Upon installation I lost...

[system]

I have XP home and AOL and roadrunner. Upon installing your avast home edition yesterday, I cannot get to sign on aol. Is this a coincidence or fact?

[Lisandro]

We will need more information to be able to help you:

• Which OS are you using? Is it up to date?
• What avast! version and VPS file (virus database) number?
• Which actions have you taken to try solving the problem?
• Do you use a firewall? Which one?
• Do you have any other antivirus installed in your system? Did you have in the past?
• Any other security programs that could interfere?

[system]

Correction, besides not able to sign on in aol, not able even to get into various areas of Windows XP home edition. i have windows updates enabled…so I guess its the latest version. The avast is 4.18 version for the home. i tried to delete avast to see if it were the cause of my problem…cannot get to add/remove of windows to do so, or windows explorer. yes i have windows firewall and aol was always enabled, being my isp for years. I had AOL’s antivirus program, recently windows defender and another recent installation of a antivirus which i cannot even see because of not being able to get into windows. I also have aol spyware and adware…all were working fine until i installed avast.

[Lisandro]

@Boothbay post:3

The avast is 4.18 version for the home.

Latest is 4.8.1201…

@Boothbay post:3

cannot get to add/remove of windows to do so, or windows explorer.

AOL antivirus is deeply conflicting with avast… you need to use just one antivirus at a time…

@Boothbay post:3

another recent installation of a antivirus which i cannot even see because of not being able to get into windows.

Worse…
Boot in Safe Mode and try to uninstall all antivirus from your computer.
Then, I suggest an installation from the scratch:

1. Uninstall avast from Control Panel first.
2. Boot.
3. Download the latest version of Avast Uninstall and use it for complete uninstallation.
4. Boot.
5. Install again the latest avast! version.
6. Boot.
7. Check and post the results.

[system]

Your right its the 4.8 version I have never entered into safe mode in XP except once and all i got when i clicked on “Safe mode” menu, is the c prompt. I was expecting a windows version. I cannot even get a directory reading, so i could delete avast from that. I said i cannot get into windows so how am i going to be able to go to control panel…this is turning into a mess. its a miracle that i am able to communicate here.

[Lisandro]

@Boothbay post:5

Your right its the 4.8 version I have never entered into safe mode in XP except once and all i got when i clicked on “Safe mode” menu, is the c prompt. I was expecting a windows version.

SafeMode (repeatedly press F8 while booting):
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315222

Or download a freeware application to do so:
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/bootsafe.html

@Boothbay post:5

I cannot even get a directory reading, so i could delete avast from that.

Download the latest version of Avast Uninstall and use it for complete uninstallation.

@Boothbay post:5

I said i cannot get into windows so how am i going to be able to go to control panel…this is turning into a mess. its a miracle that i am able to communicate here.

While in Safe Mode…

[system]

Whew!!! All is normal again, by uninstalling Avast in safe mode. Maybe i missed it, but one should be warned of the consequences of installing the program.

[Lisandro]

@Boothbay post:7

Maybe i missed it, but one should be warned of the consequences of installing the program.

Well, if you had uninstalled all other antivirus before trying avast, you won’t make avast guilty, because it is not. The problem are in more than one antivirus at the same time.

[system]

Well, I had no idea that all of my other antivirus programs had to be uninstalled or do u mean disabled, prior to installing avast? I thought they all could co-exist. Now, one of my recent downloads of antivirus, windows defender is the only one that keeps repeating one severe file Trojan: win32/adlicker. I was wondering why my other aol antivirus program did not find it. I did a search on that file and nothing like that name shows up. I did clik on Remove, with windows defender…I have also a corrupted or virus in my regedit file, which does not show up in any of my antivirus programs. I only know about it by trying to go to run and type in regedit to check my registry and I am told that it has been disabled by the administrator. I AM the administrator and did not disable it. Any clues on how to get my registry opened again?

[Lisandro]

@Boothbay post:9

Well, I had no idea that all of my other antivirus programs had to be uninstalled or do u mean disabled, prior to installing avast?

Disable is not enough. You’re allowed to run just one antivirus at once in a machine (at least, a full antivirus application).

Windows Defender is not an antivirus.

@Boothbay post:9

registry and I am told that it has been disabled by the administrator. I AM the administrator and did not disable it. Any clues on how to get my registry opened again?

A very common malware behavior…

I suggest you uninstall all other antivirus, install avast and try to run a boot time scanning.

[system]

I suggest you uninstall all other antivirus, install avast and try to run a boot time scanning.>>>

Thank you…i am new at virus problems and am confused on how many antivirus programs i have. I know AOL supply’s automatically Spyware, Adware and an antivirus program with no name, of course there is windows Firewall. I do have windows defender ( you said that its not an antivirus program ) how do I find others, if any, on my computer…sorry, in order to uninstall them as u suggested? Obviously, confused. Do i permanently uninstall those other antivirus programs or reinstall them AFTER the installation of Avast?