Hi. I’m starting this topic for people who needs to keep using previous versions of AVAST (like 8 or 9) because of hardware limitations.
Since AVAST won’t fix those versions, that means people will have to manually edit the registry in order to install Microsoft Meltdown patch.
And once you do, verify if any BSOD happen. I will try to test AVAST 9 with MS patch on Win7 x86 and report back on this topic.
If anybody wants to collaborate, please share your experience and specify your AVAST version and Windows platform. Thank you.
And how do I know if I have the registration key?
See if it is there with regedit.
Go to start and search or press the windows key and R at the same time and enter “regedit” (without quotes) and then expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE then SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > QualityCompat, keep expanding through each of those until you get to the Quality Compat section and you should have a key with the Value and registry type within there (see below). Please don’t add the key manually as this can cause issues if done wrong. Avast is apparently ready for the update according to a pinned post.
Key="HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" Subkey="SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\QualityCompat" Value="cadca5fe-87d3-4b96-b7fb-a231484277cc" Type="REG_DWORD”
Thanks for your reply. I noticed that post refers to Avast Endpoint Protection 8, but it says nothing about Avast Free Antivirus.
Moreover, they talk about microcode updates, but I don’t know if that applies to Avast Free Antivirus. If you go to Maintenance, under Update, there are two buttons: “update engine and virus definitions” and “update program”. The last button if it is used change your version to a new one, for example, 8.0.1497 to 9.0.1506, so it’s not a microupdate. The first button in my experience never changed the current version, it just downloads the latest definitions.
In short, I think Avast should say which versions (8, 9, etc.) are compatible with the MS patch, or if you only get that by using the latest one.
All 8+ versions get the update.
Thanks again for your help. I can confirm after running AvastEmUpdate.exe a couple of times and a reboot that the Registry key QualityCompat appeared.
I extend my thanks to the Avast Team. Now time to see how MS does their part.
You’re welcome.