I have XP and ever since I installed Avast I can’t open any word or exell docs from Explorer. I notice on right click that Avast has tagged on to Explorer and this is the only recent program that I have installed. I can only open docs from the program itself. Anyone got any ideas why? I have not uninstalled Avast to test it yet. I have used C Cleaner.
Welcome Laika
What are your system specifications as to CPU type and speed and RAM amount?
XP SP3
AMD Athlon 64 3000+
It says 521mb ram but it should be 1gb. Maybe some of my ram has failed?
Test your RAM http://www.memtest86.com/download.html
Thanks for the help. It’s in DOS. Not good on dos commands:
Enter Disk Image source file name:_
Have I downloaded the correct program? Rawrite.exe
It’s definitely Avast. I have uninstalled it and I can launch things from Eaplorer and I can open links from my email program all of which I can’t do when Avast is on. I have checked the ram and I have 1gb.
I like Avast but if it does that I will have to think again. Anyone got any suggestions maybe on settings for Avast if I put it back on?
Any other security program installed? Antivirus, firewall?
Only Windows firewall. Nothing else.
What A.V. did you use before Avast.Did you use the appropriate A.V.removal tool or remove it with add remove programmes.If you did not remove a previous A.V.with their removal tool remnants could be left behind that conflict with Avast and cause problems.
I had Norton on and I used it’s Windows add & Remove. Could there be some bits left. I used C Cleaner after to clean up the registery.
Yes it is very likely that there are remnants of Norton on your computer and it sounds like you need to run their uninstaller tool.Fortunately YoKenny recently posted a link to most Known A.V.removal tools.There is a info tab on Norton and a link to the removal tool.You can find it here. http://uninstallers.blogspot.com/
Norton is notoriously hard to get rid of all its leftovers:
http://www.symantec.com/norton/support/kb/web_view.jsp?wv_type=public_web&ssfromlink=true&sprt_cid=1a13409b-29db-4397-a286-9dec49f8e252&seg=hho&ct=us&lg=en&docurl=20080828154508EN
Its best to re-install avast! after Norton removal.
That sorted it. Thanks all.
What sorted it out?
Norton Removal Tool. 
Good… the old and good Norton Removal Tool
My PC came with NIS '09 preloaded. Anti-Virus removal tools are life savers, I’ve had Eset, Norton, Kaspersky, Immunet Protect…etc. Is bugs me like crazy that they would uninstall, and then leave un-deletable files on a PC.
I half suspect that this is because they have no incentive to clean up, after all you are getting rid of it; any subsequent problems are more likely to be blamed on the ‘new’ AV, but then again I’m a trusting sod, NOT ;D.
Some might at that point go back to the devil they know, abandoning the new AV.
It had sorted it until Avast did its update and now it’s back to its old ways. Explorer freezes if you try and launch say a word doc or exel and I use Incredimail for my email and when you click on a link it freezes. It did not do it when I uninstalled Avast.
I have run the Norton removal tool. Avast have a problem!!!