<< Why are you so sure that the problem between Symantec and Avast is Symantec's fault? Seems to me, that as thoroughly as I've disabled it, Symantec isn't running at all, in any way shape or form. Avast starts up, scans for any installed AV programs, notices that Symantec is on the system, although not at all running, so decides that it cannot start its background AV, not to conflict with the Sym background AV, although the latter is not running at all. (In other words, a "false positive" of other background AV apps.)
My guess is, if Avast background scanner would allow itself to run, and not terminate with that error message, it would have no problem running at all (with Symantec installed but not running, completely disabled). So, which app is to blame for Avast's terminating itself. IMO, that problem lies with Avast. (Although it seems chic on this board to blast Symantec.) >>
It is for the most part common knowledge that 2 Anti-Viruses in a computer is just NOT a good idea. You just can't be sure of what's going to go on behind the scenes. You don't have to take the word of those here trying to help you out. Google the topic and you're bound to find many more opinions that will vouch for what the various Posters here have suggested and commented on.
I've witnessed first hand a couple of months back what 2 Anti-Viruses in a computer can do. AOL Safety & Security Center and NOD32 in a computer at the same time rendered a computer almost immobilized ... slowed it down to about as slow as you can get a computer and still have it be theoretically operating. Removed both of those and installed avast! and brought that computer back to life.
It's NOT just some Throw of a Dart theoretically, half-baked opinions / advice that the Posters here have suggested. It's solid PROVEN advice. But, we're NOT here for twisting arms. People can come in here and respectfully ask for help / advice and those here who can help ... WILL. They've helped me many times here in my short stint, be it with actual problems or just answers to questions. No one here is going to force someone to take the advice. The advice will be there available for the taking ... or it can be politely passed upon / declined. No need for strong-armed demands. If one REALLY wants to try something and the method by which that will be accomplished is already known ... one is the one who has to sacrifice and accomodate that situation. Otherwise, it's obvious one really doesn't want it.
I would suggest you read the thread more carefully, before reacting so defensively. (Are you an Avast employee, by the way?) I understand that it would not be a good idea to have two AV background scanners running at once. I have already said that more than once. That is why I throughly disabled all Symantec background scanning, in any way , shape, or form, made absolutely sure that no Symantec services, drivers, or processes were running, before I installed Avast. Do you get that, now? (I don't really want to have to keep repeating the same thing over and over, because someone didn't read it the first time, and just guessed what they think I wrote, without really reading it. I explained all this carefully in the very first post, then had to keep repeating it, when people didn't seem to have read what I wrote.)
With Symantec not running in any way, shape , or form, no Symantec drivers loaded, etc---why should that be a problem for Avast, that Symantec files are still on the system, or that it has not been officially uninstalled?
So yes, I would consider this to be a problem with Avast, which will lose you potential users, as I'm sure others will want to try Avast without first uninstalling their present AV. (They should just be made aware, as I already was, that one needs to disable the background scanning of other AV, before installing Avast.)
In fact, here is a post by another user, who asked the exact same question:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=17412.0All the responses told him he had to uninstall Symantec. That poster did not write again. He probably did not want to uninstall Symantec before trying Avast, and uninstalled Avast instead. He was smarter than me, in not wasting so much time writing about it, as I have.
You don't have to keep telling me that two AV background scanners should not run at the same time. I made it very clear repeatedly in this thread that I am fully aware of that, and that's why I disabled Symantec first.
Once again, my suggestion to Avast--you shouldn't prevent your program from running, just because it detects that another AV program is installed, if that other AV app is not actually running. That will only lose you customers, who want to try your product.
I hope you understood me this time.