BSODs on XP due to Avast driver aswStmXP.sys

[rocksteady]

Note since my post above, I have rolled back from Avast 18.8 to 18.5.2342 on XP SP3 to overcome CPU load issues. I believe I am not alone in doing that.
I boot XP on few occasions to keep Avast virus defs up-to-date. I have not had any BSOD's, but XP is only running for a short time.

For a source of 18.5.2342, see here:
https://www.filepuma.com/download/avast_free_antivirus_18.5.2342-19226/

[glnz]

rocksteady - if I uninstall my Avast 18.8 and install your 18.5.2342, will it nevertheless get definitions updates?  How do I make it stop prompting me to upgrade its version?
By the way, since my reboot since yesterday's BSOD, Avast has been using 50% of CPU for almost 24 hours now.

[DavidR]

rocksteady - if I uninstall my Avast 18.8 and install your 18.5.2342, will it nevertheless get definitions updates?  How do I make it stop prompting me to upgrade its version?

By the way, since my reboot since yesterday's BSOD, Avast has been using 50% of CPU for almost 24 hours now.

Set Program Updates to Manual.

High CPU could also be a symptom which effected some users with Avast 18.6 onwards.  When I still had XP Pro SP3 I had to go back to 18.5.

[rocksteady]

@glnz. As stated by DavidR, You will need to set:
Program Updates = Manual (to prevent 18.5 automatically updating to 18.8. )
Definition Updates = Automatic (to continue to get virus definition updates)
I hope 18.5 will cure your 50% CPU loading.