Right Click on the Avast icon in the system tray. Select Program Settings. On the left side click on Sounds. Put a check mark in Disable Avast Sounds. Then on the left side click on Update Basic. Set both updates to Automatic. Then click the Details button. Select Silent Running Mode Put a checkmark in Show Update Progress and Ask For Reboot When Needed. Click OK. Now those pop up messages and scary sounds should no longer both you. I hate them too. Pooh Bear

and remember for Java you can always simply go to your control panel select the java icon there then go to the update area in that and update from there that way you know it is safe. Extremely important to check and make sure you only have the latest version of Java and none of the old ones that are security risks. Running JavaRa can handle that task. JavaRa Updates and Removes Old and Redundant Java Versions as to all those toolbars and extra crud they try to push on you now, well if you choose to download your apps from ninite you will not have to deal with that they strip it and give you only what you want and need. Here is a link that might be useful: ninite

Sounds like Avast is telling you the browser needs up-Dating , so I would up date it. As far as the other message, sounds like Avast wants to open the bank site in a "sand box" type setting so it isolates it to one area, and may be more secure that way. In computer security, a sandbox is a security mechanism for separating running programs. The sandbox typically provides a tightly controlled set of resources for guest programs to run in. Does Avast use Sandbox techniques. I'm not sure but it sounds like it. This post was edited by zep516 on Sat, Oct 26, 13 at 13:24

Brad: Thank you for the info. I got PlantStep back up and working last week. AdwCleaner moved it to the C drive and labeled all the files with a .vir extension. I had to use a program that will delete the .vir from the PlantStep files in bulk, reinstall PlantStep and then overlay the cleaned files back into PlantStep to get all my data and pictures back into the software. I would caution anyone on using AdwCleaner. I have a program within Windows that does a check of Services running on startup which will give me a list of programs that I might want to not have run on startup. I even disabled the AdBlockerPlus, cleared out the cache, temp files and still the issue with Houzz continues. The message is definitely being generated from Houzz. I upload photos to other sites without issue. Just Houzz has something that changed. I already got notification from Windows that my version of Windows and Apps will not be a problem with the new update. I'm still waiting for the message that I can install which probably won't happen for a few days as they roll it out.