problem. I got it to work again but Avast won't turn on at all or work now to protect my Windows 7 laptop. I even tried turning it on through msconfig. It still won't turn on.

I called the U.S. Avast Technical Support phone number and they said a level 2 technician would have to solve A LOT of problems with my laptop in order to get it to work again. I don't have the money for that. Sorry.

I'm just trying to confirm with this forum if this is correct and if I'm pretty much screwed. It's a little too late now because, right now, I no longer have my laptop as it is at Best Buy for them to do a backup of all of my files on my hard drive.

I'm pretty much preparing to do a "Restore to Factory Settings" for my laptop in order to fix this problem.

Am I really going to have to do this? Or can anyone here tell me what I can do to fix Avast on my Windows 7 laptop?

I'd really appreciate any help with this.

Thank you.

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"I called the U.S. Avast Technical Support phone number and they said a level 2 technician would have to solve A LOT of problems with my laptop in order to get it to work again. I don't have the money for that. Sorry."

That's a scam... don't ever give them money for anything.

Just uninstall and reinstall avast.

"It's a little too late now because, right now, I no longer have my laptop as it is at Best Buy for them to do a backup of all of my files on my hard drive."
You can do that yourself.  Just move all your personal files over to a thumb drive or backup drive.

If you do a restore to factory settings it's really not a big deal unless you have a lot of programs installed?

Also you can read through this thread and see if there is a solution to your issue:
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=160717.0

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I assume you CAN boot into Windows ?
If so, instead of doing a "Restore To Factory Defaults"...............I would do a in-system upgrade.
This is not a "upgrade" but instead reloads the O/S.
This is a good/thorough link on how-to.
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/how-tos/how_repair_faulty_windows_installation_without_reformatting
Possibly even better complete How-To.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/243190/how_to_repair_a_corrupt_windows_7_installation.html
I'd try this prior to restoring to factory status.
If you don't have you can get the O/S ISO image from: http://www.heidoc.net/joomla/technology-science/microsoft/14-windows-7-direct-download-links

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How would I go about uninstalling and re-installing?

Through the program itself? Or would I have to do it through the control panel for "Uninstall programs" and then reinstall it by re-downloading it from the avast website?

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How would I go about uninstalling and re-installing?

Through the program itself? Or would I have to do it through the control panel for "Uninstall programs" and then reinstall it by re-downloading it from the avast website?

Take a look at my signature.....it has link by @bob3160 on how to do a clean un-reinstall of Avast.

My reply (#2) was on how to re-install the O/S safely.
The link I gave was an ISO to burn a DVD that is a O/S disc image.....you just have to choose the correct link....just scroll down to them.
The other links are articles on the steps to re-install O/S.
If cleanly un-re-installing Avast is the only issue then that is great......but I thought you were going to do a factory reset because of O/S issues.....I must have mis-understood.

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So do I just get the avast uninstall utility, run that, then reinstall with with a regular download from the avast website?

Also... I can't do your first link in your previous post because I don't have a Windows 7 Installation disc an the second link you posted pretty much confuses me. Sorry.

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So do I just get the avast uninstall utility, run that, then reinstall with with a regular download from the avast website?

I would follow the steps as listed by @bob1360 in that link...you are close but over-simplifying in your post.
The steps are important as he has written them out.

Also... I can't do your first link in your previous post because I don't have a Windows 7 Installation disc an the second link you posted pretty much confuses me. Sorry.

If you are not comfortable burning DVD with ISO image, then doing a in-system upgrade (re-installs O/S without losing info) then I would not suggest doing it yourself.......BEST Buy or Geek Squad can do this.  However, if the issue is not the O/S then you do not need to worry about it......I only posted since your first post eluded to the O/S was all mucked up....perhaps you meant the factory reset was to revolve the Avast issue not an lingering O/S one....if so, my fault.

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I probably should have been a little more specific too. So I apologize as well. Sorry.

I could get to my desktop just fine before I ended up taking it to Best Buy. The only problem I was having was with Avast. I was going to do the Restore to Factory Settings to resolve the Avast problem. You are correct.

Okay. I'll have to write all of that down but that I can do. I'll try that. I can't until I get my laptop back but I'll try that as soon as I do.

Thanks for the help.

I respectfully request that this thread isn't closed until I can post again saying if this worked or not. Thank you.

[DavidR]

Threads remain open.

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I probably should have been a little more specific too. So I apologize as well. Sorry.

I could get to my desktop just fine before I ended up taking it to Best Buy. The only problem I was having was with Avast. I was going to do the Restore to Factory Settings to resolve the Avast problem. You are correct.

Okay. I'll have to write all of that down but that I can do. I'll try that. I can't until I get my laptop back but I'll try that as soon as I do.

Thanks for the help.

No problem.......but doing a factory restore to solve an Avast problem is like using dynamite for a tooth ache.
Basically, you want to do a CLEAN un & re-install of Avast.
Before the install you may want to do some research on items you do & don't want included on the install.
Basically, when doing the install use CUSTOM and select only features you want.....some research on this Forum while you wait for your PC to return on what you may or may not want is well worth the time.

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Reporting back.

The clean un/re-install worked. Avast works fine on my Windows 7 laptop now.

As proof, I am posting this from my Windows 7 laptop. 

If this issue persists with more Windows Updates though... I will be forced to do a restore to factory settings.

Luckily, all of my information was indeed on the External HD that Best Buy gave to me. I have put it in a safe location.

So, even if I end up having to do a restore to factory settings to my laptop, I will have all of the stuff that I want to save and keep.

Either way, thank you for all of the help. I really appreciate it.

Thanks again.

P.S.: It goes without saying that I will be avoiding "x64" Windows Updates on my laptop from now on. I'm hoping this doesn't happen with the next Windows Updates that appear. If it does, I will have no alternative but to restore to factory settings.

For now, I'm just hoping for the best.

Thanks again.

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You may want to have a good read here, it looks like you're having the same problems as lots of others...  "Lastest Windows Update Problems", https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=160717.0.

Gordon.

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You may want to have a good read here, it looks like you're having the same problems as lots of others...  "Lastest Windows Update Problems", https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=160717.0.

Gordon.

Well apparently I'm not because everyone else is saying that it's only on Windows 8 and I have Windows 7.

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You may want to have a good read here, it looks like you're having the same problems as lots of others...  "Lastest Windows Update Problems", https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=160717.0.

Gordon.

Well apparently I'm not because everyone else is saying that it's only on Windows 8 and I have Windows 7.

I had problems with W7 update.....but did not suffer too bad results.

Also, now that things are stable you should really think about doing offline backups (images) of your PC.
This safety net is not only good for when things go very wrong with a O/S update but when a HDD physically crashes.
This is known as a bare-metal restore....which meanas you put new HDD in PC and restore your old PC image to it.
Also a mentioned, for a system crash...say O/S update or say Virus that has messed thins up so back you need to go back to previous state.
So, a lot of packages out there (including Windows own backup) but Macrium Reflect FREE is terrific.
http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx
It has a easy recover disk creator within the Macrium software to burn a recovery CD.
So, basically you schedule at night when you are done with PC for Macrium to run and it basically takes image of PC and stores this file (compressed but large) to a connected USB HDD.
Two scenarios to get info back....let's say everything is OK on O/S/PC but something corrupted or deleted data you need.
Just launch Macrium...."open" one of your image files and Macrium will mount the file to look lie a HDD....just copy backup files and good to go.
Other is as we said.....HDD crashes or O/S/PC is mucked up beyond repair.
Just put Macrium Recovery CD (one you'll create once from with Macrium) into CD bay, reboot using CD to boot from.
This recovery CD will walk you thru taking backup image and having it overwrite HDD or to new HDD.....very straight forward. 

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I already have an external HD from Best Buy with all of the information that I wanted it to have.

Besides, I don't have any CDs to burn the size of information you are more than likely talking about.