Avast 8.0.1497 compatibility with Windows 8.1 64 bits

securitest · 2015-06-06T00:36:11.000Z

Hello,

I am running Avast 8.0.1497 32 bits on Windows 8.1 64 bits
I have only the 3 File/Script/Behavior Shields installed
(of course if I use Avast8 it means that I do not wish to upgrade to Avast9 or more right now)

This page seems to say that Avast 8.0.1497 is okay on Windows 8.1 64 bits :
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=133824.msg983866#msg983866

My Avast processes are 32 bits (avastsvc.exe, avastui.exe),
but Avast has installed itself in the 64 bits ‘program files’ folder, and my Avast has some 64 bits DLLs.

Upon Avast installation I remember having a warning about compatibility for this version of Avast on Win 8.1
Now, in the Application event log, I have some events (translated in english by me) :
Journal name : Application
Source : Microsoft-Windows-ApplicationExperienceInfrastructure
Date : [repeated, probably on each boot]
ID of event : 1
Task Type : None
Level : Warning
Keywords :
Utilisateur : [My admin account]
Computer : [My computer name]
Description : The application (Avast! Antivirus 8.0, provided by AVAST Software) has the following problem : Avast! Antivirus 8.0 is not compatible with this version of Windows. For additional informations please contact AVAST Software.

However,

the file shield seems to work : I have thousands of files analyzed, and I tested the file shield against the pseudo-virus EICAR.
the behavior shield seems to work : it already prompted me many times for system modifications.
the script shield does not seems to work (0/0) : neither for script within Firefox 38ESR, nor for local VBS scripts run with WScript.exe.

So my main question is : is there any problem with this version of Avast8.0.1497 on Win8.1, or is it safe to use it ?

Second question : is there any patch to make Avast8 scan the scripts run by Firefox 38ESR ? (I did that for Avast7 on Firefox 17ESR)

I know the script shield has problem following the versions of Firefox, but that’s where the ESR (Extended Support Release) of Firefox could become usefull (well, I use firefox NoScript extension, but it’s more a behavior blocker than a malware detector)…

Thanks.

Eddy · 2015-06-06T01:08:18.000Z

It is time for you to install the latest version:
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=169255.msg1203279#msg1203279

https://blog.avast.com/2015/05/06/support-for-older-avast-windows-consumer-version-will-end/

securitest · 2015-06-08T14:24:26.000Z

Not what I asked…

However the link you provided https://blog.avast.com/2015/05/06/support-for-older-avast-windows-consumer-version-will-end/ says :

People using older versions will continue to receive virus definition updates and be protected
(no more program update and fix for the Avast version 8 of course)

What I asked :

This page https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=133824.msg983866#msg983866 says (in french, translated by me) :

AVAST 8 program update! (8.0.1497)
Corrections of issues for Win 8 & Win 8.1 (avast! is now fully compatible with these OS)
Corrections of issues in virtualization module (including other corrections for x64 systems)

But

I get the Windows Application Event (in eventlog) :
Source : Microsoft-Windows-ApplicationExperienceInfrastructure
Description : The application (Avast! Antivirus 8.0, provided by AVAST Software) has the following problem : Avast! Antivirus 8.0 is not compatible with this version of Windows. For additional informations please contact AVAST Software

I guess, from Avast activity and log, that the File & Behavior Shields are working correctly but I would prefer a confirmation of course.

Eddy · 2015-06-08T14:55:24.000Z

avast 8.0.1497 was released before Windows 8.1
You can’t expect it work without a problem.
Besides that, there is really no reason at all to use such a old version.

securitest · 2015-06-11T23:33:49.000Z

“avast 8.0.1497 was released before Windows 8.1” : inexact, August 2013 is before September 2013
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_8.1
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=133824.msg983866#msg983866

I will seriously consider your advice to use a more recent version of Avast
as soon as you have answered any of the question I asked

Maybe a passer-by is using Avast 8.0.1497 on Win 8.1 64 bits has any experience to share?

Eddy · 2015-06-12T00:21:50.000Z

General availability October 17, 2013

DavidR · 2015-06-12T13:42:16.000Z

Well the avast release history shows avast 8.0.1497 was released on 2013-09-02 and also indicates there were some fixes related to Win8 & Win8.1, what they were as an avast user I don’t know.

Whether that was for the early win8.1 preview I wouldn’t know, the only thing for certain is that there is no support now for old versions of avast including avast 8.0.1497 as far as program update/fixes are concerned.

If you find that there are any compatibility issues, your only course of action would be to update to a later version of avast (https://www.avast.com/en-gb/release-history) 2014.9.0.2006 reports fully compatible with Win8.1. However, you would have to find an old version of that as that too is no longer supported. Other than that you are looking at updating to the latest avast 2015 10.2.2218 version.

securitest · 2015-06-14T22:23:29.000Z

I finally found the official release note of Avast through Google
(the same link that DavidR provided in the meantime…, thanks anyway)
https://www.avast.com/fr-fr/release-history

So Avast 8.0.1497 was indeed meant to work on Win8.1 64 bits
(which does not mean that all compatibility issues were corrected in this version)
Still strange that the windows event log reports it as being incompatible.

Since no one seems to have tried this combination (Avast 8.0.1497 on Win8.1 64 bits)
I will have to test it myself :
At least I can say that this Avast intercepts (false postive ::)) virus in 32bits apps.
I already got the Evo-Gen false alarms when compiling some of my 32bits programs.

I will have a look on this thread within a few days, in case someone has already tried what I’m doing.

Eddy · 2015-06-14T22:43:14.000Z

I’m sure people have tried it, but why sticking with such a old version ?

DavidR · 2015-06-14T23:12:50.000Z

securitest post:8:

I finally found the official release note of Avast through Google
(the same link that DavidR provided in the meantime…, thanks anyway)
https://www.avast.com/fr-fr/release-history

So Avast 8.0.1497 was indeed meant to work on Win8.1 64 bits
(which does not mean that all compatibility issues were corrected in this version)
Still strange that the windows event log reports it as being incompatible.

You are misquoting me, I didn’t say that it was compatible with Avast 8.0.1497 - some win8 and win8.1 issues were fixed, image1 and that mentions fixed issues virtualisation module.

But it wasn’t until avast 2014.9.0.2006 that it reports fully compatible with Win8.1, my image2. This would probably account for the not compatible report as you are on an earlier version.

bob3160 · 2015-06-15T15:06:09.000Z

A very simple solution:
Update your OS and use the latest version of Avast.
Stop trying to reinvent the wheel.

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