For me, avast 17 is moonwalking. It is getting worse instead of better.
I had given it a brief test run back a couple of weeks after it first came out. At the time, for some reason I wasn’t allowed to register even though the indication was very much evident that my 30 days were eventually going to run out. I didn’t come across a solution, so I went back to avast 12.3.2280.
In the meantime since then, I just kept feeling uneasy with avast 17’s developmental progress status from reading the chatter here on the avast forums. Nevertheless, today I threw caution to the wind and decided to give avast 17.4.2294 a shot.
Verdict? After uninstalling avast 12.3.2280 with avastclear and performing a subsequent thorough cleaning with various apps, I attempted to install avast 17.4.2294. Very quickly the popup with the install progress status disappeared and a big ole error window came up as you all can see in the attached image.
I again performed an uninstall with avastclear and a thorough cleaning of everything avast. I again attempted to install avast 17.4.2294. Again the install progress status popup disappeared and the same big ole error window came up.
At that point I had enough of avast 17. I uinstalled it and reinstalled avast 12.3.2280. Everything is working great now.
System Details:
Dell Optiplex 780 — Core 2 Duo Processor 3.00 GHz — 4 Gig RAM
Windows XP Pro SP3 (32-Bit)
Is it perhaps a case of avast 17 not really being fully-compatible with Windows XP and it consequently being a case of hit & miss / throw of the dice as to whether one’s Windows XP will work with avast 17?
Well my system spec is broadly the same as yours, I uninstalled MBAM as it has become more of a resource hog for what it is. I gave up on SAS many years ago as it was outdated even then and tea timer could be a pain and interfere with avast.
I have had the avast free 17.x.xxxx installed on my XP Pro SP3 system from early beta’s through to this 17.4.2294 release, without any major issues, a few niggles, though nothing I would uninstall it for. I too have a very minimal installation, but I’m using avast free (no avast firewall),I’m not a gamer, haven’t got a web cam, so I have missed some of those major issues seen in the forums.
That said 17.4.2294 is only installed on the XP desktop system (my main system and test bed), I still have avast free 12.3.2280 installed on my win10 64bit laptop and win7 32bit netbook. I think 17.4.2294 is still work in progress and bugs are being still being squashed, but more to be done.
The problem as I see it is that not all systems are effected even on the same OS versions and this inconsistency has made fixes more difficult. I have seen one fix, resolve one problem, but cause another issue and this is a pain.
What I don’t doubt, this is a big update with components/elements/functions from both Avast and AVG being integrated/modified in both programs.
Wasn’t something mentioned in some other thread by the Devs that as of the newest version, Windows XP was “not supported?” I never wound up getting the straight up meaning of that. Maybe what I am experiencing is exactly what was meant … as in perhaps something along the lines of — “as of the newest version, avast 17 may or may not work with your Windows XP. And if it doesn’t, we’re not going to spend anymore time fixing that.”
Anyway, that said, I still don’t like the new color scheme of avast 17.
And is that new Morphing Amoeba still the only option we have for the System Try Indicator? Because I don’t like that either. As I mentioned the previous time that I tried avast 17 — IMO, that Morphing Amoeba is too small an item to be using that type of morphing animation. It is too subtle. It does not catch your attention. The animated ball of avast 12 is just the ticket. I can see that one out of the corner of my eye. avast 17’s Morphing Amoeba on the other hand, that one I have to stare straight at it and practically study and analyze it to ascertain whether it is actively animated or not.
Oh well, I guess I’ll revert back to checking out the chatter here on the forums to see if and when I get a better feel about avast 17 having made some bigger, more significant strides of progress. Then I’ll give it another try.
Wasn't something mentioned in some other thread by the Devs that as of the newest version, Windows XP was "not supported?" I never wound up getting the straight up meaning of that. Maybe what I am experiencing is exactly what was meant ... as in perhaps something along the lines of --- "as of the newest version, avast 17 may or may not work with your Windows XP. And if it doesn't, we're not going to spend anymore time fixing that."
There was something about it, but it wasn’t too clear.
It was something along the lines that the off-line installation wouldn’t work on XP unless you actually had an on-line connection at the time you used the off-line installation.
I can’t recall if this wasn’t also about off-line registration, but I haven’t got that one clear in my mind yet.
I have no problem staying at my current avast 12.3.2280. However, I’ve already been seeing hints (Popups) that avast definitely wants to push me towards avast 17. Heck, about 3 or so days ago, it was actually more than just a hint. I’m pretty sure avast somehow behind the scenes took it upon itself to change my Program Update setting from Ask when available to Automatic.
I never use Automatic on my Program Update setting. And IF I had somehow had it like that this time around, it stands to reason that avast would have upgraded itself to avast 17 a long time ago. Anyway, so one morning I just saw from the Task Manager that avast seemed to be taking wayyy forever to complete a presumed regular Definitions Update. I thought maybe it had somehow just gotten stuck and was really already finished. I disconnected my Dial Up Internet. I thought that would clear things. But, nope. Upon connecting to the Internet again … there avast was, again still at it with Instup still active. It dawned on me that perhaps avast had taken it upon itself to upgrade to avast 17. I quickly checked my Program Update setting and sure enough — it was now mysteriously set at Automatic. >:(
I changed it back to Ask when available, but I don’t know if it’ll stay like that and for how long. It’ll no doubt at some point change itself back to Automatic. That wouldn’t be bad IF avast 17 was not all bug-riddled as it apparently is.
BAMM! DONE! I changed it to manual. Thanks for the suggestion, mchain.
It had actually already crossed my mind to do that, but I figured that would cause avast to display the big ole “YOU ARE NOT PROTECTED” message probably all day long and have the System Tray Indicator X-ed Out as well. But, that appears to not be the case.
Hopefully the manual setting serves as a solid Restraining Order for avast to stay 1000 yards away from my Program Update setting. ;D
My avast dot com account shows machine as “AUTO UPDATE” - OFF
In other words avast knows you turned that update setting off - pffffffffffffff! -
[EDIT:] Almost got bit by the Chrome install fiasco, but Unchecky saved the bacon. Chrome install was linked to instup,exe, which was blocked, and the option to accept/decline install was nowhere to be seen.
