NEW Avast version 24.8

[lukas.hasik]

Hello,
Please welcome the version 24.8 of Avast AV released on August 21st 2024

Major public announcement:

• New detection dialogs for Dating Scams.
• Avast AV supports Windows 11 ARM.
• Onboarding enhancements for premium users.
• More bug fixes and improvements.

How to install:

[ol]- Update from your existing Avast version via Settings → Update → Update program

• Or you can download and install files:

[li]Online installers (recommended):
[list]
[li]Free: https://bits.avcdn.net/insttype_FREE

• Premium Security: https://bits.avcdn.net/insttype_APR

[/li]

• Offline installers:

[li]Free: https://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_free_antivirus_setup_offline.exe

• Premium Security: https://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_premier_antivirus_setup_offline.exe

[/li]
[/list]
[/li][/ol]

[wir1313]

It looks like the problem can still happen sometimes. Much less often, about 90%, but it still happens sometimes.

[Rundvleeskroket]

Also, the Avast GUI now says “Thanks for joining” as if I’m a new user :o

[Rundvleeskroket]

I updated from 24.7 to 24.8 a couple of days ago. My settings for updates of the program version are “remind me when a new version is available”

Today Avast automatically updated the program version to the latest (24.8.9372.0) without asking me, and it placed a new Avast icon on my desktop.

In settings it still says it will “inform me”. But it didn’t, and updated anyway.

So again Avast does not respect user preferences.

[sj.vegetto]

I complain about this month or 2 ago and I gonna complain again.

AVAST for last few builds currently on (24.8.6127 (build 24.8.9372.869) is for some reason stopping “turn off monitor at set time” upon first boot into windows, and will not work unless you move mouse around click mouse buttons upon first boot to windows 10. After that it will turn off the monitor at the set time, but if you dont monitor will never turn off.

I first noticed this on Win 10 and seeing I testing out Win 11 and did upgrade and then clean install of it after words monitor was turning off fine upon first bootup into windows without moving the mouse and or clicking before hand, Moment I installed Avast and upon first boot up the issue was back, Not bigg issue cause you have use mouse if you want use system, but if one turns pc and walks away for hour or what ever, when the come back monitor will be on still.

What is with all scare tactics in the smart scan “advanced” section and all that how do I turn that crap off.

And out pure curiosity, I booted up my old pc I gave to dad that been setting there for 12+ months not being touched or even turned on, there for had old build of avast, Monitor turn off function worked fine upon first boot and no mouse moving and or clicking reqiured. avast wanted update it went threw and issue was back.

So it happen on personal pc when it was on win 10 and when it was on win 11 and it happen on my old pc upon avast update, Will give avast few builds to fix this, other wise I will just uninstall and stop using it on all pc’s use MS defender only.

[Rundvleeskroket]

I suddenly found Avast popped open on my screen after having run a Smart Scan automatically (18:00 on the first of the month).

I see no other reason than to show a bunch of bogus alerts followed by the upsell screens every month.

This flies in the face of “Avast scans as needed on the fly so no need to manually scan things or set periodic scans”

Edit: I was still running 24.7 so this isn’t something new for 24.8 but it must’ve come in a definition update or something. Or already a thing in 24.7

[merckxist]

@Dinobot2

@rocksteady

@Dinobot2

Additionally, the Smart scan option which was previously on “Run manually” was changed to “Monthly” on its own after this update. Was that done on purpose or did mine glitch?

Good catch @Dinobot2.
I found my Smart Scan frequency setting was changed, showing “Monthly” as well.
I have now changed back to “Manual”
That was sneaky change (bug maybe) and could have caused me some confusion and head scratching if it had run automatically unexpectedly.

Yes, I only saw it because I check settings regularly like the neurotic psychopath that I am, but if I wasn’t I would have gotten the scan popping up on Sunday and been very confused and worried.

+1, thank you, @Dinobot2

[Dinobot2]

@rocksteady

@Dinobot2

Additionally, the Smart scan option which was previously on “Run manually” was changed to “Monthly” on its own after this update. Was that done on purpose or did mine glitch?

Good catch @Dinobot2.
I found my Smart Scan frequency setting was changed, showing “Monthly” as well.
I have now changed back to “Manual”
That was sneaky change (bug maybe) and could have caused me some confusion and head scratching if it had run automatically unexpectedly.

Yes, I only saw it because I check settings regularly like the neurotic psychopath that I am, but if I wasn’t I would have gotten the scan popping up on Sunday and been very confused and worried.

[DavidR]

@rocksteady

@Dinobot2

Additionally, the Smart scan option which was previously on “Run manually” was changed to “Monthly” on its own after this update. Was that done on purpose or did mine glitch?

Good catch @Dinobot2.
I found my Smart Scan frequency setting was changed, showing “Monthly” as well.
I have now changed back to “Manual”
That was sneaky change (bug maybe) and could have caused me some confusion and head scratching if it had run automatically unexpectedly.

I saw that also but it wasn’t set to trigger until 1st of the month (I think), so it got cancelled.

For me changing User Settings should be a no, no, unless there is a serious reason and if so should be in the details on the updates to the program.

[rocksteady]

@Dinobot2

Additionally, the Smart scan option which was previously on “Run manually” was changed to “Monthly” on its own after this update. Was that done on purpose or did mine glitch?

Good catch @Dinobot2.
I found my Smart Scan frequency setting was changed, showing “Monthly” as well.
I have now changed back to “Manual”
That was sneaky change (bug maybe) and could have caused me some confusion and head scratching if it had run automatically unexpectedly.

[Dinobot2]

@lukas.hasik post:1

• New detection dialogs for Dating Scams.
• Avast AV supports Windows 11 ARM.
• Onboarding enhancements for premium users.
• More bug fixes and improvements.

I updated my Avast just now to 24.8, and I only have “Bug fixes and improvements” in the update notes.

Additionally, the Smart scan option which was previously on “Run manually” was changed to “Monthly” on its own after this update. Was that done on purpose or did mine glitch? I would rather things like that not change because then it makes me paranoid about what other settings were changed for me without me knowing.

[prokopes_]

@jst_ghost

I’ve been having this same issue for a while now. Was forwarded to a few posts and ended up here. Currently with a 868 build and the issue is still happening every now and then - when typing in search parameters in an already filled search bar (already on some site), it just clears the search and resets to address of the last page.

Hi, I’m sorry to hear that. Is this the only symptom you’re experiencing? No errors at all? Will this problem persist when only Avast Web Shield is disabled?
Are you using Google Chrome or some other web browser?

[Ferrara]

@jst_ghost

I’ve been having this same issue for a while now. Was forwarded to a few posts and ended up here. Currently with a 868 build and the issue is still happening every now and then - when typing in search parameters in an already filled search bar (already on some site), it just clears the search and resets to address of the last page.

I updated to build 867 two days ago and all has been working well for me. Updated to 868 today and still working well.

[jst_ghost]

I’ve been having this same issue for a while now. Was forwarded to a few posts and ended up here. Currently with a 868 build and the issue is still happening every now and then - when typing in search parameters in an already filled search bar (already on some site), it just clears the search and resets to address of the last page.

[alicecampbell]

I don’t seem to have this problem any more. My build is 867.

[wir1313]

Mine has updated to .867 but too early to tell. I need a few days of use to determine the situation.

[Ferrara]

@prokopes_

@Ferrara

The new version has the same malfunctions that were present in 24.7, namely when any Google sites (Search, Calendar, and especially Gmail) are open in a Firefox browser, after a brief period of minutes the sites will fail to refresh or reload, causing a yellow popup in Gmail to read “Oops, the system encountered an error…” and behaving as if the connection is offline. When this happens, the only way to get Gmail or Search or Calendar to refresh is to close out the browser and relaunch Firefox. Disabling Avast web shields immediately corrects the issue. With webshields enabled, the error keeps happening repeatedly when Gmail is left open in a Firefox tab. The issue does not happen when using a private Firefox browser, which requires the user to sign into accounts every time the browser is launched, which makes it a troublesome workaround.

Users of Avast Free and paid version on Windows 10 or earlier PC computers with Firefox have extensively reported the issue on the thread fo the previous Avast version 24.7… https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=328185.0

Hi @Ferrara and others who have reported this issue. Today we released a hotfix that should address this problem.

This hotfix should get installed automatically, but you can also follow the steps below to ensure it’s applied:

[ol]- Open Avast and go to - Menu - Settings - General - Update.

• Click the second CHECK FOR UPDATES button.
• Restart your computer.
• Open Avast and go to - Menu - About Avast
• Ensure that the last 3 digits of the build number read “865” or “866” (see the attached screenshot)
• Open your web browser and try to replicate the problem.[/ol]

I believe this has fixed it! I followed your instructions and am now on build 867, see screenshot. So far the problem has not happened and Google sites are working properly in Firefox. I will leave the browser and tabs open all day to make sure it has gone away. Thanks very much, I hope this issue doesn’t recur again with future version and build updates.

Another thing that got corrected is that with the latest version 24.8 there is a new UI for the software updater and the check for updates button was not working. Now it does work and revealed over a dozen out of date apps which were all updated with the restart. I usually update an app when I open it to use it but there are some apps I seldom use and those were out of date.

Thanks again!

[prokopes_]

@Ferrara

The new version has the same malfunctions that were present in 24.7, namely when any Google sites (Search, Calendar, and especially Gmail) are open in a Firefox browser, after a brief period of minutes the sites will fail to refresh or reload, causing a yellow popup in Gmail to read “Oops, the system encountered an error…” and behaving as if the connection is offline. When this happens, the only way to get Gmail or Search or Calendar to refresh is to close out the browser and relaunch Firefox. Disabling Avast web shields immediately corrects the issue. With webshields enabled, the error keeps happening repeatedly when Gmail is left open in a Firefox tab. The issue does not happen when using a private Firefox browser, which requires the user to sign into accounts every time the browser is launched, which makes it a troublesome workaround.

Users of Avast Free and paid version on Windows 10 or earlier PC computers with Firefox have extensively reported the issue on the thread fo the previous Avast version 24.7… https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=328185.0

Hi @Ferrara and others who have reported this issue. Today we released a hotfix that should address this problem.

This hotfix should get installed automatically, but you can also follow the steps below to ensure it’s applied:

[ol]- Open Avast and go to - Menu - Settings - General - Update.

• Click the second CHECK FOR UPDATES button.
• Restart your computer.
• Open Avast and go to - Menu - About Avast
• Ensure that the last 3 digits of the build number read “865” or “866” (see the attached screenshot)
• Open your web browser and try to replicate the problem.[/ol]

[wir1313]

@Ferrara

I followed instructions and got a bunch of numbers https://www.top10vpn.com/tools/what-is-my-dns-server/

Should I post the numbers here? I don’t want to compromise my computer by posting something that should be private.

How will this tell me anything?

You don’t have to provide it. Generally, what DNS servers you use is not a secret that can expose the user to problems.

I asked because I’m still trying to understand the common denominator of this problem. Why do some of us have it and others don’t…

[loungehake]

I have three instances of Firefox 115.14.0esr (64bit) running on Windows 11 Pro 23H2 with security.tls.enable_0rtt_data = true

I do not seem to have any issues with Gmail.