Unable to connect with user interface

I started up a laptop I hadn’t used for a few weeks. Ran a smartscan, went fine. Then I decided to do a boot-time scan. Loaded up the specialized definitions. Wasn’t watching but based on elapsed time they probably hadn’t finished loading and instead I had a screen that read something like restart now. I clicked it. Next was a notice to install a new version of the Avast program. I clicked to do so. Computer restarted and Avast icon had a red x and stated you are unprotected. User interface a black rectangle with words “Loading . . . This shouldn’t take long.” Waited awhile. Nothing happened. Not sure what went wrong but I think perhaps the new version has a problem.
Please advise.
Thank you!

Repair Avast:

  1. Control Panel → Add/Remove programs → Avast
  2. Click on ‘Repair’.
  3. Follow instructions.
  4. Reboot.

Thank you for the reply. I went to the control panel, uninstall, etc, and clicked on Avast. The options vary for different programs. For Avast there is Uninstall and Change but no repair option. I double checked this with a different computer where Avast is working (Avast program has not been updated). I need a new approach if anyone has one. Thank you again.

For Avast there is Uninstall and Change but no repair option.
And if you click change, do you then see repair ?

Repairing Avast Antivirus >> https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/Repair-Antivirus

Thank you for the suggestion Pondus. I clicked on Uninstall in the control panel. A window came up with 3 choices–update, repair, modify. I clicked on repair. To make a long story short, at the end it asked me to reboot. When I did so the same problem was still there–red x, unprotected, etc. I was thinking that probably I would have to uninstall and re-install Avast but I decided to give it one more try. I went back and clicked on uninstall in the control panel, and this time I clicked on the option called update. Very quickly it said it was done. I was waiting in dread for the red x etc but it did not appear and I was able to go to the normal interface. I looked at my update screen. The program had been updated but it said I needed to reboot. I expected another failure, so before I faced it, I ran a smartscan, which went fine. Then I held my breath and rebooted. Amazingly, no red x appeared and the Avast program is updated. This may help some people. If so, to summarize:

  1. control panel
  2. Avast, uninstall
  3. update option
  4. Check if program is updated and asks you to reboot.
  5. If so, reboot.
    Hopefully, this will work for you.

If Repair doesn’t fix the problem, try the following:
If your Avast settings are not the default settings and you want them restored after the Clean Install, follow this before removing Avast.
https://goo.gl/TXjM7h
Clean Install of Avast:
https://goo.gl/4Ptzkf
If you need additional help with the Clean Install, watch this:
https://youtu.be/p-h3myRD51A

Thank, Bob. I did find a way to fix the problem, which I describe in my prior post :slight_smile: I hope it helps others.

I had a similar issue after I updated Windows 10 to the latest update 1909. When this was completed opening the application interface on the desktop did nothing. Remedied by doing the uninstall and selecting repair. I had to re-enter the license code as it was displaying 30 days left instead of my normal subscription.