I have been running (and updating) avast! version 4.8 professional very successfully on my laptop (XP SP3) for a number of years. The licence expires in 10 days or so. I have a new avast licence but need to download the upgrade - avast! Pro Antivirus - which I run on other PCs.
I have downloaded avast_pro_antivirus_setup.exe but when I run the installer I get the message box “Corrupted avast! Antivirus detected” with the message “The installer has detected corrupted avast! Antivirus installation on this computer (service ‘aswSP’ is running), thus the installer cannot continue. Please repair your computer first.”
A very detailed message. Looking in the Winows Task Manager - Processes I cannot detect aswSP . Stop On-Access Protection of avast! 4.8 - makes no difference. I have carried out a repair of avast! 4.8 - makes no difference.
I am loathe to remove avast! 4.8 because if I still can’t install avast! Pro Antivirus then I will be left unprotected. Any advice on how I should proceed would be much appreciated
run this for all previous installed versions, then try to install
Uninstall Utility http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility
thanks for your prompt response Pondus. I really wanted to avoid uninstalling as it could leave me unprotected - is this the only solution? How sure can I be that it will repair things?
avast 4.8 is obsolete …
and as far as i know it is not possible to install the new avast 2014 on top of it…it is a completely different program
screenshots here http://www.softpedia.com/progScreenshots/Avast-Professional-Edition-Screenshot-6457.html
many thanks - I’ll take a deep breath and keep my fingers crossed 
You were still running Avast 4.8? lol
If it ain’t bust - don’t fix it! :-[
It keeps telling me in a mellifluous transatlantic tone that “virus database has been updated” so I figure as I’ve been (touch wood) virus free since 2009 everything is hunky dory.
there are lots of stuff the new verion detect that old dont detect… the world move forward you know and so does the bad guys and there new virus versions
Que puedo hacer en este caso ns que hacer pueden ayudarme porfavor
:‘( :’( 
the installer has detected corrupted avast antivirus installation on this computer (service ‘aswSP’ is running), thus this installer cannot continue. Please, repair your computer first