Windows Vista (SP2) user has questions about Avast 4.8 Home Edition components

[inexp2]

I hope this is the right place to ask these questions. I have Avast 4.8 Home Edition-Free Antivirus,Build September 2009(4.81368),Xtreme Toolkit 1.9.4.0, Active Skin version 4.2.7.3,VPS file compilation date 3/8/10, file version 100308-1,type home. I am confused as to whether this version has a firewall and I have been using Windows Firewall. My OS is Windows Vista SP2. My questions:(1)Should I disable my Windows Firewall? and (2) Is the uninstaller that is used for Avast 5 users the same as for Avast 4.8?[ I may or may not switch to Avast 5, but not the beta version.] (3)Is there any difference in the virus data base for the two versions? (4) If they are the same, why switch?
inexp2

[DavidR]

No it doesn't have a firewall, the Network Shield isn't a firewall and not is the Web Shield.

There are differences in the virus databases of 4.8 and 5.0 and why should you update to 5.0, easy it providers improved protection and other elements than 4.8.

avast 5.0 isn't in beta it has been out as a regular release for a while. With over 100 million avast users (they all can't update at the same time) there is a rolling update notification of 5.0 so as to balance server load.

The new avast internet security suite has a firewall as part of its suite, avast Pro, avast Firewall, anti-spam.

[inexp2]

No it doesn't have a firewall, the Network Shield isn't a firewall and not is the Web Shield.

There are differences in the virus databases of 4.8 and 5.0 and why should you update to 5.0, easy it providers improved protection and other elements than 4.8.

avast 5.0 isn't in beta it has been out as a regular release for a while. With over 100 million avast users (they all can't update at the same time) there is a rolling update notification of 5.0 so as to balance server load.

The new avast internet security suite has a firewall as part of its suite, avast Pro, avast Firewall, anti-spam.

Thanks for the information about firewalls. I will not disable my Windows Firewall since Avast 4.8 Home edition does not have one.

So, you are less well protected if you use Avast 4.8 and not Avast 5 because of differences in components and the virus data bases of each edition? If they find a new malware, then Avast 4.8 users don't get this new malware profile in the virus database? This is how I am interpreting your saying that there are differences in the databases. I also thought there was an Avast 5 something or other that was in beta while another Avast 5 something or other isn't...

If I wanted to uninstall Avast 4.8 and go with Microsoft Essentials, how would I do that? Or if for some reason, I think I should re-install Avast 4.8, how would I remove it? Avast 5 has an uninstaller, does Avast 4.8 use a different one? Where do you find it? Thanks in advance for any reply!
inexp2

[Tarq57]

Personally I am sticking with Avast 4.8 a little longer, as the protection is more than adequate, for now. It's still an excellent AV; Avast 5 has more features and a new scanning engine.
The current non-beta version of Avast 5 can be found Here.

I've included some sensible steps and links below.

If you want to remove Avast 4.8, first get the full installer file for whatever replacement you decide on. Save that to your desktop.
Get the uninstaller for 4.8 here. Save it to your desktop.
Go offline. (You won't have a functioning AV for the next steps.)
Right-click the blue ball in the system tray, select "program settings>troubleshooting, and disable the self protection.
Uninstall Avast via the control panel.
Reboot.
Run the Avast uninstall utility by right-clicking and selecting "run as>admin". (A Vista peculiarity. Sometimes appears not necessary.)
If there were any problems uninstalling Avast the utility may need to be run in safe mode.
Reboot.
Install your replacement AV.
When it is successfully installed, go online again, get updates.

(The same general principles apply for removing/installing firewalls, regarding going offline for it. Make sense?)
Note, as DavidR mentioned above, Avast 5 free does not have a firewall. Keep Vistas firewall on, or use a replacement.

[DavidR]

The differences in the virus databases are in how avast 5.0 can use different signatures and methods, that actually reduces the overall file size of the database (but it is more efficient), the 4.8 database file size is actually larger. There really isn't any simple way to explain it but where possible new malware signatures would be added to both the 4.8 and 5.0 databases.

You could leave 4.8 installed, but generally you shouldn't run two resident antivirus programs as they may conflict and MSE is no different, though I believe you can disable the MSE resident functionality. I have never used MSE so can't advise you on it.

[inexp2]

The differences in the virus databases are in how avast 5.0 can use different signatures and methods, that actually reduces the overall file size of the database (but it is more efficient), the 4.8 database file size is actually larger. There really isn't any simple way to explain it but where possible new malware signatures would be added to both the 4.8 and 5.0 databases.

You could leave 4.8 installed, but generally you shouldn't run two resident antivirus programs as they may conflict and MSE is no different, though I believe you can disable the MSE resident functionality. I have never used MSE so can't advise you on it.

By mentioning that I might reinstall Avast 4.8 for some reason, I meant that this was one possiblity that I might consider, if I thought Avast 4.8 wasn't operating correctly.

I have been busy trying to figure out if an email that I received was phishing or not and doing other stuff. Thanks for the information both of you. Sorry I did not post back sooner.
inexp2