The C:\Program File places you gave me, one is a note pad with a bunch of words, and the other does take me to the simple interface, but I can not keep the skin from there.
This is what I found:
Going to "About Avast", there are listings of what is installed,
Under: "Avast Version 4.6 Home Edition" expanded, the "Using ActiveSkin Version 4.2.7.3" has a yellow circle with a 1/2 blue triangle over it.
Under: "Copyright 1988-2005, Alwil Software" expanded, the "ActiveSkin Copyright Softshape Development 2001-2002", also has a yellow circle with a 1/2 blue triangle over it.
I am assuming that these two things are either not installed or they are blocked for some reason.
HELP!