Hi there, I have been using Avast for several years now and I recently got a new laptop and downloaded Avast onto it. The weird thing is that when I finish scanning every time, my scan log results come up in Notepad and not where it usually is when I scanned on my desktop. I clicked on the completed scan and viewed the results and it would pop up, but nothing would be on it. On my desktop, it would usually be in that window and not in Notepad. I was wondering if anyone knew how I could fix this and not have my results open up in Notepad because I can’t understand it at all. 
One thing that will help us is what version of avast are you using, e.g. 6.0.1367 ?
What scan and exactly how are you accessing the scan log ?
I can’t replicate this from the Scan Computer, Scan logs, select scan and click View results.
- Try a repair of avast:
XP - Add Remove programs, select ‘avast! Anti-Virus,’ click the Change/Remove button and scroll down to Repair, click next and follow.
Vista, win7 - Control Panel, Programs & Features, uninstall a program, select ‘avast! Anti-Virus,’ click the Change/Remove button and scroll down to Repair, click next and follow.
You may need to reboot after the repair.
In addition to what David suggested, you mentioned new laptop. Any pre-installed tools, specially security tools? Have you uninstalled them before installing avast? Have you follow the instructions for their removal utilities after the normal uninstall?
My current Avast version is 6.0.1367 and I have not uninstalled any programs from my laptop. I’ve done the full and quick scan and when each scan is finished, I would click on the “Show report file” and then it would open up the report in Notepad. On my brother’s laptop and my desktop, when I click the “Show report file”, it would appear in the scan report window. But when I click okay and go to my scan logs and I view the results for the scan, it shows nothing. On my desktop, it would show files that were password protected. But on my laptop, it would show nothing, even though it says when I look through the report in Notepad. I’ll try repairing it though.
Update: I tried repairing it but it doesn’t seem like anything changed. I did another quick scan and the results still showed in Notepad. Just now I completely reinstalled it and did a quick media scan since I didn’t want to wait for the scan and it still opens the results in Notepad. =/
I’m not sure where you are clicking the “Show report file” as it isn’t present when the scan has just completed, e.g. the basic scan info is displayed (Run time, tested files, data tested, and infected files, etc.).
Only if something were detected on the scan or a file not be scanned, etc. then that would be shown in an avast UI style window.
Until you click the OK button, when I still see no “Show report file” link in the Scan Computer, Quick scan window.
From the Scan Computer, Scan logs, selecting the last scan and clicking the “View results” button would the open the Scan Results in an avast UI style window. Is this where you are clicking what you are calling “Show report file” ?
I’m having to refer to my other win7 netbook system for this, as I’m current testing avast7 beta on this system.
I think some screen shots of the exact places (buttons, icons, links…)you are referring to (where you click on) would help us.
Since it is a new system, I must ask also:
Do you have JAVA (latest stable) for IE installed ? (no matter which web browser you actually use, I’m asking for IE)
The same for Adobe Flash (for IE) ?
After installing, reboot and test again the behavior (no need to re-scan, but only to click on the show scan logs).
I do have Java and Adobe Flash installed on my laptop but I don’t know if they work for IE as I don’t use IE as my browser. So the first image indicates what I see after each scan and this will answer your question David about the “show report file” button I have been seeing.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m36/smartiepooh/AvastReport.png
The next image basically shows what I get in Notepad once I click on the “show report file” from the image above.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m36/smartiepooh/AvastNotepad.png
When I do full scans on my desktop, it tells me that some files could not be scanned and those are usually the password protected archieves. When I click on “show report file”, it would show the screen that usually pops up and would list the files that could not be scanned. But when I check it on my laptop, it would tell me on Notepad, but when I would go to the Scan Logs tab and open up the result of the report, it would not show those files listed.
I hope this helps and that a solution will be found soon!
To configure which type of information will be included in the reports, you need to enter into the setting of the specific scan and configure it accordingly.
To download Adobe Flash for IE:
http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/otherversions/
To download Adobe Shockwave for IE (if needed):
http://get.adobe.com/shockwave/otherversions/
To remove older versions of java and install only the latest:
http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp
So having Java and Adobe affects where the information goes? Because I’m just wanting to get the information from the Notepad into the actual scan logs rather than always seeing it in Notepad.
I am wondering if in fact avast just opens the same log / report with the “default” program in Windows, and in your other system the default program is set to something else than notepad.
I’m not a developer. I’m just a user as you are. I know avast is able to use certain additional tools in your system to show certain graphics, but it can work without them too. I haven’t personally tested “what would happen if…”.
If you can add a screenshot of the log/report opened in your other system (not with notepad), then maybe some user can identify the difference between both systems by comparing the set of screenshots.
@ Nostalgic
OK, I see it now.
I have never used it, as essentially there is nothing to see as your scan hasn’t found any infected files, etc. So using that link opens the raw data file for all scans that you have run. If I run a scan and nothing is detected, then click that link you will get the display of the completed datafile in notepad as I did when I ran a scan to test, see images.
If the scan had detected anything then the information on the detections would have been in the familiar avast format, otherwise nothing is displayed.
If you use the Scan Computer, Scan Logs, then the information for ‘that particular scan’ will be extracted from the raw data file and displayed in the familiar avast format.
Ohh, alright David. Thanks a lot for everyone’s help ! 
You’re welcome.