Unwanted window opens when booting

General Topics
1

I have returned to avast! Antivirus 4.8 after experiencing ridiculously slow booting times when I upgraded to 5.0.

Now, an unwanted window opens when booting suggesting I upgrade to 5.0. There is no possibility of telling it “Don’t show this message again”, or the like.

How can I stop this window appearing? If I can’t, I shall move to AVG.

Thanks in advance,

John. :slight_smile:

2

Welcome to the forums, John :slight_smile:

Did you explore reasons why you were experiencing slow boot time with version 5?
Have you tried the latest 5.0.594 version?

Before jumping over to AVG, you might want to read the link below.

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=61879.msg522994#msg522994

3

Hi, CharleyO,

I’ve read that post, and I agree. I love avast!, but this has really pissed me off.

I’m not a computer newbie by any means, but I wouldn’t know where to start analyzing why Version 5 slowed my booting time down so much. I could reinstall it and try again, I guess - maybe it was just a blip…

4

I’d suggest a full install from scratch.

-Download the latest Avast Free version. Save it to your desktop.
-Download the Avast Uninstall Utility and save it. (Will remove 4.8 and 5.# leftovers, if present.)
-Disconnect from the web.
-Uninstall Avast via the control panel add/remove programs. Reboot. If there were any problems with the uninstall, reboot into safe mode.
-Run the Avast uninstall utility. Reboot.
-Install Avast from the newly downloaded setup file. Reboot. (A second reboot is occasionally required.)
-Reconnect to the net.
-Register the program, by right clicking the tray icon and following the instructions under registration. (Sorry, can’t remember the exact steps; only remember that is was very intuitive.)

You should be good to go.
Did you have any previous non-Avast AV, ever on the machine?
If so, get the uninstaller for it here (Page maintained by fredvries )

5

Try http://soluto.com and verify which is delaying your boot time.

I also suggest an installation from scratch:

  1. Download the latest version of avast! Uninstall Utility and save it.
  2. Download the latest avast! version and save it.
  3. Uninstall avast from Control Panel (if possible). If, for any reason, you can’t run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after that.
  4. Run the avast! Uninstall Utility saved on 1. If, for any reason, you can’t run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after you’ve run it.
  5. Install avast! using the setup saved on 2. Boot.
  6. Register your free copy or add the license key for Pro.
  7. Check and post the results.

Also check http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=61817

6

Thank you both, Tarq57 & Tech, for all your detailed input. I really appreciate it, and it could be useful for others who have this problem.

I’ve no longer got the problem - I cured it by the simplest means possible: Getting fed up with that window every time I booted, I decided to just go for it and see what happened. So I’m back to the latest version and … no boot-up problems. Isn’t that cool?

Again, many thanks and I will certainly look into your possible solutions if things fall apart again. :wink:

Regards,

John.

7

You’re welcome John. Glad you’ve sorted it out.

8

Thanks, John, for posting what worked for your problem. :slight_smile:

9

JohnLearner,

If you feel that your issue is now resolved/fixed, please go back to the open post in this topic, click the modify button in that Post and change the title/subject, add [Resolved] to the beginning of the title so this thread can be closed. Thank you. :wink:

10

I am also getting an unwanted window popping up when I turn the machine on, it tells me my free subscription is almost expired when in fact it doesn’t expire until November. It’s extremely unprofessional in my view not to incorporate an option not to show the window again.

11

Your problem is a different one from the original poster.

Check to make sure the date and time on your computer is correct.

12

No, it’s exactly the same problem as the OP. He indicated in the first post that he was getting a pop-up when booting suggesting he upgraded to Avast 5 with no option to disable it, and that’s exactly what I’m getting based on the incorrect statement that my subscription is almost expired when it isn’t. My computer clock settings are spot on. It’s clearly a marketing ploy to promote the commercial version of Avast 5 which is fine, but there should be an option not to show it again.

13

Seffrid,

The reason you are getting the pop-up is because you are using 4.8, which will no longer be supported sometime after the end of this year. Therefore, we are encouraging people to move to 5.0 (5.0.594 is the latest version) to get used to it. A clean install is recommended as you can see in reading this thread if you are having the same problems as the OP per your post. There is no way to get rid of the pop-up as this is a reminder to people who are using outdated versions of Avast. There have been many new things added to 5.0. Please let us know how we can help you with this transition.

14

Safesurf, the way you can help me is by agreeing the need (1) not to tell me in July that my subscription is almost expired when it isn’t up until November, and (2) agreeing the need for an option not to show the pop-up again for a day/a week/a month/never. It’s my choice if or when I upgrade between now and November, or later if I choose to renew. The fact that the existing version won’t be supported a month or so after that is irrelevant to the daily prompts I’m receiving now. Why should I have to cancel the pop-up every day between now and when I want to act on it (which could perfectly sensibly be 5 months away)?

Don’t get me wrong. I’m all in favour of upgrades, and I’m all in favour of being notified about them. I actually have that upgrade already installed on my other machine and have had for several months. However, I’m wholly against having daily pop-ups that I am powerless to disable other than by installing an upgrade that I may or may not want to install at the present time given that the present version is doing a perfectly good job with no performance issues and is supported up to and beyond my renewal date.

This is purely a marketing exercise to try and generate revenue now by conning me into believing that my renewal is almost up when it isn’t, and giving me the hard sell so far as the paid-for version is concerned. The latter part of that I understand and accept, but the former part I do not. There should be an option to disable the pop-up, that is all I am saying.

15

This is true and no one is telling you differently. I am not the one telling you this information since it is coming directly from Avast. Avast does your updates via your GUI.

These pop-ups are controlled by Avast, no matter what product you have (Free, Pro). Please do not consider it a “marketing tool to exercise and generate revenue” since all the Free 4.0 versions are getting the same pop-up’s and no one is forcing anyone to get the paid version. It is up to the user what version they wish to get as it has always been.

Should you have further concerns, I suggest you contact Avast directly to discuss this matter http://www.avast.com/contacts. Thank you.

16

This is the problem with many of these so called “free” A/V products, They always make you jump through hoops just to use their products.