Avast 5 Free Upgrade Problem

[Mark49]

I still run an XP machine and have never had an issue with Avast,.....my mother on the other hand always has problems. Here goes the story!

Last night I stopped by to upgrade her Avast from 4.* to the new version, as she has been getting the splash screen telling her that her version is obsolete for weeks.
Her machine is running Vista Home Premium BTW.

I DL the package, and start installation. Right away I get a little concerned because it doesn't seem to detect the old version and offer to uninstall it.
I cancel the install, and go and manually uninstall the old version.

At this point I start the install again, and name a folder C:\Avast5,......the old one was in C:\Avast4. This is just something I always do so I can find the install folder easily.
Anyway all looks good, so I re-boot and wait for it to come online. The icon shows up, but with a red X through it. I open the program and see a button that says fix it, and another below to start it,......message says program is not running. I am going from memory here so please excuse me.

I proceed to try both buttons and NOTHING happens at all. Read the FAQ, and checked if it was running in services,.....says it is. At this point I am frustrated since I had problems upgrading her machine last time, and decide to do a system restore to the previous day. This runs fully and the old icon appears as well as the downloaded file being gone. Now the old icon has a red X through it as well, and I can get nothing to work.

Now I decide to uninstall the old version and try again with the new one. No uninstall listing in control panel, or under programs. I look in folders, and now I have 2 folders listing Avast4 and Avast5.

How do I get all of this stuff off of her computer, and get either the old version back, or get the new one to work? This is driving me nuts as the last time I upgraded her Avast, it took me half a day of reading to get it to work!
I just don't understand why I have NO issues on my XP machine, but her Vista one seems to be a nightmare with Avast for some reason. She has no viruses, or malware,.....I also run Mbam on hers as well. Her last scans for both were yesterday, and she does not go to strange web sites.

Please help me with this as I told her to not use her computer until I get an anti-virus up and running again!

[schmidthouse]

Hi Mark49: Welcome
There is an uninstall tool that will remove all reminence of V.4 and V.5. One of the evangelist will probably supply the download link and other pertinent info on how to make sure you have a good install experience...Just make sure when running the tool (Clean.exe) that you choose which product/Version you want to clean up. Unfortunately from what I have read....Avast doesn't uninstall and clean up earlier version...I believe
You will get experienced help pretty quickly

[Mark49]

Thanks for the welcome.
You must be right about it not auto uninstalling the previous version, but still that should not be the problem as I cancelled out, and did it manually.

Everything looked fine until the new icon loaded with the red X.
I hope someone can tell me what to do, as I have to get this fixed this evening. She banks online, plus is in the process of Christmas shopping online. Needless to say I don't really want her using the computer without an anti-virus.

Once again,.....I have NEVER had one problem with Avast for many years on XP.

[schmidthouse]

Thanks for the welcome.
You must be right about it not auto uninstalling the previous version, but still that should not be the problem as I cancelled out, and did it manually.

Everything looked fine until the new icon loaded with the red X.
I hope someone can tell me what to do, as I have to get this fixed this evening. She banks online, plus is in the process of Christmas shopping online. Needless to say I don't really want her using the computer without an anti-virus.

Once again,.....I have NEVER had one problem with Avast for many years on XP.

When you opened the User Interface after you noticed the red X what did it say?

[Mark49]

"The icon shows up, but with a red X through it. I open the program and see a button that says fix it, and another below to start it,......message says program is not running. I am going from memory here so please excuse me."

I stripped that from my original post.

I have been running the new version on my XP machine that I am on now for some time,....no issues at all.

[CraigB]

Hi Mark49, you can download the removal tool in the pinned area on the same page you placed your post, the tool will remove both version's of avast. Download the removal tool and a copy of avast 5.0.677 and save to downloads, delet what you can though add remove program's and reboot into safe mode then run the tool for 4.8 and reboot into safe mode again and run the tool for 5.0 and reboot again, now you should run a good cleaner like ccleaner to get rid of all the leftovers then follow with your new install of avast.
Make sure you have the latest service pack update's (sp2) for your system before you install avast,hope this help's you

[Mark49]

craigb,...there is nothing at all in add/remove for Avast after doing the system restore.
Also neither version shows up in Programs. I simply have a C:\Avast4 and a C:\Avast5 folder on the HDD. There are a lot of files left in the folders also. Beyond that I have the old 4.8 icon with a red X in the taskbar area.

I install to specific folders for the reason of being able to find it easily. Does the uninstall utility track down files that go elsewhere, or can I simply delete those two folders?

CCleaner is on my system, as well as her Vista system and gets used daily.

Also is there a link to be able to download the previous 4.8 version again?
Even after I remove all this stuff, I expect the 5.0 version to fail again, since there was really no reason that I am aware of for it to have failed last night.

Her Vista system has ALL critical updates BTW.

[CraigB]

Just run the tool and we'll see if it get's all the stuff, otherwise your going to have to remove them manually.
Best to let it install where it is supposed to, not hard to find, program file's/alwil software.
Not sure where to get 4.8, someone else might be able to answer that for you.

[schmidthouse]

Hello again: Please follow Craigb's direction exactly as he laid it down before we think the worst.This solution has worked for many folks in the past including myself
Thanks and good luck   Whoops.. sorry Craigb

[CraigB]

Hello again: Please follow Craigb's direction exactly as he laid it down before we think the worst.This solution has worked for many folks in the past including myself
Thanks and good luck   Whoops.. sorry Craigb

It's alright

[Mark49]

Well I certainly appreciate the advice, and don't mean to sound upset really. It's just this is the second time I have been through the wringer with Avast and her Vista system.

I looked for the removal utility and after a couple of pages came up with aswClear5.exe,.....different from the first listing that showed. I just mailed the link to her place so I can download it this evening.

I am trying to decide if I should simply remove as much as I can and use another anti-virus for her, or to spend half the night trying to get Avast to work. I really wish I would have left 4.8 alone, and told her to shut down the reminders when they popped up.
Yea,.....I know updates for 4.8 will likely end soon, but maybe by that time they would have all the bugs worked out.

[YoKenny]

Not sure where to get 4.8, someone else might be able to answer that for you.

avast! V4.8 will not be supported very soon and avast! V5 has been available for almost a year.

Avast! Version 5.0 is here!!!
http://blog.avast.com/2010/01/19/avast-version-5-0-is-here

Plus avast v5.1 is due out real soon.

[Mark49]

Not sure where to get 4.8, someone else might be able to answer that for you.

avast! V4.8 will not be supported very soon and avast! V5 has been available for almost a year.

Avast! Version 5.0 is here!!!
http://blog.avast.com/2010/01/19/avast-version-5-0-is-here

Plus avast v5.1 is due out real soon.

Yes,......I believe I just mentioned that. Still doesn't do me any good on her Vista system. I guess I just need to try it again, and see what happens.

As I have said before, it has worked terrific on my XP system for years with no problems upgrading or anything. I have been running the new version for quite awhile.

[schmidthouse]

Well I certainly appreciate the advice, and don't mean to sound upset really. It's just this is the second time I have been through the wringer with Avast and her Vista system.

Yea,.....I know updates for 4.8 will likely end soon, but maybe by that time they would have all the bugs worked out.

I know this can be frustrating   I've been through it myself however it had nothing to do with Avast software it was the way I tried to uninstall a version and reinstall another. As you probably know when a software program is uninstalled incorrectly it can leave the reminence of Registry Keys and sometimes Drivers which then totally srew up any attempt to install the same or an updated version of the software program.
I hope you take the time to follow all the experienced direction exactly and most likely it will all turn out.

[Mark49]

I surely will follow the advice, and hope for the best.
Last time it was not anything to do with the install,....it was an issue with Avast, and took me hours to find the answer for the fix.

Of course I didn't sign up here then, so I guess I have nothing to complain about!

I will go into safe mode,.....run the tool two times,.......reboot, and run CCleaner and go from there!

I used to enjoy working on issues with computers, now not so much. It pretty much just ticks me off!

Seriously,.....thanks folks.