Here is the first part of the key
C2764753H1400A0811-
Have also noticed that when try to open the Avast program even to put in the licence key, a box says Wait please, testing operating memory and startup items and this never finishes, like continues to run and you can't even click on the stop memory button as its not clickable
Have left it to run and 30 mins later and still nothing happens
What do you mean by trying to open avast ?
avast once installed is running, so there should be no need to open anything, other than right click the avast 'a' icon, select about avast!. That pop-up window has a License Key button, clicking that will allow you to copy and paste your key into that area.
Pleas describe exactly what you are doing as I haven't the slightest idea what you are doing ?
There appears to be something wrong with that number as I have just re-registered, clicked the I am an existing user and new a new key; I completed the rest of the form and got a new key, and it looks nothing like the one you posted, this is the first part of mine (W7380058H1400A0811-) and as far as I know the Home version number begins with a W. I entered mine and it was accepted.
What country did you say you were in ?
I don't know if that makes any difference, but since I'm in the UK and so are you and since there wasn't that much time between our registrations I would have expected them to have been closer.
Is this the page you visited to register
http://www.avast.com/eng/home-registration.php ?