Author Topic: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus  (Read 14968 times)

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Offline Lisandro

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Re: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus
« Reply #15 on: January 24, 2012, 09:21:31 PM »
You still have not answered Tech's questions in reply 8 ?
And all others...
The best things in life are free.

Offline MikeBCda

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Re: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus
« Reply #16 on: January 24, 2012, 09:25:57 PM »
I've been using avast free ever since I got internet access, maybe 15 years ago (avast ver. 95, if I remember correctly), and never had any problems with it, with one brief exception.  At one point, one new version conflicted with Eudora mail (which I no longer use), but the Avast crew (Alwil, back then) quickly got that corrected.

While no security product is 100 percent, avast works hard at getting as close as it can and still remain user-friendly.  More importantly, we're unaware of any competing product which offers anywhere near the level of support and service you'll find here in the forums.

If I sound like a "fanboy", so be it, sorry about that.  But I (and most of us here) definitely don't consider avast junk freeware.
Intel Atom D2700, 2 gig RAM, Win 7 x64 SP1 & IE-11, Firefox 51.0
(default). 320 gig HD, 15Mb DSL, Win firewall, Avast 12.3.2280 free, SpywareBlaster, MBAM Prem., Crypto-Prevent

chrislongski

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Re: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus
« Reply #17 on: January 24, 2012, 09:54:44 PM »
We will need more information to be able to help you (or your friend):

- Is your computer for home using? Or business?
- Which OS are you using? Is it up to date?
- What avast! version and virus definition (virus database) number?
- Which actions have you taken to try solving the problem?
- Do you use a firewall? Which one?
- Do you have any other antivirus installed in your system?  Did you have in the past?
- Any other security programs that could interfere?

Business use, but working from home
Vista Home Edition Plus
6.0.1367
Actions listed in originalpost
Windows Defender Firewall
No, no
No

Please help.


chrislongski

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Re: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus
« Reply #18 on: January 24, 2012, 10:07:13 PM »


None. This is a clean install/restore and I configured SpyBot NOT to be resident or TSR.

It's CLEAN, mostly. ! Have CCleaner, IE 7 Pro and Hostsman installed.
[/quote] SpyBot is a waste of hard disk space and has not kept up with the times.

What is IE 7 Pro?  

If it is what I think it is I gave up on that years ago.

I use IE9.
[/quote]

YoKenny is the one who assisted me four years ago from another client's machine...

IE 7 Pro is a Windows Explorer add-in for ad-blocking and popup blacking.  I run it on my own machine and recommend it...

chrislongski

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Re: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus
« Reply #19 on: January 24, 2012, 10:12:17 PM »
Quote
This is a fresh restore (HP Pavillion a 6330f) and clean !
did you use the recovery partition ?
is there a factory preinstalled Norton 60/90 day in that recovery ?....HP usually come with a preinstalled Norton


if so use norton removal tool to clear it and reboot before you install avast

Uninstallers – Security Software
http://singularlabs.com/uninstallers/security-software/

No, the D: drive recovery partition was blown out by the Linux installer, or somehow rendered ineffective, but I did use the OEMrecover disks.  The recovery partition is now active...

Honestly, I uninstalled the factory Norton, because I was afraid of nag screens and spyware.

BUT, any 60-9o Norton thing was blown out by the Linux installer, whom I would like to strangle...

YoKenny

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Re: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus
« Reply #20 on: January 24, 2012, 10:49:15 PM »


None. This is a clean install/restore and I configured SpyBot NOT to be resident or TSR.

It's CLEAN, mostly. ! Have CCleaner, IE 7 Pro and Hostsman installed.
 SpyBot is a waste of hard disk space and has not kept up with the times.

What is IE 7 Pro?  

If it is what I think it is I gave up on that years ago.

I use IE9.

YoKenny is the one who assisted me four years ago from another client's machine...

IE 7 Pro is a Windows Explorer add-in for ad-blocking and popup blacking.  I run it on my own machine and recommend it...
You do not even know how to quote!

I think that the elderly gentleman would best go elsewhere as you obviously have no clue how avast! works.
« Last Edit: January 24, 2012, 10:51:48 PM by YoKenny »

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus
« Reply #21 on: January 24, 2012, 11:08:10 PM »
Business use, but working from home
avast free is for home and non-commercial usage.
The best things in life are free.

miscreant

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Re: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus
« Reply #22 on: January 24, 2012, 11:18:03 PM »
Ok.  Install it.  100% of the time - "your system is not fully protected."  Open the application and:

You get three options:

1. At the top of the screen - "Fix Now" - never works, hangs up, (Internet Explorer Not Responding") then unhangs, no change.

2. Real-Time Shields Off.  Option: Turn On.  never works, hangs up, (Internet Explorer Not Responding") then unhangs, no change.

3. Urgent: WebShielf Off.  Option: Turn On.  never works, hangs up, (Internet Explorer Not Responding") then unhangs, no change.

What's really going on here is, they want me to pay, right ?

Bad Reviews all over the place in the works.
Try avast repair >control panel>programs and features (or similar)>avast>choose reapir.
Any error messages?.Also whats running at startup >msconfig

YoKenny

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Re: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus
« Reply #23 on: January 24, 2012, 11:44:27 PM »
Ok.  Install it.  100% of the time - "your system is not fully protected."  Open the application and:

You get three options:

1. At the top of the screen - "Fix Now" - never works, hangs up, (Internet Explorer Not Responding") then unhangs, no change.

2. Real-Time Shields Off.  Option: Turn On.  never works, hangs up, (Internet Explorer Not Responding") then unhangs, no change.

3. Urgent: WebShielf Off.  Option: Turn On.  never works, hangs up, (Internet Explorer Not Responding") then unhangs, no change.

What's really going on here is, they want me to pay, right ?

Bad Reviews all over the place in the works.
Try avast repair >control panel>programs and features (or similar)>avast>choose reapir.
Any error messages?.Also whats running at startup >msconfig
Why you should never use msconfig unless you want to render your system inoperative:
http://www.blackviper.com/2009/05/31/black-vipers-windows-vista-service-pack-2-service-configurations

Maybe that's why you are a miscreant  ???
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/miscreant

Plus why you can not understand how to use Malwarebytes pro with (website blocking disabled) ;)
« Last Edit: January 24, 2012, 11:47:50 PM by YoKenny »

ady4um

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Re: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus
« Reply #24 on: January 25, 2012, 12:47:16 AM »
What a mess of a topic. :o Almost no post is relevant to the main problem, except the real technical questions about the system. Even the first post is useless (as it has nothing to do with the problem).

Since the system with the problem is on a home computer for home - only use (at least this is what I understood), avast Free is perfectly legal on *that* system.

About other security tools mentioned, that are currently installed, I would suggest first uninstalling them. There is no "logic" on installing "extra" security tools, add on, plug in... before taking care of installing the most basic security tool: antivirus. So uninstall all those others (and after avast is working correctly, try again with them or with alternative ones that will work with avast with no conflicts).

About the pre-install security tools (like the Norton one you mention that you already uninstalled), you should use the specific relevant removal utility for the specific security tool so to remove any potential remnants. Partial list (including some norton removal utilities) is located at http://singularlabs.com/uninstallers/security-software/. Follow the relevant info and instructions, download the relevant utility and run it accordingly so to remove the potential conflicts.

About avast, uninstall it and then run the removal utility for it following the relevant instructions, just as with the above paragraph.

Now download Windows Updates and apply them. Reboot and check for new Windows updates again. Repeat until no new updates are found. The updates should include all available SP at least (but it is recommended to apply almost all the updates, unless there is some specific known reason not to do it).

Validate / activate the OS. Then check again for new Windows Updates, and recheck the activation / validation of the OS (as some updates may undo the validation / activation).

Finally download avast Free 6.0.1367 ANEW and install a new clean installation, and reboot. Test it. If it works, go on with other additional security tools relevant to this particular system and test them too.

To summarize: a clean system, with the pre-install "crap" uninstalled and "removed", and all Windows Updates applied, should not have a problem installing avast.

Dch48

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Re: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus
« Reply #25 on: January 25, 2012, 01:10:12 AM »
First off, as has been already mentioned, make sure Vista is up to date with all Service Packs and updates. The only other thing I can offer is what happened here when first installing Avast on a vista machine. I installed it and got somewhat the same problem as you are having with the addition of not being able to open the Avast GUI. It kept saying it had failed due to something with side by side configuration. Looking that up, I found that it had to do with Microsoft C++. The Avast installer is supposed to also install the appropriate C++ runtime files but sometimes it doesn't work right in Vista. My solution was to uninstall Avast and then get the C++2008 redistributable from the Microsoft download center, install that, and then run Windows Update to make sure it was fully up to date. I then installed Avast again and voila!, everything worked perfectly.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2012, 01:14:32 AM by Dch48 »

miscreant

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Re: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus
« Reply #26 on: January 25, 2012, 07:12:39 PM »
Ok.  Install it.  100% of the time - "your system is not fully protected."  Open the application and:

You get three options:

1. At the top of the screen - "Fix Now" - never works, hangs up, (Internet Explorer Not Responding") then unhangs, no change.

2. Real-Time Shields Off.  Option: Turn On.  never works, hangs up, (Internet Explorer Not Responding") then unhangs, no change.

3. Urgent: WebShielf Off.  Option: Turn On.  never works, hangs up, (Internet Explorer Not Responding") then unhangs, no change.

What's really going on here is, they want me to pay, right ?

Bad Reviews all over the place in the works.
Try avast repair >control panel>programs and features (or similar)>avast>choose reapir.
Any error messages?.Also whats running at startup >msconfig
Why you should never use msconfig unless you want to render your system inoperative:
http://www.blackviper.com/2009/05/31/black-vipers-windows-vista-service-pack-2-service-configurations

Maybe that's why you are a miscreant  ???
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/miscreant

Plus why you can not understand how to use Malwarebytes pro with (website blocking disabled) ;)

Im not sure what your on about  ??? or why youve mixed up quotes?.Who said anything about disabling from msconfig?.I said to look at at it and see whats starting up?....(By the way ive used msconfig since windows 98 to disable various programmes and have never had an inoperative system from doing it...).Your point about mbam pro and website blocking has lost me.I really dont know what you are talking about.

DanielFS

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Re: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus
« Reply #27 on: January 25, 2012, 07:34:41 PM »
Hi chrislongski,

The problem is that the most recent virus definitions (January 25, 2012) appear to have fouled up the program.  I would strongly recommend looking at this thread:

https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=91920.15

...and in particular, my solution, here:

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=91920.msg734053#msg734053

I don't know if you'll have older virus definitions you can use, but I may be able to post the ones I'm using right now (from January 24) so that all may take advantage - will do so in the thread above if I'm able.

Final thought: what you've encountered is very, very bad luck - this is not at all typical of Avast! - I have been using it for years now, and the vast majority of the time it does exactly what it's supposed to, without being the incredible resource hog that the AV packages of certain other major manufacturers can be (at work we are obligated to use software made by a company who's name starts with "M", and it drives me crazy).  Bottom line, do not let this color your experiences with Avast! - this is extremely rare, and it wouldn't be fair to the developers to go around badmouthing an otherwise good piece of software.

DS
« Last Edit: January 25, 2012, 07:54:51 PM by DanielFS »

Offline igor

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Re: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus
« Reply #28 on: January 25, 2012, 07:47:33 PM »
Since the original post is older (from yesterday), it's definitely unrelated.

richspicko

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Re: Typical Freeware Junk - Avast Antivirus
« Reply #29 on: January 26, 2012, 01:40:44 AM »
Another data point:

I have used avast free for years on several computers.  A few days ago, I ran into the same problem - e.g.  "System in Unsecured" and "Fix Now" and "Start service" do NOTHING.  I uninstalled, downloaded fresh, and I was back for about two days.  Now I'm having the same problem again.  Service WILL NOT start.

Running WIndows XP, completely up to date on a Dell Latitdue laptop.  Tons of other stuff running but never had any problems until recently.  Not about to wipe my laptop and start "clean".  Nothing else rewsident that should be causing any problems...   no real cheanges in my system in the last week.

Kinda frustrated and not finding any real pointers here....

Regards
Rich