I upgraded from Avast Free to the Internet Security yesterday and am hoping someone can help with a problem I’m having. When I load up my PC everything works fine including SafeZone. The problem is when I switch users and attempt to activate SafeZone under their screen name, Avast stops responding.
It is not an issue with a particular user account because it works fine for whoever logs in first, it only occurs for whichever user logs in second and attempts to activate Safe Zone. Also, I am not attempting to run safe zone simultaneously, just after I switch users.
I spent nearly 3 hours on the phone yesterday with support who tried to sell me a $169-$399 service contract to get it working. I told them I bought a product that doesn’t work and they need to fix it, so the Supervisor told me they’d do a 1-time repair for free. But after talking to a total of 6 different people they came to the conclusion that they would need to charge me regardless of what the Supervisor said. Obviously I was livid.
The Tech told me he thought it was a conflicting program that was still installed on the PC (like AVG or Symantec), but I have gone through and removed every single trace of any antivirus program that was ever on my computer (other than Malwarebytes which I understand doesn’t conflict with Avast). I have also performed full scans, boot scans, Malwarebytes scans and there is not any type of infection on my PC which is what the Tech’s also said could be the problem.
Any help someone can provide is sincerely appreciated, it’s obviously frustrating to purchase a product that doesn’t function properly and be told I will have to pay them hundreds of dollars more to make their product work. I was also told I could not be refunded because “the product performs up to their standards” as far as they are concerned, even though software that freezes when you click one of the buttons on it should not be up to anyone’s standards.
Hello eco23 and welcome to the forums.
Would you please provide futher information so any one of the evangelists who may have experience with this issue cam provide pertinant information in resolving your problem.
What is your operating system?
What version of AIS are you using?
What other security software do you have installed?
If other security software was installed, how was it removed. ie> Venders Uninstall Utility?
I’m sure someone will jump in soon.
What OS are you running? Are these admins, LUAs, or a mixture. Does the Avast! icon context menu continue to show “switch to safe zone” or is it grayed out?
I’m running Windows XP Media Center Addition SP 3.
I upgraded to the Avast Internet Security 6.0.1000 yesterday.
I have 3 user accounts on my PC, all are computer administrators.
I have no other security software installed other than Malwarebytes (not the full version). I removed traces of previous a/v programs first through control panel (add/remove programs), also checked using Revo Uninstaller, searched and deleted any folders with the search function on XP and also went through the registry.
The option to switch to SafeZone is there (not grayed out), just when I click it for whichever user logs in second it freezes Avast and the computer becomes very slow. Then when I try to click restart it tells me that the “Avast tray icon is not responding”, and I have to click end now to exit the screen.
How do you exit Safe Zone between users- have you used the “turn off safe zone” button (lower left corner)? That will remove all the instances of the SafeZoneBrowser from the sandbox before you switch. Or did you use the green arrow?
I had been using the green arrow. I just tried it again using the “turn off SafeZone” in the bottom left and had the same result. In fact I just had to restart my computer to get back online.
Will they respond to this post or do I need to ask somewhere else on the site? Sorry, I’m new here. God knows I don’t want to have to call again after all I went through with them yesterday.
One thing to try now that you have run the other uninstallers. Do an uninstall of avast 6 from safe mode using the avast 6 uninstaller at http://files.avast.com/files/eng/aswclear6.exe , Then reinstall AIS and see if the problem recurs.
Do I just use the same link and license number I got in my order confirmation email yesterday to reinstall? Sorry I have so many questions, I’m just so frustrated with this program at this point I’m expecting things to go wrong.
AFAIK it should work just like before. You should also be able to download AIS from the main Avast! site at http://www.avast.com/internet-security as a trial version and just enter your license when asked.
Okay, I used the Avast uninstall tool (in safe mode) and completely uninstalled it from my system. Then I reinstalled and still have the same problem.
One thing I did notice though… I usually keep just my screen name logged in and just click “switch user” instead of “log out”. The problem only happens when one person is still logged in. If I log out and open another user account the problem is not there. I guess it’s a work around for me, but if I’m paying for a service I’d still like it to be fully functional without the chance of it freezing Avast if I click the wrong button.
Thanks again for your help and I look forward to what Avast has to say.
If anyone checking out this post with XP could try to do the same thing and see if it works for them I’d appreciate it.
Here’s what I did-
1- Enter SafeZone then close it
2- Switch users on your PC (without logging the first user out)
3- Open safe zone as that user and see if it opens normally
My computer operates perfectly other than this that and I’m wondering if I’m the only one who’s tried to do it this way switching users and not logging out and maybe it’s a program issue as opposed to something isolated to me.
