I used Avast exclusively as antivirus solution for eight years since 2004. However due to the overwhelming number of new features added to Avast 7, I have concluded that the current Avast 7 is an over-kill and decided to leave for something simpler.
My hardware configurations and Avast installation:
Hardware: ThinkPad SL400, Core2 Duo 2.0Ghz, RAM 2GB
OS: Windows XP Pro SP3
Antivirus: Avast Antivirus Home 7.0.1451
My initial Avast installation was version 6 since that I upgraded to 7.0.1451 progressively using Avast built-in program updater.
After search on this support, I found the followings are proper procedures for clean uninstallation of Avast. I am asking for confirmation on how to clean uninstall the current Avast Antivirus 7, because all of my searched topics are several years old and direct at Avast verions 4-5.
Avast Clean Uninstall Procedures based on my board searches:
U1: Download and save aswclear.exe onto desktop
U2: Uninstall Avast using Windows Add and Remove applet
U3: Reboot into Windows Safe Mode
U4: Run Avast Uninstall Utility aswclear.exe under Windows Safe Mode
U5: Reboot into Windows Normal Mode
U6: Done
*Avast Uninstall Utility: http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility
As many of you long-time Avast are aware, the protection coverage has been vastly expended and many new features have been introduced to Avast 7.
Avast 7 Clean Uninstall Questions:
I’d greatly appreciate if you could kindly confirm the followings.
Q1. Are the above procedures still valid for cleanly and completely uninstalling Avast 7?
Q2. With the help of aswclear.exe, will I be able to remove all features of Avast 7 especially for switch to another program of the same kind?
Q3: Will it be even better if I uninstall Avast Windows Add and Remove applet, under Windows Safe Mode as well, or the opposite?
Q4: As I already indicated my first Avast installation was version 6 and I progressively upgraded to the current build of Avast. Will that make clean uninstall more difficult than installing Avast upfront?
Thank you for advising 