the key last about a year then you just have to do what you did and get a new key and insert it, it does get the virus definition updates automatically daily, it can be set in the settings to also auto update the program too other wise it will pop up saying there is one and she has to ok it, now with a big version update like the current one from 4.8 to 5 that has to be done manually by going to the site and downloading the new one and installing it just like it was done originally and a new key will have to be installed. However you do not have to rush and get version 5 because they will continue support for 4.8 for quite a while. to change the settings in it to have it get everything she can automatically go to the avast ball in the systray right click and select settings in teh avast settings box click on update(basic) on the left that will open your options in there you want to set both of those options to automatic, virus database and program then click ok. Now you do have to do a full scan manually but with avast that is not really as needed as other programs since it scans everything continually. But what I do is set the screen saver up in scan mode and leave my computer setting with the screen saver running and just let it scan, to do that go to the desktop and right click choose properties and go to the screen saver tab, look through the list of options and select avast then you can click on settings to select which screen saver to set for avast to use just pick a simple one so it won't use much resource (I use starfield i think) leave everything else as it is set, you can change how long to wait till the screen saver comes on if you want. click ok apply and now anytime the pc sits long enough for the screen saver to come on it will automatically begin doing a scan and will continue till done if un interrupted, if interrupted it will begin from where it left off the next time. there is a method to set up the windows task manager to run a scheduled scan also if you want those directions let me know I can link them

Hi jannaz, Two helpers have asked you about Service Pack 3 and for good reason. Without Service Pack 3 installed on Windows XP you will not be getting automatic updates installed as they are issued. Using a computer without these updates is quite a security risk. Lets verify you have Service Pack 3 installed. Please find the My Computer icon on the desktop, can't find it there, click Start and in the start menu look for My Computer once found, right click on it when it opens choose properties. It should say windows XP SERVICE PACK 3 under System. What does yours say?

Avast is good to go Shax, nothing you need to do. The voice is just another way of them reminding you who they are and that they are protecting you. On the security issue you can click Start, Control panel and Security and a window pops up showing the status of your security programs. Rather a nice feature I think. By default you should have Windows Defender installed and it is totally automatic. I might suggest though that on occasions you visit the page I mention to verify things are still good and only green 'Go' signals are there. Vista also has a far better 2 way firewall than the one on XP

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4 Scan saved at 4:47:37 PM, on 9/18/2011 Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600) MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18702) Boot mode: Normal Running processes: C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\AvastSvc.exe C:\WINDOWS\RTHDCPL.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\avastUI.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe C:\PROGRA~1\Webshots\Webshots.scr C:\Program Files\Logitech\MouseWare\system\em_exec.exe C:\Program Files\AGI\core\4.0\AGCoreService.exe C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSSrvc.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\SearchIndexer.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\SearchProtocolHost.exe C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HiJackThis\HiJackThis.exe R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157 R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = Windows Internet Explorer provided by Comcast O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - (06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3) - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll O2 - BHO: Groove GFS Browser Helper - (72853161-30C5-4D22-B7F9-0BBC1D38A37E) - C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveShellExtensions.dll O2 - BHO: avast! WebRep - (8E5E2654-AD2D-48bf-AC2D-D17F00898D06) - C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\aswWebRepIE.dll O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - (DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9) - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll O2 - BHO: JQSIEStartDetectorImpl - (E7E6F031-17CE-4C07-BC86-EABFE594F69C) - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\ie\jqs_plugin.dll O3 - Toolbar: avast! WebRep - (8E5E2654-AD2D-48bf-AC2D-D17F00898D06) - C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\aswWebRepIE.dll O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RTHDCPL] RTHDCPL.EXE O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Logitech Utility] Logi_MwX.Exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ZoneAlarm Client] "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast] "C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\avastUI.exe" /nogui O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe ...