AVG is a software program that cleans up viruses, similar to Norton Anti-virus and McAffee. It has a free version and a paid version. Many people, myself included, use the free version, and find it to be perfectly fine for protecting the computer from viruses. If you do not use AVG than you should not be having this issue. If you are using a different virus protection program and are getting virus alerts when you come to Gardenweb, then that's a different problem all together.

If you install the latest version, it should recognize that there's a version installed and upgrade it. As far as Zonealarm requiring you to let Firefox access the internet, that's actually a good thing. I think the version that costs money is preconfigured with certain applications and their signatures so it's easier to use. Forewarned is forearmed: any time a program that access the internet is upgraded, you'll need to give it permission the first time it runs. This is also a good thing. Years ago (probably around 2000) some security expert discovered that all the firewalls except zonealarm could be bypassed by naming a malicious program iexplore.exe. Zonealarm recognized that it wasn't the valid iexplore and blocked it. Now they all have this feature. The key is that you can't just always allow an executable whose name you recognize access the internet. If you didn't install any upgrades, patches, etc, you shouldn't get a message that the program has changed. Note that IE is often upgraded with Windows updates. One other note is that sometimes Zonealarm gets a little aggressive in blocking access. If you share devices on your network, you may need to designate it as a trusted zone. I do a lot of work with various VPNs and sometimes I need to set them up as trusted zones so Zonealarm will treat them as LANs. One other note on Ravencajun's advice that if you don't know for sure, don't allow the access, you may want to leave the "remember this setting" unchecked when you disallow access the first few times, just in case it's something that does need access and you just don't recognize it. There's a way to change these settings after the fact, but IMO it's easier to do them using the popup boxes.

Patricia AVAST is free but everyone that gets it does have to register it it tells you exactly how to do that on the download area, You just simply have to give them your email address and they mail you your registration code which you then just insert into the Avast A icon down by the clock. If you go to the AVAST download link zep just gave you this is what you will see in the middle of the page "Free registration avast! antivirus Home Edition is FREE to use but it is necessary to register before the end of the initial 60 day trial period. Following the registration you will receive by e-mail a license key valid for a period of 1 year. After you have downloaded and installed the program, the license key must be inserted into it within 60 days. The registration process is very easy, and it will take you only a couple of minutes. Register here " and you can click on the Register here link to do that. That is normal. If you look over on the left side of the download page there are 2 pdf files one is User Guide and one is Installation Guide you should read those carefully they tell you everything you need to know about your AVAST. Each year it does require doing a registration but that is all. Also Patricia please check for us to make sure you have spelled that item correctly is it actually SYCHOST?? As zep said svchost is normal to have so we really do need you to make sure on that spelling it is all the difference in the world whether that is a Y or a V.

Coincidentally, just now when I went to update MWB, I got the identical error message. Tried 3 times, but same. Googled the error (quite a few posts with same problem), and ended up on MWB Home Forum. Waited 20 mins for it to try and download the correct page before I gave up in frustration. So I ran a complete MWB scan with my old version (Aug.8th), which came up clean. Opened window with left hand, held laptop in right hand, near window with intention of hurling it to the road below, but decide to give it one more attempt. This time, it updated as smooth as silk, no problems! Tough love, I guess. The laptop has become completely compliant now! Regards, Shax