Beginning a few days ago, I would get a red pop-up at start-up saying that my definitions hadn't been updated. I had disregarded it initially, thinking that my computer just hadn't connected through the router just yet, and that it would update a few minutes later when I was connected (my router can be slow sometimes). Yesterday, I finally clicked the red balloon and tried to update manually- I was unable to update the definitions, or the program itself. I ran a malwarebytes scan and found two objects- I successfully quarantined and deleted them both, restarted, followed directions from another post to connect directly instead of via proxy, and was eventually able to update the definitions (program was already up-to-date). I spent the rest of yesterday cleaning up the computer- I restarted again, ran another malwarebytes scan, and a quick virus scan, and found nothing. This morning, when I started up, I saw the green balloon that my definitions had been updated. My computer froze (it has been doing this for the last month or so- after its been turned off for more than a few hours, it will freeze a few minutes after the first start-up- then, after I do a hard reset, it is fine and will not freeze again, for the rest of the day- the next morning, it is the same thing, I start it up and it freezes after a few minutes, and after hard resetting from that, it is fine- I have been trying to find the source and am thinking it is some sort of audio driver conflict (read some things on a hardware forum, but am awaiting a response from that forum to determine how to test this). So anyway I started up this morning, got the green balloon that my definitions had been updated- then, after a hard reset, I noticed a red "x" over the avast icon on my tray at bottom right. I clicked to open avast, and the avast window shows a giant red "X" with the warning "Your system is not protected. Please use the Fix Now button to start protecting your system". When I click it, I get the windows pop-up notification asking if it is ok for Avast to make changes- I click yes, and a moment later the window pops up again- I click yes again- but nothing is happening. It will not run. I am concerned that I have a very bad virus, and don't know how to fix this. Can anyone help?
I am running Windows 7 Professional. After cleaning up my computer yesterday, I let Windows make some updates. I don't know whether this is some kind of conflict with Windows, or a virus, or what. I don't know what other information I should provide. Please, I would appreciate any help as soon as possible.
Thank you.