Update virus sound not working and Resident protection keeps on disabling

[steve229]

My friend has the free home edition but he does not hear the mans voice anymore saying that his antivirus has been updated. Also when he clicks on the avast link on the desktop and the radio looking interface comes up, it keeps on telling him that his resident shield is disabled, although he keeps on changing it back to standard, the next day he goes back to it again it is showing disabled again. He says he hasn't changed any settings.

Can anyboday help us.

Thank You.

Steve

[Tarq57]

Can you please ask your friend his/her OS, how long Avast has been installed, and what AV was installed before Avast, his/her experience level, other security programs installed, and why he/she isn't posting here with the question, rather than getting you to do it?

[steve229]

Thank you for replying so promptly.

My friends computer knowledge isn't very good, and that is why he doesn't post here as I try to assist him technically when he gets a problem.

He is currently running windows 98 and he has been using AVG as his antivirus up until recently when they stopped supporting windows 98 users and under my recommendations I advised him to use Avast home which I helped him install.

It has been running okay on the whole up until he got the above problems last week. He doesn't install or try out new programs on his computer.

Thank you

Steve

[Tarq57]

It is important that AVG was uninstalled completely, as the remnants of any other (or most other) antivirus programs can interfere with a new install.
That may have happened here.
Get him to check that AVG has been uninstalled.
Also best have a look at this workaround for some '98 update issues.
If the computer was running for any significant time without an up to date AV, it's possible there is malware on it preventing Avast from operating correctly.
A scan is recommended.

[steve229]

Thanks Tarq57,

I did try using the AVG Uninstaller from off their website but when I came to run it from his computer it came up with an error. So I had to use the uninstaller from the control panel.

I have just read from the link you have given me that the next Avast won't be windows 98 compatible, will you still be supporting windows 98 with the older 4.8 Avast engine, in other words will he be able to keep 4.8 and continue receiving virus updates? If not he might as well find another antivirus to use.

Steve

[Tarq57]

I'll be supporting '98 for a while. But the support I can offer is pretty much diddly-squat, as I have no resource for same.
I'm just another Avast user.
I think it is likely that the time frame for withdrawing support for 4.8 ( and by association, '98) will be sometime next year. So he has a few months left, probably.
After that, finding an AV that is still supported that works in '98 resident will be getting pretty tricky, I think.
(Time for a new OS. Or use a different protection strategy.)

Definitely uninstall AVG via the control panel. Reboot. That may do the job. If not, a full uninstall and reinstall from scratch, using the Avast uninstall utility may be required.

Welcome to the forums.

[steve229]

Thank you

regards

Steve

[Tarq57]

You're welcome, let us know how he gets on.