Welcome Django21 to the forum.
Let me see if I can help you. Since you now have upgraded from 4.0 to 5.0.594 and you are unable to update your Avast definition signatures after rebooting your upgrade, you can try to Repair Avast by doing the following:
Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > Avast Antivirus > Remove.
Then choose Repair function in the popup window (Repair). Reboot.
If this fails to work, then you will need to uninstall Avast and do a
clean (from scratch) install:
1. Save a copy of newest version of Avast (5.0.594) for the version you need and save it to your HDD:
Free –
http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_free.exe Pro –
http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_pro.exeAIS –
http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_ais.exe 2. Download the Avast Uninstall Utility, aswClear5.exe
http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility and save it to your HDD (it has uninstall tools for both 4.0 and 5.0).
You will need to uninstall versions 4.0 and 5.0 on your machine.3. Disconnect from the Internet at this time.
4. Uninstall Avast through "Add/Remove Programs" through Control Panel if possible.
5. Boot into
Safe Mode (hit F8 repeatedly) and run the Avast Uninstall Tool.
6.
Reboot twice.
7. Install the newest version of Avast and
reboot.
8. Get Internet access and update Avast definitions.
9. Register your copy or add the license key for Free, Pro, or AIS.
Please leave the setting at default unless you need to change them for proxy settings.
Also, check in your FW Applications Settings to make sure with the new installation that everything pertaining to Avast is allow for both In/Out (yellow/green lights). Let me know how this works for you. Thank you.