Does a trial version give you a warning before it expires?

[Dirigo]

Howdy!

Does a trail version of Avast Pro give one a warning before it expires?   Not 100% sure how it happened, but sometime back I inadvertently "upgraded/downloaded" the Pro version by mistake.  I was fat, dumb and happy with the free version running along fairly nicely when I did it, sooooo ... my plan has been to wait until the expiration of the trial version, then download the latest free version and go from there?  

I'm sure the time of expiration is quite near, so I'm wondering if I'll get a warning to have time to do the new install or if I should just do it now?

Do I need to completely uninstall the Pro version trial version first and then reinstall the Home version?

Thanks in advance.

[Eddy]

I think you can just enter the free registration code and Avast will handle it from there. Not sure though, but if I am wrong...... I know somewill will correct me  

[pk]

Yes, you will certainly receive the warning, but I'm not sure how many days it is than your key will expire.

[Dirigo]

Howdy All!

Reporting back here ... at least in my case, Avast! did NOT give any warning about expiration.  The way I knew it had expired was by simply looking at my systray ... no appropriate icons prominently displayed.  Not good giving NO Warning about expiration IMHO.

Right now I have no AV protection.  Yup, in anticipation of the expiration I had downloaded the Home Edition and have received a registration key for the free software.  However, I have now downloaded this software from the homne web site and whatever has been downloaded isn't installing.  Instead I get a message after starting the setupeng.exe that all components needed are not contained within this downloaded software and for me to get either an update or full version via the Internet.  Well, that has been a no-go experience also as I continue to experience getting the aforementioned message.

Obviously something is amiss.  All indications have been that I shouldn't or didn't need to uninstall the trail software, but I wonder ...  anyway, it has not been smooth sailing and IMHO it should have been.  I'm greatly disappointed in this regard as the product overall has performed very well in the past.

Any ideas what the  heck is being downloaded that constitutes some "incomplete" product?  Anyone experience this before?

[Eddy]

Several things can be going on here. It can be a bad download/damaged install file. Download it again and compare the files to see if they are the same. If so, remove Avast from control panel and run the avast removal tool, reboot and try to install the free  (home) version. See if that works.
http://www.avast.com/eng/download/programs/avast_uninstall_util.html

[Dirigo]

Hi Artras!

Update of my trials and tribulations:

Yes, very interesting, but convoluted experience here.  I had downloaded the "setupeng.exe" at least three times and got the same results, i.e., the message indicating not all components there and to download either an Update or full program from the Internet.  I compared the sizes of the downloads along with computing a checksum.  Now, I didn't have an offical checksum to compare to, but the end results of the cheksum activity on the downloads wete the same ... so ... at least the downloaded data was consistent ... not necessarily correct ... just consistent.

Anway, while fuming, I rried using the expired software (trial Pro version) to scan the downloaded files and the scans seemed to work!  Not 100%, but I have to assume the software at least gave me some capability even if the icons didn't show in the systray.  Because of that, I attempted to run the trial Pro version and it fired up, started to perform the memory tests, i.e., the iniitial stuff it normally does, then it asked for a Pro version registration key as the Demo key had expired.  Since I didn't have a key for the Pro version, I simply replied I had no key and  the trial Pro version terminated.  Well, as inquiring minds often do, I fired up the Pro trial version again and when it asked for the registration key, I inserted the registration key I had received for the free Home Edition version and waited to see what would happen.  Well, low and behold ... it took it, contacted the Avast! web site and apparently made the necessary adjustments so that I now have the Home Edition installed, icons in the systray (after rebooting) and up and running.

While I am cautious at this juncture ... life is good again    Only the passage of time will I feel secure though, but at least it looks like I'm headed in the right direction.

[Eddy]

Yeah, I heard this before. It sometimes is not exactly clear to people what happens if a key/trial expired. Something Alwil should work on if you ask me. But the main thing is, it is working as it should in your place Oh come on just admit it, I see you smiling again  

This "trick" with the key works also the other way around. If you have home and bought a Pro key, insert it and home will become pro.

Since Pro is much more configurable and has some options Home hasn't, think of buying pro. If you buy the 3 year license you will also safe 40 usd (or whatever your currency is). Besides saving money you don't  have to worry for the next 3 years ! Just give it a thought, I would say.

[Dirigo]

Yeah, it was a complete surprise to me.  I had no idea it would work this way.   It worked well, but I would have liked to be better informed as to what to expect, but, in the end, all is well.  You're right ... I'm  

I didn't really check out the Pro version very much as I somehow inadvertently along the way of using Avast! AV  software ... "upgraded" my previous Home Edition version to the trial Pro version.  Still not sure how I did that, but ... one sleepy night I probably presed the wrong button in response to a question like "Do you wish to update?"  

I'll give it some thought about the possibility of moving to the Pro version, but will have to compare and contrast it to see if it would be worth it to me.  The cost is reasonable enough overall IMHO.  Anyway, thanks for your suggestions and support in this matter.  Take care.

[Eddy]

No problem, that is just the way we are and behave here in this forum.  

Good luck and may the force of Avast be with you