Reinstalling Avast after reinstalling Windows?

[rex70]

Hi.
I have a HP Compaq Nx6325 laptop running XP SP3 and have the latest version of Avast Free, which whilst I have no problems with, it has an almost full drive and runs slower than it used to.
I have been told that Windows can 'bloat' itself over time so I'm thinking of backing up all my photo's music etc to an external drive and performing a complete reinstall of Windows.
Regarding Avast I would like to know if it is possible to save it to my other drive then copy it back to my laptop so I am protected right from the off?
Or maybe download a fresh copy but insert my old licence key?
Or will I have to completely start afresh as a new user.

Any advice most welcome.

rex

[SafeSurf]

Hello rex70 and welcome to the forum.

I would not mess around with moving Avast to a different drive.  I would uninstall and do a clean install instead.

You do not need a key for the Free version of Avast.  So you should be able to do the following:

1. Save a copy of newest version of Avast (5.0.677) for the product you need and save it to your HDD.
Free – http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_free_eng.exe - (English only)
Free – http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_free.exe - (multi-language version)
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).
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 all previous versions of Avast you had on this machine at this time.
6. Reboot.
7. Install the newest version of Avast and reboot.
8. Get Internet access and register your copy for Free:
    Free – http://www.avast.com/registration-free-antivirus.php
9. Update the Avast definitions.

After you remove things from your machine to free up space, make sure you use something like the following:
1.  CCleaner, a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool.  There is a Slim version available as well at http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/builds – 4th option down.  It removes unused files (cache, temporary Internet files, etc.) from your system, allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space.  It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history.  Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner.

2. Puran Defrag, a free http://www.puransoftware.com/, which offers a regular and boot-time defrag to free up space.

[nmb]

Hi rex70,

No program can be copied and run from some where unless it is a portable version. Avast needs to be installed again after you install your windows.

Download the latest version from http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_free.exe before reinstalling windows, so as soon as you finish installing windows, you can install avast right away. And use the same license key which you used before.

[rex70]

Thanks for the quick replies.

nmb: I wasn't intending to run Avast from another drive but to save it there whilst I reinstall Windows then move Avast back to my laptop. If I download http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_free.exe to my externa drive can I install it to my laptop from there?

safesurf: I am intending to reset my laptop to the state it came in (just with Windows) so I'm led to believe everything else will be deleted? Is it still worthwhile using Ccleaner do you think?

Thanks again

[SafeSurf]

I am intending to reset my laptop to the state it came in (just with Windows) so I'm led to believe everything else will be deleted? Is it still worthwhile using Ccleaner do you think?

If you are starting from scratch, then no, you don't need to use CCleaner or the defrag.  It wasn't clear from your post.

If I download http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_free.exe to my externa drive can I install it to my laptop from there?

Yes.  You can also save the Avast setup file to a USB/flash drive if you want and then install it from there to your C:/drive as well.  What ever is easiest for you.

[nmb]

I wasn't intending to run Avast from another drive

Yes, I understood that from your first post. You cannot run any program copied to the program files folder unless it is a portable application. So if you copy avast folder from your hdd to program files folder and run(what will you run? ), it will not. You have to install freshly after installing windows, but you can use the old key.

You can download the setup file and save it to your hdd and later you can call the setup from there. Hope that answers your question.