I was on a software annihilating spree yesterday (happens to me off & on!) using my uninstaller utility. Saw "Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.0.30729.4148" as one of the installed programs. Could not find any evidence of its association with Avast in the details, and went upon uninstalling it. {On hindsight- should have compared its installation date with that of other software.. that would have given a clue}.
Next day, had to do a reinstall of v5! Realized only during the reinstall, that it was the C++ uninstall that had miffed my earlier installation.
[Edit: Just to specify!]
NOT reporting a problem, only informing about a fact.