Hi Sue,

I remember long ago having problems getting Avast registered. They sent me a license key, and when I attempted to register, it always said it was invalid. Since I had only 'hours' to either get it registered, or get something else for protection, I just 'got over' Avast and went with AVG free. Knock on wood, I have had no problems with it.

Sometimes when things get complicated, I just give up on ever trying to understand the 'why' of so many things.

(the other) Sue

Clam is not a very good AV for a windows pc I would definitely consider removing it and using the free Microsoft Security Essential MSE instead.
Clam is more often used on linux machines it is what I have on my linux but we don't really have to worry about infections on linux like you do on windows.

I have never had a problem registering AVAST in fact the new verison of AVAST does not even require them sending you an email it just takes the click of a button on the install to register it. I have recently had the pop up telling me it was time to register again and there was a link to click right on that message which I clicked and that was it.

Definitely keep the malwarebytes superantispyware and sypware blaster just make sure you do your weekly update on spywareblaster and enable all protection on it and update the other 2 when you do a scan.

I know that the recent windows updates that came out this week have caused several people here to have a black screen as you are describing do you have your updates set to automatically install?

Raven, I checked to see and Auto Updates is checked, but I don't know why; I've always checked Notify me.

Just now went to look at Windows Update and IE tells me I need Active X.

I think the gremlins have been playing on my PC.

Would it be safe for me to try Avast? And what about Zone Alarm?

(Sue . . . me too)
{{!gwi}}

(this)Sue

It should be safe yes, I would download it to the pc then do a removal of the Clam products, then do the Avast install, at the end it will ask you to register it should be very simple.

here are the direct links to the AVAST user guide and install guide I would grab those and read them so you know exactly what to expect and how to proceed.
User Manuals and Installation Guides
since you are using the free version you would want that top one which is for the free avast.

Avast Free Antivirus 5.1.889.110120
link for AVAST free AV download

lets get that done and then see where we are before doing zone alarm.

In the mean time you can go into windows security center and turn on the windows firewall it will help some.

I got the message "System fan has failed." Grandson came and did some clean up and it was working fine.

Seems like the grandson is a sharp cookie, hang on to him.

When the tech arrived you made no mention of what he had done other than swap software about. None of what he did should have had an effect on the fan's performance. You might want to pay particular attention to the fan issue.

When you said
I got the Black screen and the pc was "dead." No connection at all.
was it really dead? There were no fan noises, no intermittent lights or a steady light on the front of the tower? I ask because modern computers are built to shut down after perhaps only 7 seconds if the processor fan does not work or quits working.

Raven, I saved the links for Avast and will wait until tomorrow to do that. I did go to Windows Security Center and turned on the firewall.

Owbist, actually he is my grandson-in-law; it was just easier to shorten it. I think he will be around forever.:)

As to what the tech did, I don't really know what all he did. I wasn't watching that closely. He did say he didn't think it was a fan problem. How do I "pay attention" to that? When the pc didn't boot up, there were no lights of any kind; no sound, the monitor was also not working.

I'll be back tomorrow after I read up on and try the Avast.

Thanks.

Sue

Sue if your grandson cleaned around the fan and heatsink over the processor then the tech might well be right and there is now nothing wrong with the fan. Heat may have been the issue due to the dust build up on the heatsink not allowing the free passage of cool air. If the computer continues to shut down at random times then it might be worth replacing that fan, time will tell. Hopefully you are up and running with no more problems.

as to the gremlins my guess is that the tech likely changed your windows update settings to do them automatically, they do that a lot. That setting would not change or should not change with out some one doing it.

Sometimes when we go in to clean out those dust bunnies things can get loose or a dustbunny can get stuck somewhere and cause something strange to happen, sometimes it resloves it self sometimes not. I like to always check while the case is open that everything is nicely plugged in and nothing is a little loose.

Keep us posted!

Raven, all done!

Clam is gone. No problem registering Avast, and I have it running a scan now.

I may have some questions about the best settings to have.

Do you all buy the license after the 30 days?

Zone Alarm next?

Owbist, if I have the problem again I will have the tech put in a new fan. I want this PC to last even beyond the end of the Support time!

Thanks again.

Sue

Sue, you should not have to buy a license for Avast. Are you sure you downloaded the FREE version and not the trial version? When you install and register Avast free, it is good for a year, and all you have to do after the year is click to show that you want to re-register.

Once you make sure you have the correct version of Avast installed, then go ahead and download Zone Alarm. Then remove the MS firewall and install ZA.

Raven. I must have been typing when you were posting. ESP?

I did wonder if the tech had changed that.

I never have opened the case. Always had one of the grands to clean it. I'll check behind them next time. ;)

Sue

that would be turn off the MS firewall you can not remove it, once the free zone alarm is installed.

there is no need to buy anything with avast the registration on the free version is good for about a year then you get a pop up letting you know it is time to register it again and it is just a simple click of the link to do that too.

link to the free zone alarm
Click Here ZoneAlarm Free Firewall 9.2.102
be very very careful and watchful during the download and install because they now try to pass off on you a lot of extras all you want is the firewall! uncheck the other junk.

for any of the other programs you may want in the future using ninite site to get them from will assure you that you get the free version and with NO added extras included. They unfortunately do not have zone alarm in their list

Here is a link that might be useful: ninite

Yikes!

I followed the link above.

{{gwi:1452143}}

It said Free 30 day trial and an email reminder would be sent. I didn't see anything about a year. It did use the word "purchase" but I ignored that because it said Free.

Sue

if you used that link there and used the big green arrow that says download now that is the free version if however you went down lower where it says special offer buy now then you did not get the free version you got the trial of the pay version, but it says right there in the print next to that button the price of it so I would not think you used that one.

Now I see what I did wrong.

I clicked on Download Now. I should have clicked on the green box and that would have taken me to where I would see the green arrow.

I'm going to remove Avast and start over.

Sue

If you do that just use the link for the ninite site.

That's exactly what I was referring to in my post above. I had a feeling that you had downloaded the trial offer for the paid version instead of the free version. You should have it all sorted out now. You're certainly not the first one who has done that. :-)

I wish I did have it all sorted out by now. I spent a lot of time yesterday trying to get the free Avast, but I always ended up with the trial. I used FF and IE with the same results. I tried Ninite and got a message they were sorry but could not download to my machine.

I decided to go with the trial for now, and I will keep trying to get the Free one when I have time.

Have no idea why I'm having this problem, but I gave up last evening and have been gone all day today.

Very odd, right?

Sue

Sue, at the Avast download site, three versions are listed. The free version is on the left, the upgraded (pay) is in the middle, and the full suite is to the right. Go straight down from the free one and click "Download Now".

You were getting it from another site, I think, and that's how you ended up with the trial version of the paid Avast.

Here is a link that might be useful: Avast free

Below is a direct link.
Their page link seems broken to the free version to me on IE with todays new Java ?

Here is a link that might be useful: http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_free_eng.exe

FREE, FREE, FREE at last!!

Mikie, I used your link, and it worked like a charm.

So then I went ahead and added Zone Alarm. One question: I left it in the Internet Zone rather than the Trusted Zone. I couldn't remember which was best?

Thanks bunches to all of you for your help and patience while I struggled through it.

Sue

grandms that link there on the avast site links to the cnet download page if you put your cursor over the download button you can see at the bottom of the screen the cnet address.

I bet what is happening when you click on the big download now arrow on that cnet download page, it sends you to another page where the actual download file pops up in a pop up box my guess is you have the pop up blocked and are not seeing it, you firefox or IE should show you a bar at the top saying you need to click there to allow the box.
Since you are not seeing that pop up all you are seeing is the link for the pay version.
Is your download blocked?

if you have that blocked then you probably will not get the one from mikies link either.

another site you can try from is major geeks just click on one of the download locations
Avast! Free Edition 5.1.889

Aha! Shoulda tried it first.