!!
AVAST come’on and wakeup friends. This is a real problem, rolling now [realtime].
I’ve installed AVAST a number of times mostly without issues. This time its your issue.
New/fresh installation of Vista Business 32 provided by Dell, on a Dell Optiplex [that’s their top business desktop] 755 system, fresh WD caviar 500gb. Came up fine and got it all cleaned up and spiffy. Later, after user installed his printer and got all setup to go, with Windows UPDATES turned OFF [highly recommended for VISTA users] we got the error. Checking MS forum post dubbed “NOTE TO USERS OF AVAST 6”, The MS responders there are recommending that AVAST 6 users uninstall Avast and run the cleanup utility and pick another/better Antivirus solution like Windows Live Essentials.
While I object to their lazy way of dealing with the problem, its the way things work: the big expect the smaller to correct THEIR code first.
Get on this so I do not have to start recommending [blah] AVG… or worse.
I am NOT having this problem, but I’d like to comment about it anyway.
Although I think this is a conflict more related to Windows Activation than to Avast, I indeed think that the bottom line will be that some users will stop using/installing Avast and they will start recommending other security solutions.
I am GUESSING that the problem is presenting itself in “new” installations of Windows (Vista), which may include “Factory Restore” situations.
Vista users MUST update all the Windows “Critical” updates, including SP2 and all the ones coming after SP2. This is a Microsoft’s requirement, not just from Avast (SP1 not supported by Microsoft anymore).
In “new” pre-SP2 (RTM/SP1) Vista installations, the users MUST run the Windows Update application several times (rebooting between each) BEFORE installing anything else.
Users aware of security issues tend to install security tools (like Avast) as their first program just after installing Windows. This, in the case of Vista, is “a mistake”.
As oppose to XP, generally speaking, Vista newer updates do NOT include the “older” ones. So, to install SP2 for example, the RTM “user” needs to install all previous updates first, including SP1. SP2 can’t be installed directly over RTM.
Using the Windows Update Control Panel in Vista, the user needs to reboot after finishing the “new” installation, and run the “Check for updates” once. After the updates are applied, reboot. “Check for updates” again, and reboot after applying them. Repeat until no new updates are found.
When no new updates are found, check that Windows Vista has the SP2 installed (Win. Ver. 6002…). Only then check that Windows is already validated (recognized as a valid Genuine installation).
So the steps should be:
1_ update all the necessary Windows updates first (several times and reboot in between);
2_ Validate Windows (and reboot);
3_ install security tools (and reboot);
4_ add/install optional (not indispensable) drivers, like the printer;
5_ re-check for Windows / drivers updates;
6_ install other tools.
If Avast was installed before SP2, the user needs to boot into safe mode, uninstall Avast, reboot and try to update Windows and validate it. Only then, Avast may be installed again.
This is not a “solution”, but a “workaround” to reduce installation problems.
As I mentioned, Microsoft will not be “paying” for any of these “validation” problems. Even if Avast may not be the main problem, Avast will “pay” for it, unless Avast Team can come with a workaround that will work for any (less experienced) user(s).
I knew from the very beginning its never the Antivirus at fault specially avast, its the windows causing avast issues if there’s a case. Honored to say Ms sucks. go Ashampoo, Celframe, Apple or Ubuntu.
[quote author=ady4um link=topic=78657.msg654626#msg654626 date=1307681686]Although I think this is a conflict more related to Windows Activation than to Avast, I indeed think that the bottom line will be that some users will stop using/installing Avast and they will start recommending other security solutions.
Yes, especially if the other possible solutions are more time consuming.
I am GUESSING that the problem is presenting itself in “new” installations of Windows (Vista)
Not in my case. I’ve been using Vista on this Dell PC for 3 years or so…
It seems I wasn’t clear enough, so I’ll try to explain myself better this time.
The current valid version of Vista should be at least 6002, which includes SP2. Microsoft doesn’t support Vista RTM/SP1 anymore.
I quote your own post here so you can understand my point. Even if you have your system for 3 years, it seems you haven’t gone through the “Validation” process (or that you need to do it again, which is indeed plausible).
Only a “Validated” Windows will offer you ALL critical updates, including SP1 and SP2. Moreover, say you make a “Factory Restore” or install Vista anew using your original media, 3 years ago Vista was not SP2 yet. In addition, a new RTM or SP1 installation could offer you several Windows updates (with needed/recommended reboots) before offering SP2.
So, my suggested steps are still relevant. I can NOT actually know if this is exactly the problem, of course. I only suggested a possible workaround, that MIGHT help, but maybe it doesn’t.
A user having this problem doesn’t really need to uninstall “all”, nor needs to make a Factory Restore nor a Factory Repair. The suggestion would be to:
_ temporarily uninstall Avast (under Windows Safe mode);
_ reboot to normal mode;
_ in case Windows doesn’t allow to do anything else but to “Validate”, just follow the instructions to Validate it, and then reboot;
_ apply Windows update and reboot, and then repeat this step until there is nothing else to update;
_ reboot (yes, after finally Windows Update offers zero updates available, reboot once more);
_ install Avast again (and reboot accordingly).
This MAY not be your particular case, and you may have “automagically resolved” your problem (as you state in a previous post), but maybe this helps some other user with a similar problem.
I insist that Avast will “pay” for this problem, even in the case Avast is not the main problem (the original MS topic is currently a sticky, so “everyone” is currently reading about this Avast conflict). To be clear, I, in my personal system, have no way to know that Avast is the main problem, or that it isn’t, but eitherway Avast should try to find a simple workaround or solution (MS won’t do it, and Avast will “pay”).
Apparently this is happening with newer installations of Avast 6 and Vista before SP2 - 6002 (or this is a BS campaign; who knows ).
@Avast Team:
A possible check, during the first step of Avast’s Setup, that Avast is being installed in a supported OS edition and/or version and/or build could be “wise”. In case the system is “not enough” (in relation to suggested/supported requirements), then Avast Setup could display a “recommendation” (I would NOT call it a “warning”) specifying what “item” is “not enough”, with 2 options: “Cancel Avast Installation” or “Continue with Avast Installation Anyway”. (To be clear, I would never let Avast Setup to “only Cancel” the installation, but instead always give the user the choice to decide what to do). This is not a “solution”, and may “scary” some users too, but at least avoids the “feeling” of “I hate Avast for wasting my time”. The best for Avast would be to find what changed between previous and latest versions actually triggers this problem, and then adapt :).
Since I have/had the same problem, commented in another thread but noone ever picked up on it, I will comment here.
I can understand that this problem is not affecting 99% of Avast users but I found at least a dozen of threads with users complaning and only after I visited the Microsoft forum did I found a sticky there.
No sticky or acknowledgement of the problem in the avast forum which I visit regularly. Had I read sth. here, I would have not update to the most current version 6.
Microsoft doesn't support Vista RTM/SP1 anymore
This is simply not true. Support for Vista SP1 does end in a month on July 15.
That being said, I think the most important thing right now is to keep Vista users informed of the problem. Have a sticky here in the forum and tell people that Avast 6 is NOT compatible with Vista RTM and Vista SP1.
I myself uninstalled Avast after the validation error occured, everything worked perfectly then. Bottom line: I had to switch to another AV software.
I am another person who has had Windows invalidated.
I have Windows Vista that came with my Toshiba.
It is not a pirated version.
I have had the computer for three years with no problem.
I had issues with my computer due to a virus and updated the latest Avast software …
[ see Nov. 29, 2011 thread in the Avast forum Virus and Worms: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=89286.0 ]
And on December 12 my computer started up and indicated that my Windows was possibly not validated.
Other than the Avast update and Malewarebites download and the other things documented in the thread, nothing else was done to my computer.
Does someone know how to get around this???
My computer was able to start in SafeMode, so I’ve unloaded all my important Data – but I would like to be able to use my computer again.
Install SP1 if you haven’t. Reboot. Install SP2 if you haven’t. Reboot.
Go to “Control Panel → System and Maintenance → System” and re-validate / re-activate your Vista.
There is a possibility that you would need to re-activate Vista before updating each SP (#1/#2), and then, after rebooting, that you would need to re-activate it again.
After each, any and all of the above steps, reboot.
Finally, download the latest stable version of avast, install it with “right click → run as administrator” and reboot when the installation finishes.
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