[GHacks] Avast Free Antivirus 7 Final Released

[Bear Bottoms]

"Avast Free Antivirus 7 Final Released

Avast on Thursday has released the final versions of their 2012 security
lineup. Avast Free Antivirus 7, Pro Antivirus 7 and Internet Security 7
are now available at the official site and in-software updates. The new
version ships less than three weeks after the beginning of the official
beta test which we have covered earlier this month here on Ghacks.

The company has added two new features to the security software, and
improved several existing ones. Avast has moved the virus definition
databases to the cloud to provide users with real-time definition
updates. Instead of delivering traditional update packages, definitions
are now updated whenever they are created. This improves security by
reducing the time it takes to update the databases on the client PCs.

The free version of Avast Antivirus supports all realtime-shields the
program ships with, compatibility with all recent 32-bit and 64-bit
editions of Windows (including Windows 8 Beta support), and a
customizable installation option that makes sure that Avast Antivirus
can be installed next to other security software as a second line of
defense on the system.

Interested users find Avast Free Antivirus 7 download links on this page
on the Avast website. It redirects to CNET where it is offered without
the CNET installer."

The automatic sandbox feature is not included in the free version.

READ ALL OF THE ARTICLE HERE:
http://www.ghacks.net/2012/02/25/avast-free-antivirus-7-final-released/

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[Nil]

"Avast Free Antivirus 7 Final Released

READ ALL OF THE ARTICLE HERE:
http://www.ghacks.net/2012/02/25/avast-free-antivirus-7-final-relea
sed/

I should know better, but I foolishly allowed Avast 6 to update itself
to version 7, after which the Windows Vista computer kept hanging upon
bootup. I ended up having to use their special uninstall utility to
completely remove the old version, then re-installed ver. 7. It finally
works OK. There are quite a few similar stories on their user forum.

I seem to recall this happening during their previous major upgrade. I
like the product when it's working, but the way they handled this is
disappointing. I know how to recover from a botched upgrade like this,
but the average user may not.

 

[David Wells]

I should know better, but I foolishly allowed Avast 6 to update itself
to version 7, after which the Windows Vista computer kept hanging upon
bootup. I ended up having to use their special uninstall utility to
completely remove the old version, then re-installed ver. 7. It finally
works OK. There are quite a few similar stories on their user forum.

I seem to recall this happening during their previous major upgrade. I
like the product when it's working, but the way they handled this is
disappointing. I know how to recover from a botched upgrade like this,
but the average user may not.

I installed the new version on a windows xp and windows 7 laptop and
each time I started either compter up I would get a box saying I was
all most done and click here to finish. I had to revert to ealier on
both computer to get around this. Any one else run into this.


---
avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 120226-2, 02/26/2012
Tested on: 2/26/2012 7:08:10 AM
avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2012 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com

 

[Rich Webb]

I installed the new version on a windows xp and windows 7 laptop and
each time I started either compter up I would get a box saying I was
all most done and click here to finish. I had to revert to ealier on
both computer to get around this. Any one else run into this.

Not here. I did both an upgrade install and an "uninstall everything and
install" cycle. Both completed okay without the problem you're having. I
was trying to reduce the impact of sf.bin (heuristics, code emulation)
that was really bogging down the computer.

Download and try aswclear.exe (their cleaner) from the Avast site. It's
their full scrubber and may be needed to clear out a dangling registry
entry or lock file or ...

 

[Nil]

I installed the new version on a windows xp and windows 7 laptop
and each time I started either compter up I would get a box saying
I was all most done and click here to finish. I had to revert to
ealier on both computer to get around this. Any one else run into
this.

I did not, but I saw several similar reports on their web forum.

 

[Zo]

After serious thinking David Wells wrote :

I installed the new version on a windows xp and windows 7 laptop and
each time I started either compter up I would get a box saying I was
all most done and click here to finish. I had to revert to ealier on
both computer to get around this. Any one else run into this.

Yes it did this on my XPHome SP3 system. I tried the method that is
described in the forum:

"Re: Windows XP and 7 Boot problems after update
« Reply #8 on: February 24, 2012, 06:22:20 AM »
Try:

1_ Avast main GUI -> settings -> troubleshooting -> disable the self
defense module and save settings (don't worry about the messages,
accept).

2_ search for the file "avast5.ini" (even if it is version 7 of avast);
EDIT the file with notepad.

3_ in "avast5.ini", look for the "[common]" section. There should be an
entry named "ShowSetupOutro".

4_ change the above entry "ShowSetupOutro" from 1 to 0 (zero).

5_ save the file and reboot.

6_ go back to avast main GUI -> settings -> troubleshooting -> enable
the self defense module and save."

I no longer had the popup, but the tray icon displayed an error x and
the message that my system was not secured even though it indicated
that it was when opening Avast. I then went back to the ini file to
undo the change but the entry was no longer there to change back to
"1".

I decided to then use the Avast reset button, but that didn't put the
entry back. I finally decided to copy the entry back into the ini
file, rebooted and the popup was back. This time instead of following
the above instructions, I went directly to the ini file, made the
change from "1" to "0" clicked save (the alert warning popup message
appeared) clicked yes and then rebooted. The pop was gone and the
system tray was back to the way it should be with message that my
system was secured. Haven't had any problems since and I rebooted a
couple more times just to make sure that it back to normal.

Note: in XP the Avast5.ini file is located in the Applications Data
All Users folder