I’m a computer tech and I routinely install Avast Free on all my client’s computers. Recently, two of my clients called me telling me they were having trouble renewing (re-registering) their copy of Avast. Both were running version 6, although one was not quite up to the current release yet. Both had ignored the “about to expire” warnings and let the program expire.
I brought up the Avast UI and it said it was expired. So I used the renew button, and I got the typical dialog offering me a choice of the free version or the paid version. I chose the free version and nothing happened. I clicked on the free version option several times and still nothing happened. Just for fun I clicked on the paid version and it opened up my browser to a web page where I could buy the product. But try as I might the program would not display the registration dialog for the free version. This happened on both my client’s computers (again, Avast had EXPIRED). The only way to get a working copy of Avast Free was to uninstall the current version, reboot, and then go through a fresh installation.
Is this the way it is supposed to work? In other words, if the user lets the Free version expire there is no way to re-register it via the program and a re-install is required?
Some other have reported this inactivity of the Free button, but I tested that using firefox 5.0.1 and it redirected to the download link without problem. A number of other regular forum users also tried it and got redirected as normal on different browsers.
Mind you I obviously wasn’t doing this through the avastUI as my version is still in date. I just used the link they gave to the download.
However, I don’t believe that is meant to happen if it is expired, I also can’t explain why the Registration window doesn’t pop-up when you click the Register button. I don’t know if the off-line Registration function would work as it should link to a web page, complete the form and an email would be sent.
Just a thought: since the current (at that moment) installation of Avast was registered once (a year ago), maybe pressing the free registration and rebooting would be enough?
I mean, if the user name and the email need no change / correction / update, then after a simple “click” and reboot Avast might “know” that your registration was renewed?
Rather than start a new thread, I did a search for ‘renew’ and this looks to fit my problem to a T…
Today during the normal update of engine and database, I get a pop-up that says, “My license is about to expire” (on Nov. 19). It offers a choice to renew either the free or the paid version. The free version ‘select’ is grayed out and does not work. Clicking on it has no affect.
I’ve been a user of Avast for over 4 years and like the product very much. Are they no longer offering the free version?
This is a real problem that should be fixed. I received about 5 calls this month from users having the same trouble renewing (re-registering) their copy of Avast. Same symptom: the register button does nothing. Some have just tried later and it works.
I did get an email from avast about an hour ago with new registry info. Copied and pasted into my copy of avast and all is well. Just didn’t work through the GUI.
I believe there have been some server issues (busy) with the UI registration, may take a few attempts to work but the old method is still there as a fall back.
My daughter’s Vista laptop with FFx is getting the registration renewal notice (2 weeks left). I’ve tried several times now over the last few days to ‘renew’ the free version and have experienced the same as the others, the free renewal icon does not link anywhere. The link to buy a version though does work. I have just requested an email license renewal and will see if that works. Not that this helps anyone, just thought I’d point out it seems this is becoming a big issue.
…and fill out the registration request and they will send you a new license code in an email within 24 hours. Just copy and paste that code into the registration block of avast and you should be good to go. There are instructions with the email, but if you need more help, you can watch this video: http://files.avast.com/files/tutorials/insert_key.htm
Just to add one more post with the same problem: Running v6.0.1289, on Windows XP Pro. My registration expires in ~25 days. I tried to re-register online, but the button underneath the “Base Protection” option is non-functional (same screen as what Rick F posted a few messages back). Just to check, I also tried to click on the “Full Protection” button, and that launched my browser, which I am guessing would eventually result in a successful paid registration. No browser was running when I first tried either button, later on I had Opera running, and the “Base Protection” button still didn’t work (I didn’t retry the “Full Protection” button again).
Anyway, I was able to successfully re-register using the offline/email method, but someone should look into fixing this online problem. Or if it’s a server issue, then have some sort of message indicating as such and telling people to try later (even if it has to be ‘pre-printed’ on the screen). As it is now, it looks like an attempt to force people to upgrade to the paid option, and that doesn’t reflect well on avast!