upgrading from 4.8 to avast 6

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hello! I have a possibly stupid question, but please help me. I have avast 4.8. on WindowsXP. When upgrading to version 6 do I need to uninstal 4.8 or do anything of the kind with it, or I just go to avast.com and click on Download and get avast 6 over 4.8? I have Free Home avast, registered until nex year.
Thanks sooo much!

2

You can install avast 6.0 over 4.8 and it should retain your existing registration info.

However I would recommend that you do a clean install as an update is a little messy when it is such a big jump like this. The existing Registry entries wouldn’t be changed so there would still be references to ALWIL Software and not Avast Software along with other numerous old names.

So I would go with a clean install of avast6:

  • Download the latest version of avast, 6.0.1203 http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_free.exe and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again. Use that when you reinstall.

  • Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, aswClear.exe find it here and save it to your HDD (it has uninstall tools for 4.8, 5.x and 6.0.x).

    1. Now uninstall avast! (using add remove programs, if you can’t do that start from the next step), reboot.- 2. run the avast! Uninstall Utility from safe mode, for 4.8, once complete reboot into normal mode.- 3. install the latest version, reboot.

Once installed left click on the avast tray icon (now Orange) from the new avastUI, select the Maintenance section, Registration and click the Register Now button. This will do the registration through the avastUI and you don’t have to wait for an email and enter the key.

3

Wow, thank you for such a detailed answer! I understand.

Please, two more things, is reboot same thing as restart? And how to put Windows into safe mode? ::slight_smile:

Thanks!

4

You’re welcome.

Yes reboot and restart are the same.

Booting into safe mode http://www.pchell.com/support/safemode.shtml

5

OK. Thanks again. :slight_smile:

6

No problem, let us know how you get on.

7

Everything went well, I followed your instructions and now I’m proud user of avast 6. :slight_smile:

Thanks!

8

No problem, glad I could help.

A belated welcome to the forums and avast6 ;D

9

David, since you have been so helpful, I will feel free to ask another possibly stupid question. This avast’s Uninstall Utility, aswClear.exe, can it be used for other programs/applications to be cleared from the computer? I have some program Voip, which I don’t need and don’t use, but it pops out every time I start my computer. It can not be uninstaled with Add/Remove programs because it is not listed there. But the folder exists in Program files. So I was thinking to remove it using this utility, if it’s possible? :slight_smile:

Thanks!

10

No, this is a specialist uninstall utility for avast! applications, if you are unable to uninstall from the normal add remove programs uninstall function.

If you know the name of this VOIP application then you should google remove/uninstall ‘X’ VOIP application (were ‘X’ is the application name).

Though it may not be an application as such, but part of something like Skype if installed then that uses VOIP.

If you can capture an image of this pop-up, it could help in finding what is responsible for starting it. Use the Additional Options in the Reply window to attach your screen capture, crop the image so it just shows the relevant detail.