Simple questions about Avast AV

14 years ago

I don't use Avast myself, but I have a friend who has it on her computer (installed for her by a neighbor). She is very computer illiterate, and she mentioned to me that she was getting messages that her antivirus "wasn't working." When I checked, I saw that Avast needed to have a license key inserted, so I went to the web site and requested a key for the free version of Avast. The key showed up in my email and I inserted it and successfully activated Avast, updated it, and then ran a scan (no infections found). So it's set up, current, and running in the background.

Now to the questions. In the free home version of Avast, do updates occur automatically, or do I have to show her how to go in and manually update the virus signatures? Can scans be scheduled to occur automatically, or is this a manual function also? And, once the program is activated with the license key, does this last indefinitely, or does it have to be renewed periodically?

I'm asking these things because I only visit this friend once or twice a year, and I want to make it as simple for her as possible, knowing her capacity to mess things up if left to her own devices....

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Comments (5)

grandms
14 years ago
In Avast, the updates occur automatically. If she has the new version 5, it can be set to run at scheduled times. There is also a screen saver that she can activate that scans whenever her screensaver runs. If the scan is interrupted, the scan picks up again each time the screensaver goes on.

As for activation, it lasts a little over a year. She will receive a message that it needs to be reactivated and there will be instructions to do this. If I recall correctly, my current activation was this past September, and it will need to be re-activated in next November.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
14 years ago
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
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Jane, I have the free version which is version 5.1.889. If you right click on the Avast icon in the taskbar then click on "Open avast! user interface" at the very top right hand side of the window that pops up you may find the options for HELP CENTER---SETTINGS---UPGRADE. If you click on the SETTINGS button, at the very bottom of the window that opens up there should be a box that is titled--> BEHAVIOR. In that box there is a little box where you can place a check mark to the left of where it says, "Automatically open the Scan Results when Scan is finished." Under that it says, "The Scan Results window will only be opened when there are any results to be shown." I believe that is what grandms was referring to. What version of Avast! do you have? Not sure if your version has that depending on which version you have. I think! My free Avast! is set to scan in "realtime" and does not save a log unless I schedule a scan at boot time or if I manually schedule it to scan after clicking on the "Scan now" button. It will then save the results in the Scan logs area. To find the Logs (if any are there) click on the SCAN COMPUTER button found just under SUMMARY in the User Interface window. Then, from the list click on Scan Logs that is located at the bottom of the list. If there were any scans scheduled for boot time or you clicked the SCAN NOW button there should be a log, otherwise there will not be a log. If you do see a log just click on the dated entry and then click on the "View results" button at the bottom right of that window.
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kudzu9
Original Author
14 years ago
Whew...that was fast! And I think that takes care of me. Thanks to both of you.
maime
14 years ago
Avast updates is the only voice I hear on some days. It keeps me company. LOL
zep516
14 years ago
Really should get a radio, or a cat too!

Simple questions about Avast AV

Comments (5)

grandms

ravencajun Zone 8b TX

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kudzu9
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maime

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Simple questions about Avast AV

Comments (5)

grandms

ravencajun Zone 8b TX

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kudzu9Original Author

maime

zep516

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kudzu9
Original Author