Setting avast! to update automatically did cause some users to reboot, when they weren’t ready.
Moi aussi.
I go along with mchain’s views, being , “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
How many more ‘features’ do we need. Going back to the most stable release and sticking with it might be an idea providing it provides the most secure environment.
I’m not having any issues at present, apart from the much mooted WebRep catastrophe. It seems likely that with all the different pc set-ups and configurations that it is inevitable that someone is going to have problems sooner or later, maybe because their browser isn’t too friendly with the latest Avast update.
There is a setting to avoid that.
Well since the Default is to Ask and Automatic update is somewhat self-inflicted.
After I update the program, I always have to do a System Recovery. The reason is because the next time I restart my computer, it loses my profile settings. HP Support said it’s a known Microsoft problem.
I’m sticking with a version of 5.
As I wrote in another Thread:
I also can’t vote since the only time I’ve ever been without avast!'s protection in the last 10 years is while I was beta testing Windows 8.
That’s before avast! was ready for Windows 8.
I now use the latest version of avast! 7 Free to protect 5 Windows 8 systems without any problems. 
I’m too afraid to use this on Win8 because I see lots of complaints -network shield- black screen- BSODs
and every product updates will have more and more issues.
I am going to wait for a stable version…
I always keep all my security software as up to date as possible. I’ve rarely had such massive problems that i had to resort back to the old version. Especially not any as severe that i had to go to much older revision (like going back from v7.0 to v6.0 or anything as severe…
I still run 4.8 cause it still updates definitions and I use it as a non-realtime scanner.
No service always running in background, update manually. You can’t do this with
later versions. No virii for ages, although my machines are tightly locked down.
Well the end of support for avast 4.8 is due to cease at the end of this year and that would also mean end of VPS updates.
+1 Gone to free avg. You have lost another paying customer.
This ongoing farce with windows 8 has done my head in.
Updated today and the same blue screen over and over.
Goodbye!!!
Windows 8 is NOT ready yet, too many bugs, and not just with avast!.
This year I’ve started delaying updates; with three home computers using Avast (2 with Win7, one Win XP), I’ve had more problem updates than smooth updates in the last year. Usually either blocked email access, or blocked Internet access. On each of those three computers, at least 2 updates in 2012 required complete uninstall with the Uninstall Utility, then a clean install, then reconfigure scans and Email Shield SSL settings. Huge hassle. So now I don’t update until the announcement has been on the forum for a couple of weeks without problems reported . . . . or until the emergency fix is announced. 
Funny, with also 2 x win7 1 x xp (plus some virtual machines) I haven’t had any avast (free) related problems for quite some time. Although I still tend to turn self-protection off before I make a restore point. And I dont use some of the modules.
I could be wrong on this (other members, please confirm), but you should turn self-protection off before restoring a point and not at the time you create it.
I believe that it is more important to do so before restoring an RP as that may well effect the avast installation which the self-defence module would try to block. This could result in a failed restore leading to more hassle. Though it wouldn’t hurt to disable the self-defence module before creating a restore point, but that logic really should mean doing the same before using system restore to restore an RP.
I long ago gave up on system restore as it is far from perfect and chose hard drive imaging software to be my backup and restore strategy.
I think I updated too early on Windows 8…I’m not having issues with Avast…just don’t care for 8 (yet) although if I used a touch screen it might be different. May go back to Windows 7 for my pc.
Actually I want to download free of cost as I have been allotted
a licence key C48183581H1200A1114-Y5R0DVNH.
Kindly help me in this regard and Oblige.
Thanks,
Ashraf