I suggest an installation from scratch:
1. Download the latest version of avast! Uninstall Utility and save it.
2. Download the latest avast! version and save it.
3. Uninstall avast from Control Panel (if possible). If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after that.
4. Run the avast! Uninstall Utility saved on 1. If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after you've run it.
5. Install avast! using the setup saved on 2. Boot.
6. Register your free copy or add the license key for Pro.
7. Check and post the results.
Yes, that (finally) did the job. [Had to remove v5, and then older v4, which still
had files there, although it didn't show up in Control-Panel-> Installed software.]
[By the way: Luckily, this is NOT my laptop (that had this problem)...I just fix
broken 'Windows' OSes for people who still struggle with them.]
Once I found/uninstalled the semi-installed V4 of Avast, then the v5 installer quit
glitching, and finally WOULD install properly.
[This whole 'night-mare' experience with Avast makes one question whether Avast/Windows
is worth all the trouble! Luckily, personally, I do NOT normally use Win-Vista, as
I run Linux (MEPIS and aptosid are my favorites).]
I also have a 'bone to pick' with the goofy way your forum works (well, doesn't quite
work): There's no obvious button to easily find one's OWN posts, because if you've
done that once earlier in the day and there's no (new) replies, then you're hung out to
dry. So, you go into advanced-search, put your own username on the right, and it still
doesn't find your posts, so you put '*' (find anything on the left) and it STILL DOESN'T
find anything! (Until, if you're lucky and can recall one of the actual words you
used in the subject or whatever, it finally finds your (only in my case) post!
Your forum folks need to add an explicit button that 'Just finds my post(s), whether
they've been replied to lately or not!!!
So, if I'm allowed to use that 'politically incorrect' word (thanks, Bill Maher):
"Your forum 'sucks' "
One last one, and then I'll go back to my Linux:
After installing v5 Avast(free-edition), it seems it defaults to giving one a
30-day license (to tide one over until they register). Initially, I planned
to use my old/existing lic-key, but then thought: Hey, that one expires in another
month and a half, so why not just register this computer for a new one. So,
I hit the 'register now' (or whatever it was called) button. I fill out the
form and give my email, yada, yada.
And, what does your ('stupid'?) software do? Answer: It drops me down from
a free 30-day license (expiring end of Dec) to expiring TODAY! (That's totally
goofy, imo.) Meanwhile, now I'm waiting (it's been 30 mins and still no lic-key has
been sent to my Gmail acct.) Sigh. There was no need for shooting yourselves in
the foot, by dropping down from 30-days to 0-days, license just because someone
APPLIED for but has not yet received/installed their new license.
Really folks...you need to GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER!
[No need to respond to this reply. Hope you get that I'm venting and not very
impressed by Avast these days. Avast (Home-Free) was an excellent product in
the past, but it seems to be slipping!? Luckily, I personally have little need
for it, now that I mostly use Linux.]
Cheers,
SarasotaSlim