Very disappointed with my Avast experience

[jddavidson]

Long story short---I'm using my laptop to post this because my pc is now disabled enough to be unable to display the desktop. I just spent an hour and a half on the phone with iyogi.net while they remotely accessed my computer and all I ended up getting was 'your computer needs to be cleaned' and we can to it for $159 (or whatever it was) for a year for starters and---well I quit listening after that. That techie could have fixed my computer remotely in a few minutes and was trying to convince me that I needed what they were selling. I could have told him that the avast scan (run remotely in safe mode) would turn up nothing, which was in fact the case. He spent more time showing me HIS scan that found all sorts of problems that they could fix for a hefty price. Anyway, I had problems installing avast when I first purchased it due to a massive infection, but was able to find help here at the avast forum to at least get cleaned up enought to get it installed. Apparently there was a virus or two that the road kill (I believe that is what it was) missed and Avast was disabled upon startup. What started all this was a failure of the microsoft security essentials to protect my computer. Needless to say, I feel fleeced by Avast for selling me their full product with tech support and I end up talking to India and getting shaken down for more money. Avast never mentioned in the online sales pitch that there may just be a slight problem with their software if your computer has any issues. If I knew that I would have saved my money and just taken it to a professional and saved myself about 20 hours of my life that I will never get back. Thank you to those who so generously assisted me a couple days ago. Your help is greatly appreciated. JD

[Yanto.Chiang]

Hi Davidson,

I am feel sorry to know your issues,

But please if you still have any issues related with avast antivirus, just feel free to come back.

Some trouble could been solved, but some trouble sometimes it's need a time to solving.

cheers,

[yongsua]

Hi Davidson,

I am feel sorry to know your issues,

But please if you still have any issues related with avast antivirus, just feel free to come back.

Some trouble could been solved, but some trouble sometimes it's need a time to solving.

cheers,

+10

[jddavidson]

who says I'm going anywhere? I've paid for my year of avast, and by darn, I'm going to use it. All I'm saying is--it is very suspicious when my avast scan doesn't pick up anything, my computer is now inoperable anything other than in safe mode, but yet iyogi(avast's customer support phone number goes directly to them) does their own scan and finds all sorts of things that they can fix for a hefty price. IF IYOGI'S SCAN TECHNOLOGY IS SO GOOD, WHY NOT BUY IT AND FORGET AVAST? IS AVAST HOLDING BACK THE REAL TECHNOLOGY SO PEOPLE ARE PRESSURED TO PAY SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR "A REAL FIX" IT LOOKS LIKE A SCAM, SMELLS LIKE A SCAM, FEELS LIKE A SCAM.

[Gargamel360]

IS AVAST HOLDING BACK THE REAL TECHNOLOGY SO PEOPLE ARE PRESSURED TO PAY SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR "A REAL FIX"

No.

IYogi is 3rd party outsourced support.  An all too common thing nowadays, imo.  Avast! thinks to use Iyogi to offer better support than they could from their HQ.  And this was needed.  But...sometimes you try to fix one problem, and in the process, create a different, new problem.  The way you paint it, it sounds like Iyogi wants to steal your pic-in-ic basket.  I have strong prejudice against 3rd party support, so my opinion is biased against this by default, preventing me from saying anything less biased than that.

But for sure, Avast! is not withholding tech and punting you to Iyogi for mutual profit, or anything like that. 

[SafeSurf]

What started all this was a failure of the microsoft security essentials to protect my computer.

Are you still running MSE along with Avast?  The reason I ask is because you cannot run 2 resident AV's on your machine at the same time as this will create conflict and chaos on your machine.  If you intend to keep Avast, which is sounds like you do, you will need to uninstall MSE http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2435760/, then reboot.

I then suggest an Avast Repair since you had 2 AV's:
- Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > Avast Antivirus.
- Scroll down and choose Repair function in the pop-up window.
- Reboot.

If this fails to fix Avast, you will need to uninstall and do a clean install of Avast:

1. Save a copy of newest version of Avast (5.0.677) for the product you need and save it to your HDD:
Pro –  http://www.avast.com/pro-antivirus#tab4
AIS –  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.
3. Disconnect from the Internet at this time.
4. Go to Control Panel and uninstall Avast through Add/Remove Programs if possible and reboot.
5. If Step 4 fails, boot into Safe Mode (hit F8 repeatedly) and run the Avast Uninstall Tool.  Uninstall the product(s) of Avast you have on your machine at this time.
6. Reboot.
7. Install the newest version of Avast and reboot.
8. Get Internet access and register your copy or add the license key for Free, Pro, or AIS.
9. Update the Avast definitions.

Since you had an issue with iYogi, we have been informed by the CEO of Avast that you report the issue to directly to him -> Steckler at avast dot com (no spaces in between and use @ in place of "at").  He will follow up on the issue.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns that we can help you with.  We here on the forum are here 24/7 to assist you and others.  Thank you.