You don’t say which version of avast your after but keys are not used for avast anymore, ( if keys were still used you have just given away yours by posting it publicly :
) - they require a licence file if your using one of the paid versions ( Pro, AIS ) or you can download the free version and register it via the User Interface.
Hi Avast,
I’ve tried to update to the new version, but it will not update, period! It freezes during initialization.
Larry
The reason is simple. We don’t like the newer versions. Too many complications and unwanted nonsense. I must tweak avast to get what I want, which is basically just anti-virus protection - nothing more. Keep it simple stupid.
Well if only the world of Hacking,malware and virus code wasn’t so complicated; but it is and imho the tactics and strategies developed (code etc.) has to become more complicated which invariably can use more resources and require a tad more user involvement.
I believe the newer versions of Avast reach a great level of security, requiring very limited input or response. 
None of the answers to the poll fit. I tried to update but am unable to do so. I am running version 7.0.1466 and received a message that the update to version 7.0.1474 failed. It says that it is initializing but never goes farther than that. Looks like I am running a much more updated version than most who have answered, though.
Have you tried to uninstall Avast and install new version manually from downloaded installer?
Release Avast 8 Beta and I will use it.
You just need to wait some days…
I tried the latest version, but it was not working OK - 42% as of now.
I don’t stay with old versions of software so if the newest version of a softwre is not working properly I switch software. Now using Bitdefender Windows 8 Security. More expensive than avast! AIS for sure but BD W8 Security works on Windows 8
Reading this entire post I need to ask, What version of Avast (paid) is considered a stable version?
+1
hi ProTruckDriver,
As your question is not really about the updates themselves, but tending to go in a different area regarding system stability, it would be perfectly ok to start your own topic just specifically about that issue.
Having said that, bugs in a version of Avast!, paid or otherwise, often do not show up until the final version is released to the general public.
User systems vary widely on how/what they are configured, what operating systems are installed, on what programs was/were previously installed/removed, and/or the use of “registry cleaners”, so the range of configurations is almost infinite.
Avast! has been very good in fixing any issues that come up, and here we provide any support you may need for free, so…
An option to the poll of:
“As standard policy, we do not upgrade for 3 months to let the bugs be worked out”
Needs to be added.
Not in a security software. We’re not talking about new bells and whistles that we can wait 3 months to put our hands on them… Three months in security software is an eternity, you must upgrade much before that…
We’ve been burned before on new releases. We maintain the virus signatures daily but we will NOT upgrade to the new product on the first week of release.
We are not about to spend 100 to 300 man hours scrambling to try and figure out why the office staff is calling in all day with computer issues after a brand new x.0 release.
There’s a reason it’s called the ‘bleeding edge’ of technology. We will try the new product out on a few tech support staff machines and wait up to 3 months before rolling it out to the rest of the offices’ machines or for the x.1 patch that soon follows.
I’m always using the latest stable version of avast and follow the forum about the beta version.
And when a new version comes out I wait just a week or so to see what the people like or dislike about it.
So I don’t have to switch that much.
Gr Peter
Not in a security software. We’re not talking about new bells and whistles that we can wait 3 months to put our hands on them… Three months in security software is an eternity, you must upgrade much before that…
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That attitude right there will surely bring Avast! companies’ good reputation down. The evidence. Look at all the errors posted on different sections of the forum here. Then step back think a while and think again. What’s your opinion now? If you don’t do this your surely gonna lose Avast! public reputation. As you know, people will tire of all these bugs because not enough time. Signature updates will by you time. Bit Defender, Avira, and ESET sure will like the new customers.
There will be always errors and bugs. Software is always improving, never finished or ready…
Besides, 99,9% of the users come to forums looking for help, very few comes to say thanks. So the number of “negative” users in forum is not an indicative of the software quality.