Trying to find the most recent version that works on my XP system!

[dave-h]

Hi all, I've just started to try and use Avast Free Antivirus on my old Windows XP SP3 system, and I'm having a problem finding any recent versions that actually install correctly and work!
The current version appears to install OK, but the AV service will not start, and consequently the system is unprotected.
The UI doesn't work either because of this.
I have been through endless posts here about this problem, so I'm obviously not the only one having it, but there seems to be no definitive solution.

The Terminal Services service and the Background Intelligent Transfer service are both enabled and running fine on the system.
I've been through countless repairs, uninstalls and reinstalls, including several "clean installs" using the uninstall tool and manually cleaning the system of all files and registry entries, with absolutely no difference, the service just won't run.

"The Avast Antivirus service failed to start due to the following error:
The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion."

So, I then looked for earlier versions to try them, and I've ended up using the offline installer of version 11.2.2261!
This works absolutely fine.
If I let it update, the new version fails again.

So, I'm now looking for the offline installers for version 12 onwards, so I can install each one in turn to find the last version which actually works!

I got version 11 from https://www.filehorse.com/download-avast-antivirus/25382/, but they strangely don't have anything between 11.2.2261 and the current version!

Is there anywhere I can download version 12, 13 etc. so I can try them? My searches have drawn a blank.
I really don't want to use such an old version for obvious reasons, but if the current version refuses to work I don't see what else I can do!
Thanks, Dave.
 

[Pondus]

Hi all, I've just started to try and use Avast Free Antivirus on my old Windows XP SP3 system

Must it be avast?

[dave-h]

Well no, I'm sure there are alternatives, but frankly I'm surprised to read a response like that here!
"If it doesn't work, just use something else" is hardy a solution.
The fact is, it should work!
 

[Pondus]

  I'm surprised to read a response like that here!

Ok.

There are other AV that still support XP with there latest version

[dave-h]

Yes of course, but I thought the present version of Avast did support XP as well, otherwise I wouldn't even have tried it!
I know they're dropping support with version 19, but as long as 18 carries on receiving pattern updates for the foreseeable future, that's fine with me.
I did look at Kaspersky, but that won't work on XP on a FAT32 drive (long story!)
 

[DavidR]

Well for me the latest version of avast 18.7.2354 is fine on this XP Pro SP3 system.  In my case this was a program update from the Avast UI.

This topic on the latest version also has links for off-line installation files.  However with XP you do need to be on-line whilst running the off-line installation file.

Do a custom install and only install the components that you need/want.

[dave-h]

That's interesting, the version I downloaded the offline installer for is 18.7.4041.0, which is later than that.
Good to know that version 18 can work on an XP system anyway!

Just as a matter of interest, do you know which Windows services Avast relies on?
I know about Terminal Services and Background Intelligent Transfer, but are there any others?

I just want to make sure that all the necessary services are actually running on my system, as I did disable some years ago as they weren't needed, just for speed of startup and performance reasons, and I wonder if I have one or more disabled that the current version of Avast needs.
 

[DavidR]

That's interesting, the version I downloaded the offline installer for is 18.7.4041.0, which is later than that.
Good to know that version 18 can work on an XP system anyway!

You are displaying the build number, I showed the program version number, the build number is the same as yours.

Just as a matter of interest, do you know which Windows services Avast relies on?
I know about Terminal Services and Background Intelligent Transfer, but are there any others?

I just want to make sure that all the necessary services are actually running on my system, as I did disable some years ago as they weren't needed, just for speed of startup and performance reasons, and I wonder if I have one or more disabled that the current version of Avast needs.
 

I don't know all of the required services, for the most part they would be running and or avast would presumably throw up an error or even seek to start the service.

[dave-h]

I assumed the "2354" in your version was the build number!
I would actually be surprised if it's a service not running that's causing my problems.
I have even tried installing and running Avast 18 in a "clean boot" environment, just in case something else running on the system was causing the problem, and it's exactly the same, so I'm really stumped here as to why it won't work.
As I said earlier, there seem to be others here reporting the same problems, but none of the offered "fixes" seem to work, at least they don't for me!
Anyway, what I really want is to find an archive of the online installers for versions between 11 and 18.
I found a copy of 17, but that refused to install at all, just throwing error messages, so what I really need is the offline installers for versions 12-16 to see if they work.
Anyone got any links for them?
Thanks, Dave.
 

[dave-h]

I guess not.
 
I think I'm going to have to give up on this, as version 11, although it's fundamentally working, has some problems.
The most annoying is that it's causing my system to hang on shutdown on "saving your settings" for about a minute as it's locking the registry so it can't be unloaded!
I guess Pondus was right, I will have to look elsewhere other than Avast, as the current version just doesn't work on my system, cause unknown.
Clutching at straws a bit, but it isn't because my Windows XP is on a FAT32 formatted drive is it?
I know current versions of Kaspersky won't work in that situation.
Is anyone else using Avast 18 on XP on a FAT 32 drive?
 

[Pondus]

I guess Pondus was right, I will have to look elsewhere other than Avast,

If you want suggestions, just say the word   

[dave-h]

Thanks, I'm always grateful for suggestions!
I've already looked at Kaspersky, and now at Avast.
I'm sure there are others.
I need obviously at least an antivirus, but some web browser protection would be good as well.
Has to support Windows XP on a FAT32 drive of course!
I'm not worried if support for XP is going to be dropped, as long as pattern updates are still going to be available for the foreseeable future.
Thanks!
 

[Pondus]

Panda dome free still support XP
There is also ClamWin that has support all the way back to W98.
This need a extra module for realtime protection Clam sentinel

[dave-h]

Thanks, I will investigate both of them!