Assuming this comment is about a fre/pro version and not a business version on your wife’s laptop - in which case avast 8 v8.0.1497 or avast! 2014 will work fine on her computer…
That, however, has very little to do with why we are upset that they have failed to release a version for paying business customers with the same level of windows 8.1 compatibility. Which is what this thread is about. 
IT IS STILL ON MY MACHINE - BUT I ONLY KNEW AFTER STUMBLING ACROSS IT!
After installing windows 8.1 as an update to windows 8, I hadn’t realised AVAST had disappeared for some hours, until I tried to virus-check a download. I couldn’t see AVAST on my machine despite searching in Program Files and Program Files x86, so saw this correspondence and decided to download and install avast 2014. Only later did I discover a folder called Windows.old with a number of subfolders including (Windows.old)Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast !!!
PS where’s Speak Like a Pirate in Avast! 2014?
This is such an unprofessional and pathetic excuse. You’ve had Windows 8.1 RTM for how long? Three months or so. Let’s not forget the numerous pre-release versions of Windows 8.1. As a software developer who works on a well known product you’ve had months to identify issues and have let down your business customers completely.
Your excuse of ‘it’s Microsoft’s fault for releasing a new version of an OS’ is astounding. Perhaps you should argue that Avast was originally developed for XP and it’s unreasonable to expect it to work on anything else and awful Microsoft keep releasing new versions of their OS every few years. Why can’t they just stay with the same OS forever?
Get your act together, stop making excuses for your own failings and for ripping off your customers.
As has been stated that’s part of the development cycle, you’ve had access to several pre-release versions of 8.1. How have you managed to update the free and pro version in time but not the enterprise versions?
Can I have a refund? I have a number of PC’s that need to run 8.1 and as a company in the business of ‘protecting’ PC’s your not much use if your product doesn’t work out of the box on current OS’s. Perhaps we should just turn off our PC’s and shut up shop until you get your act together?
That windows.old folder is created every time you do an in place upgrade of Windows from one version to another. It is a backup of the previous version and settings and can be useful if there are problems with the upgrade although it never has been anything but a waste of HDD space for me. It can be 6GB or more in size. If you have no problems after upgrading, that folder can and should be removed by the disk cleanup utility’s advanced options. Google for removing windows.old and you will find clear instructions for doing so.
The only consolation prize is that Windows 8.1 installs and activates Windows Defender after the upgrade. At least the machine isn’t unprotected. And from what I’m reading about Windows Defender, it appears to be excellent with known viruses. It just doesn’t do well with zero day attacks.
I think that’s an accurate assessment of Defender but confirms that you really should use something better.
As we have been advised to install the free version on our business machines while we wait for an upgrade to the business suite,
I assume that Avast are relaxing the T&C of the free version where it explicitly states it should be used in non commercial environments only.
Really? 
By Avast! directly, or by a reseller?
I also am disappointed by this outcome.
Long time supporter of Avast, had been running a number of free versions at home but decided to play around with server 2012 and so thought I’d support Avast financially and signed up to a 3 year 5 license deal that also covered the server.
I burnt hours with windows 8.1 blue screens because of avast and am now running the free version no my 8.1 machine because the paid for business version is incompatible. I am sorry for being so negative on my first post, but I am terribly disappointed with the outcome and the lack of meaningful response from Avast on this.
I read on Avast’s website that their Internet Security 2014 was win 8.1 compatible so I upgraded to WIN 8.1. What a mistake.
At first the install was successful but Windows immediately told me that Avast was not compatible with this version of Windows.
I played around for a bit and set up my picture password and then rebooted my PC. At this point, my keyboard (wireless USB, wired USB, and PS2) would not work in win 8.1. My picture password wouldn’t work in most cases. Fortunately after 20 tries the picture password worked. Even trying to use the typed password was impossible as the on-screen keyboard would not come up.
Not knowing that the keyboard issue was related to Avast, I spend hours trying to figure it out and actually gave up and decided to work on the Avast issue Windows warned me about. To my surprise when I uninstalled Avast and rebooted my computer worked perfectly.
I am a long time user and proponent of Avast (with a paid subscription I can’t use right now BTW) so I am very dissappointed but hopeful that Awil will address this issue ASAP.
Starting to get hairy around here, as Windows 8 is now actively trying to encourage users to upgrade to 8.1. It forces them to open the Store and takes them to the 8.1 download. I tell users to quit out of the Store, but some have accidentally installed it.
I’ve got about 60 users on Windows 8, and now about 10 on Windows 8.1.
Don’t worry, it will only be another 2-6 weeks… You don’t really need to do any work between now and the end of the fiscal year, do you?