AVAST! Version 4.8 Professional drop down option malfunctioning.

[tonisb]

Please help, I am a 'Newbie' in ALL respects. When I click on an option  eg. View, Help etc. within the program the option that I select highlights in blue then stays on the screen even after I have closed the program.(Does not happen with any other program) The only way to get rid of it is to shut down the computer and restart.If I open any other program it is still there on top of any window. How do I solve this problem, I cannot find anything similar in the forum.The method to insert a picture in this messeage is also not clear (to a newbie) so I have been unable to insert the screen shot I took.
I recently had a threat to my computer which Avast! thankfully notified me. I followed instruction to 'move to chest'. immediately started a thourough scan, It found it again. I moved it once more to the chest and when the scan had finished I went to the chest and deleted the infected info in the box. Was this the correct procedure as the help section is not clear. Thank you for a wnderful program.
Toni 

[doktornotor]

Unless you are on something older than Windows 2000 the solution is to upgrade to latest avast! version. Otherwise, 4.8 development is over and support and definitions updates will be over as well soon.

[Daris]

Yes the 4.8 version is definatly way out of date...Especially when the version 5 and 6 of Avast are way better, and much easier and in orderly fashion ...If you had Avast 4.8 this long, you must have really liked it...You will like version 6 even more...I would suggest to download the Avast Uninstall Utillity tool..for 4.8... and do a clean install of Avast 6....Also if you could rdit your Profile, as so that we  are aware of which Windows you are using and which programs you have available ...This would make it alot easier for us to give you advice as regarding to any issues you  may have...Luck and welcome to the Forum

[DavidR]

Well tonisb can't edit his profile as s/he only has one post, you need 20 to be able to edit certain areas in the profile (signature being one) or be able to use the PM function.

[Daris]

Thanxs ..DavidR I didn't know you had to have a certain number of posts to edit your profile.....My mistake...

[tonisb]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for all your info. In my newbieness I presumed that the 4.8 version was still ok as it updated every time I switched on and I still had 1863 days on my license. However I have uninstalled it and downloaded the free 6 version. Can you advise me what, if any, other free program I can download to complement new version and increase my internet security, if necessary.
 By the way, I am female, recently retired. New laptop has Windows 7 Pro. I like to download free legit music,videos and pictures to make amazing cards so basically my laptop is my hobby. I have annoying friends who send me awfull jokes they think are funny and have been round the world 10 times. Hence my question - is the free version 6 sufficient.
I also have XPMode Virtual PC which I only use to run a few old games my kids gave me. Do I have to install Avast seperately on that as well? Would there be a conflict?
Thanks guys/girls (?) your help is much appreciated.

Toni


Toni

[SafeSurf]

Hi Toni,

For your Win7 machine, you can use Avast Free and Windows 7 firewall if you like free stuff.  I would also recommend that you download and install MBAM (Malwarebytes) as an on-demand scanner http://www.malwarebytes.org/; there is a free version (blue button) and a one-time paid version for resident protection.

For your XP machine, yes you need an antivirus on that machine.  Avast Free would be fine.  As long as you don't go on the Internet, you shouldn't need a firewall (FW), but you can enable the XP FW anyway so you don't get annoying pop-up's.  If you do go online, then you need a third-party FW and the XP FW is not sufficient since it only provides 1-way protection and not 2-way protection.

Let us know if you have additional questions.  Thank you.

[tonisb]

Thankyou Safesurf,

I will do as you suggest.

Thanks again
Toni

[DavidR]

Thanks for all your info. In my newbieness I presumed that the 4.8 version was still ok as it updated every time I switched on and I still had 1863 days on my license. However I have uninstalled it and downloaded the free 6 version. Can you advise me what, if any, other free program I can download to complement new version and increase my internet security, if necessary.

Your license is still valid even on avast 6.0 Pro although it can't be directly used, it has to be converted.

- avast! 6 Pro license convert from 4.8 Pro license. Try http://www.avast.com/resend-license.php now, fill in the form giving your email address (I believe it has to be the same one used for purchase of 4.8 license, so they can find it) and your 4.8 Pro License key and they will send the new license file to you (presumably it will check you have a legit 4.8 Pro license first).

When you receive the email it should have an attachment (or a link to download the license file) license.avastlic, save that to your hard disk where you can find it again.

You should be able to be able to enter than in the avastUI, Maintenance, Registration section, Insert avast! Pro Antivirus license file button. From the explorer like window navigate to where you saved the license.avastlic file on your hard disk. You should keep a backup copy of your license, USB stick or CD, etc.

<snip>
Thanks guys/girls (?) your help is much appreciated.

Toni

No problem, glad I could help.

Welcome to the forums.

[Daris]

Hey, Toni...You did not tell us your thoughts on the new look of Avast...How do you like the changes and the way it is set up compared to the 4.8 Avast?....
        If you use your PC as a hobby..I can suggest the "cnet.com website ...Windows downloads"....You can read and check out all kinds of free and paid versions of all kinds of programs..Just write in their search for what interests you...And if you find something you like "" I Always read the "Negative Users Ratings" FIRST of that software program down below"" to make my decission for the programs worthiness...The Cnet Staff does rate the programs and software also but do get a bonus for better rates for software from certain companies... Big example of that is "Symantec" Rated highly buy the Cnet Staff, yet the users aren't happy at all with Symantec....
        Also I use Spywareblaster and Spybot S&D, alongside Avast on my windows XP SP3 with no issues...Although I will probably hear negative comments on the free Spybot S&D, most people here feel it is very outdated, but I've been using it for the last 4 years and never had issues...Also I get along good with "Spybot TASHI" on the Spybot forum and would definately miss her...Ha Ha...
         Other awesome programs I use are...as a second opinion scanners only...Superantispyware, and Malwarebytes Free, which I am very fond of and hope to upgrade to one of them in paid version for Maximum protection....CCleaner is awesome for your computers health issues, it's free...ha ha...fixes all your junk and leftovers from updates and uninstallers, makes the computer faster, and lighter...Eusing free is just a free version of registry cleaner only, and I find it does the job well also not as agressive on your registry in the simple mode....You can find all these programs on Cnet.com and read their reviews and ratings to make your final decission...And remember Negative comments are aways the priority...
          Ohh ...I definately know that this post will be Disected with so many different opinions...But one thing we al agree on is Safe surfing... and I always welcome people's opinions...And "negative comments"...The best way to rate is when you hear the negative...

  Cheers and Safe Surfing

[YoKenny]

Hey Tony never take notice of users that use Advanced System Care free, Revo Un installer, Flash Cookie Cleaner, IE7 as they do not know what they are doing.  :'(
Especially since they still use Spybot S&D that is now obsolete. 

[tonisb]

Ok Guys/Girls,

Stop squabling! I have tried the first advice, lets see what happens. If I'm not happy then I will try the second. I want to learn as much as I can.
I had the SuperAntiSpyware with the old 4.8, no problems with it but am now trying MBAM. Thanks for the further advice Darin.
The new 6 version of Avast! looks very nice. Am downloading onto hubby's laptop today as well.

Thank everyone,

Toni

[SafeSurf]

You're welcome Toni.  Let us know if you have any additional questions.  Feel free to browse the forum sections, ask questions any time you need help or to learn something new.  We are here 24/7 for your convenience.  Thank you. 

[tonisb]

Good Morning Safesurf,
I do have another question (3 actually!). As I said I am going to download new version Avast on my husbands computor. He has Windows XP Pro SP3. He also has SuperAntiSpyware as aa secong option. Do I need a third party Firewall(TPFW) for him? If so, what is a TPFW, where do I get one and how does it work alongside the built in Windows FW or do I turn that off? What does 2 way protection mean?
In the past when I receive notification that a virus has been found I panic and force immediate shutdown. Disconnect from the modem and restart, then I run a through scan and go on from there. What is the right thing to do if this happens again?
Sorry to trouble you with such basic questions.

xxx Toni

[SafeSurf]

No problem with questions, that is what I am here for. 

2-way protection for a FW means that the FW is protecting you from things coming into your machine as well as going out.  The XP FW only offers 1-way protection, so it is almost worthless.  You need 2-way protection.  Some 2-way FW's that are compatible with Avast are Online Armour (free or paid), Outpost (free or paid), Comodo (without antivirus).  As with any security program, you will need to add both the FW and Avast to each other's exclusions to avoid a potential conflict.

When you get a notification of a virus, do not shut the machine down.  Some malware actually will prevent you from booting up.  So instead follow the prompts from Avast and put the virus in the Virus Chest, where it is safe...it is an isolated area where the rest of your machine cannot gain access to it.  We recommend you leave things there for at least 3 weeks.  During that time after getting virus definition updates, you can right click the items in the Chest and rescan it.  If it comes out clean, you can restore the clean items from the Chest back to your machine.  This might be important if it is an important file.  Of course running a scan is always a good thing to do as well; make sure you have the updated virus definitions before you run a scan.  If highly suspicious of something, run a scan, but also run a boot-time scan as well.  One thing you do not want to do is to "delete" something.  When in doubt about something, come to the forum and ask questions.  We are here 24/7 even for malware removal.