Windows 98se

[neilhmurphy]

I have an old laptop (Win98) is it possible to get an old version of avast which would work on it?

[DavidR]

Your post almost went unnoticed as it is in the Linux/Unix/Mac forum, curiosoty got the better of me.

You can download the latest version of avast 4.8 http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download#tab4 and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again. You will also have to register it and time is running out fast for win9.x and avast 4.8.

The support for win9.x, winME was meant to end Dec last year, but indirectly got a reprieve as avast 5 hadn't been released so avast 4.8 remained supported. The avast 4.8 support is due to end at the end of this year now that avast 5.0 has been out for almost 8 months. avast 5 can't be installed on win9.x or winME.

So time is fast running out.

[neilhmurphy]

I have tried 4.8. I found it after I posted. Trouble is that a) it seemed to be looping and b) the registration e-mail went missing.

[DavidR]

Looping how/what was looping ?

The registration email is normally prompt (automated) after completion of the form. So if you haven't received it,try using a different email address. A free yahoo or google account should do as the most common cause for non-receipt is ISP ot user anti spam filter.

[neilhmurphy]

Looping is when a process repeats over and over. In the case of avast I'm not sure if it is a CPU loop (eg LOOP: GOTO LOOP) or an IO loop (eg LOOP: READ CHAR; GOTO LOOP). In any case no productive work is being accomplished.

I think I have the registration e-mail now. I asked to have it re-sent.

[DavidR]

I know what looping is, but I don't understand how it relates to avast, what are you doing and what happens ?

[neilhmurphy]

Sorry. My notebook was unusable because it was busy. I finally had to go into "Safe Mode" and use "Control Panel" to uninstall avast. After doing this I could use the notebook again. Just so you don't have to ask, we are talking a NEC VX running Windows 98 second edition.

By the way I still haven't received my registration number.

[DavidR]

Well the registration isn't essential right away as you should have had 60 days use before it needed to be entered in 4.8 Home. Unfortunately since you uninstalled it, that is presumption of the end of any trial usage. Now on installation you would have 6 days to enter the registration key.

I really do think that you should re-register using a different email address (domain name) as it looks like something is blocking the registration email.

Have (or did) you another Anti-Virus installed in this system, if so what was it and how did you get rid of it ?

[neilhmurphy]

I grant you it's odd. Do you have an opinion about the loop (system too busy)? This is the last of five computers (HP-W7, XXX-XP, T41-XP, A30p-W2K & VX-98) and I am running avast on all of them. I could retry with a different e-mail, but I wouldn't want to do that unless I had a solution to the loop. When avast is first installed on a system does it automatically do a scan?

[DavidR]

Sorry, I have never come across this system is busy error in relation to avast.

It doesn't automatically do a scan (we are talking boot-time scan) it does recommend it, but I believe you can decline the boot-time scan.

[neilhmurphy]

Thanks.

I'll continue using ClamWin AV.

[DavidR]

Well that was one of the questions I asked about other AVs which may have an impact if they load low level drivers.

[Gopher John]

ClamWin AV is not a resident antivirus.  There is an updater for the definitions that runs.  I have it installed here along with Avast Free, and it causes no conflicts at all.  I use it for a right click second opinion on downloaded files.

http://www.clamwin.com/

The latest version of Clamwin Free Antivirus is 0.96.2.1
Please note that ClamWin Free Antivirus does not include an on-access real-time scanner. You need to manually scan a file in order to detect a virus or spyware.

It offers no real-time protection at all.  I wouldn't recommend it as a front line defense.

[neilhmurphy]

Gopher John, Do you have any idea why avast 4.8 on a NEC VX with Win98se would cause a system busy (looping) state?

I can re-install avast, a medium sized nuisance, but I see no reason to expect a different result.

[Gopher John]

Gopher John, Do you have any idea why avast 4.8 on a NEC VX with Win98se would cause a system busy (looping) state?

I can re-install avast, a medium sized nuisance, but I see no reason to expect a different result.

No, I don't.  I never had that problem when I was using it on an old Win95a system.  It ran reliably until I relegated that old warhorse to nothing more than a game machine for the grandkids.  That old Micron is now blocked from accessing the internet at the router, and all security apps are disabled and uninstalled.  It does load the games quicker now, I must say, but it wasn't a huge improvement in speed.  Micron used to build great machines in their day.

You'd be better off doing the same with your relic also.  If you must use it on the internet, put a light version of Linux on it instead.  Others familiar with Linux distros can make recommendations.