Avast Free 5.0.545.100524 shields can't activate

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hello,
I just upgraded from 5.0.545 and can’t get the shields to activate in Avast Free 5.0.545.100524. Based on some of the other threads in the forum, I downloaded the Avast uninstaller (version 5) and ran that in Windows Safe Mode. Then I re-installed 5.0.545.100524 and the shields still wouldn’t activate.

I tried activating them from the right-click menu on the icon tray, from the “Fix Now” button in the UI, and from the “Start Program” in the UI.

I also restarted Windows twice since re-installing the program. Still no go - there’s still a red “x” on the tray icon and the UI tells me that my system is unsecured. I had no such problems with the previous version on the same platform.

My platform:
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium
Avast: 5.0.545.100524
Zone Alarm Free: 9.1.007.002
PC: Dell Dimension 8300 3.2GHz 4.0GB RAM, HDD 500GB/350 free

Any ideas on how to proceed?

Thanks for your time,
Big Al Mintaka

2

have you tried repair and reboot ?

For a repair of avast. Windows, Add Remove programs, select ‘avast! Anti-Virus,’ click the Change/Remove button from the pop-up window, scroll down to Repair, click next and follow.

3

Is your ZA the firewall only?

If the Repair/Fix that Pondus mentioned did not work for you, here is the information for uninstalling and doing a CLEAN install of avast:

Save a copy of newest version of Avast.

Save the http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility on your hard drive.

Disconnect from the Internet at this time.

Uninstall Avast through “Add/Remove Programs”.

Boot into Safe Mode and run the Avast Uninstall Tool.

Reboot twice.

Clean your computer up.

Install the newest version of Avast and reboot twice.

Get Internet access and update Avast definitions.

Register your copy or add the license key for Free, Pro or AIS.

Reset your settings, if needed.

Run a scan (try a Full System Scan initially to check for malware).

Please let us know if you have any further questions or problems after completing the above.

4

Although I didn’t go into a lot of detail, I had already performed those steps per my original post:

“Based on some of the other threads in the forum, I downloaded the Avast uninstaller (version 5) and ran that in Windows Safe Mode. Then I re-installed 5.0.545.100524 and the shields still wouldn’t activate… I also restarted Windows twice since re-installing the program.”

"“Based on some of the other threads in the forum…” was where I picked up a detailed description of the steps you mentioned.

Unfortunately, the repair method suggested by Pondus didn’t work either.

Since my first post I found another thread dealing with shields that won’t activate and the “unsecured” state that can’t be fixed. Note the response by ToM, a member of the Avast team on page 2 of the thread:

“Hi,
we found that avast! has a collision with system restore that can lead to Unsecured stage, notice invalid license file even the license file is correct or another various issues. We will try to fix it for next public beta or release.
we are sorry for inconvenience.”

A link to that thread is here:

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60435.15

Note that I have another PC running the previous version of Avast. I tried to update that one and ran into the same problem - shields that won’t activate, leaving my system in an “unsecured” state.

So it seems there is something wrong with the 5.0.545.100524 upgrade and a fix is still in the works.

I’ll keep my eyes open for the fix.

Have a good one,
Big Al Mintaka