AVAST FREEZES

[24008943]

Hi , my grandaughter has the free Avast version on her laptop (Win 8 ) after my recommendation ,it has been ok until now.
When doing a scan it gets to approx 25%-35% then freezes and is unresponsive , have tried the " repair" option but it still freezes , will i have to re-install the prog or is there a simple fix please , have done the updates ,etc, ?
My paid for Avast works like a dream on my PC (Win though.

[DavidR]

Have (or did) you another Anti-Virus installed in this system, if so what was it and how did you get rid of it ?

When you are doing a scan, if it isn't scheduled to run when the computer isn't very active, avast will still have to scan activity on your system as well as the on-demand scan.

Do you have any other security based software installed, such as an anti-spy/malware ?

How much RAM and what CPU on this laptop ?

[24008943]

Hi, thanks for the reply.
There is no other security prog on it , the Windows Defender prog was disabled as soon has she bought the laptop prior to Avast being installed ( it was disabled  after being advised by another person who was trying to be helpful) ,am unsure of the RAM and CPU at the moment.
Should she try a re-install maybe ?.....we are both not " up to speed " in computers as yet so apologies .

[Para-Noid]

Download and save avast clear
Download and save Avast Free

Run avast clear from above. You will be asked to reboot into safe mode...click "yes".
Reboot.
Install Avast Free from above.
Reboot and register.

Note: You may want to backup any personal settings. GUI>Settings>General>scroll down to "backup settings".

[DavidR]

I'm not familiar with win8 and how much in the way of resources it uses/requires. On my win7 system if I look in Control Panel > System, that shows me Operating System, Processor (CPU) its speed (in Giga Hertz, GHz) and Installed Memory (RAM). If you can find that in win8, hopefully it will be in a similar location.

Laptops are commonly Low CPU power to save battery life and RAM is frequently the minimum (for cost) 4GB.

Many new laptops come with a pre-installed anti-virus - if only windows defender (WD), then when you install avast windows should disable WD.

What type of scan is it that you are running and how much data is on the disk to be scanned ?

Personally I would wait on any reinstall option, as on-demand scans aren't that important on a resident on-access scanner like avast. For the most part files scanned during an on-demand would be dormant or archive files, etc. that would be scanned by avast if they were active.

[24008943]

Thanks again for the advice postings ,much appreciated.
The scan was the "Smart scan" for all the files.etc.
Will have a look into CPU,etc,when i next visit her , so i will indeed hold fire on a re-instal as you advise.

 (As to you not using Win8 i do not blame you, i was on WinXP before which was just the job, but this Win8 system is a nightmare, at least it is to me, cannot wait until the Win10 is introduced soon as it must be loads better.)

[DavidR]

You're welcome.

The Smart Scan has several elements to it, a combination of all of the scans, plus Network Security scan (I don't have a network established, GrimeFighter if you have it installed, so it is very likely to take some time.

It is possible one of these elements is hanging up and I think that may The GrimeFighter part - I did a custom install of avast and in the Tools section basically I uncheck everything other than the avast Shields and the Software Updater.

My last Smart Scan, I'm just running it now and all it is looking for is Viruses & Malware and Software Updater and it took 28 seconds and only scanned 252.7MB.

Generally I don't bother with on-demand scans, only in instances like this to confirm it is running.
- With a resident on-access antivirus like avast, the need for frequent on-demand scans is much depreciated. For the most part the on-demand scan is going to be scanning files that would be otherwise be dormant or inert. If they were active files then the on-access file system shield would be scanning them before being created, modified, opened or executed.

I used to have avast set to do a scheduled weekly Quick scan, set at a time and day that I know the computer will be on and not busy. But I have now abandoned that also.

[bob3160]

It doesn't scan all you files but only selected folders and files.
Like David, I do very few actual scans. Usually only when Avast releases a brand new Major version (last year when Avast 2015 was released.)
Anything new or changes gets re-scanned automatically. 

[DavidR]

Interestingly the Quick Scan is more detailed in the viruses and malware scanning, it had a Run-time of 3 minute(s), 3 second(s).

[REDACTED]

Regularly. Way too many probs with Avast as far as I'm concerned, I'll stick to Trend Micro

[bob3160]

Regularly. Way too many probs with Avast as far as I'm concerned, I'll stick to Trend Micro

11 years of excellent protection for Free.
I want to see you get that from Trend Micro.
(Strange that your 1st post is made to advertise another AV )

[REDACTED]

i was on WinXP before which was just the job, but this Win8 system is a nightmare, at least it is to me, cannot wait until the Win10 is introduced soon as it must be loads better.)

Hi!

I was on WinXP, too and on Win7, before I got a laptop with Win8. Before that I hated machines with 'Win8 pro'. So I thought: would be nice to 'downgrade' the laptop to Win7.
But first of all I started a 'Win8-update-search' and the system found about 120 updates, that had to be installed. I did it and after that came the 'upgrade' with service pack 1. I installed again without any issue and the system shows 'Win8.1 pro'!
After that I downloaded the handbook of Win8 and had long studies. Now I'm glad about my 'remodelling', so that the 'Win8.1'-laptop looks like a Win7-laptop.
I'll only use Win10, if none of my machines will work.
 
HDW

[bob3160]

Thanks again for the advice postings ,much appreciated.
The scan was the "Smart scan" for all the files.etc.
Will have a look into CPU,etc,when i next visit her , so i will indeed hold fire on a re-instal as you advise.

 (As to you not using Win8 i do not blame you, i was on WinXP before which was just the job, but this Win8 system is a nightmare, at least it is to me, cannot wait until the Win10 is introduced soon as it must be loads better.)

Maybe looking at the many suggestions about using Windows 8 in the following Forum Thread will make your experience something to enjoy.
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=85094.0
The main difference between windows 8.1 and Windows 10 is the return of a start menu.
You can have that right now in Windows 8 by installing ClassicShell

[REDACTED]

Thanks, Bob, for that link.
 
HDW

[bob3160]

Thanks, Bob, for that link.
 
HDW

My pleasure.