Question Reinstalling avast ?

[PeyoteFTW]

I want to reinstalling my avast. Before i start reinstalling i need to ask few question.

How to properly uninstall and install avast ?
Do i need to remove any registry or leftovers file after uninstalling avast or i dont have to if i want to install avast again ?

 

[britechguy]

First and foremost I'd say don't (re)install Avast. But that is strictly my opinion.

The advice I will give you is precisely the same as anyone dealing with the uninstallation and reinstallation of any software:

First try using the uninstaller that came with said software. That is generally all you are going to need to do.

In the case of an antivirus/security suite, if the uninstaller gives you an error, virtually all of the makers of said software have dedicated "problem uninstallers" for exactly this instance. Go to the maker's support pages and search for "remover" or similar if you need one, but only if you need one.

After you have a successful uninstall using one of the two above techniques, reinstall.

You should never, ever, ever, need to edit the registry by hand to uninstall software.

If you should find yourself in a case where both of the above usual techniques did not work, then, and only then, would I consider using a dedicated third party "forceful uninstaller" tool such as Revo Uninstaller. I can count on less than two hands the total number of times this has been necessary since I've been in IT starting in the early 1980s.

 

[DMAN999]

Have you already uninstalled Avast?
If you did can you please state why you needed to uninstall it and how did you uninstall it.
Did you use the Avast uninstaller that is a part of Avast or some other method?
If you simply uninstalled it using the Avast uninstaller and rebooted, then you should just be able to run the Avast installer to re-install it.
You could certainly run a registry cleaner like Auslogics Registry Cleaner before re-installing if you want.

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[mdd1963]

If this is free Avast, many full -time experienced techs would likely recommend you skip it and choose something else, even if just MS Security (Defender), although I've been quite happy w/ Kaspersky Free for the few months I've been using it. (I'd hardly call a weekly Windows notification about other Kaspersky products to be overly 'nag happy', but, perhaps I am too tolerant.

(If it is paid, most would be less likely to ditch it, naturally,)

Lots of folks seem to love Bit Defender Free, as well....

 

[Nigel Spike]

Avast sometimes is difficult to fully uninstall. This is known to the development team, so they have released an Uninstall Utility.

 

[PC Tailor]

You could certainly run a registry cleaner like Auslogics Registry Cleaner before re-installing if you want.

Sorry but i would avoid these cleaners like the plague. I've only ever seen them cause harm, and never help.

You should never, ever, ever, need to edit the registry by hand to uninstall software.

Absolutely this +1.

If this is free Avast, many full -time experienced techs would likely recommend you skip it and choose something else, even if just MS Security (Defender)

Nowadays, latest tests actually shows Avast! pretty good. Performing very well. I have seen them at the source of some stop errors, but what AV doesn't. Having said that, I am a loyal Bitdefender customer as they are superb.

Avast sometimes is difficult to fully uninstall. This is known to the development team, so they have released an Uninstall Utility.

Also absolutely this is a great tool to avoid any worries.

 

[britechguy]

I could not agree more with avoiding registry cleaners like the plague.

Microsoft explicitly recommends against their use: Microsoft support policy for the use of registry cleaning utilities

At best they're pure snake oil. At worst I've seen systems reduced to heaps of rubble after they've botched something.

 

[DMAN999]

I have used that Auslogics Registry cleaner a few times and never had an issue with it.
I usually use Revo Uninstaller Pro which does a pretty good job of finding and removing any left overs.

 

[lynx1021]

There is a difference in a Registry cleaner (plague) and an uninstaller that gets leftovers (OK)
I use Avast Free with no issues on Windows 7, Have bit defender free on my Windows 8.1 laptop. Like Nigel Spike said, use the Avast uninstall utility if you need to uninstall it.

 

[britechguy]

There is a difference in a Registry cleaner (plague) and an uninstaller that gets leftovers (OK)

Indeed. But the use of something like Revo should only be "as needed" and the incidents of need should be rare indeed.

When it comes to antivirus/security suite class products, the following should be used, in order, to uninstall:

1. The uninstaller that comes bundled with it. Generally, this will be sufficient.

2. The specialized "heavy duty uninstaller" offered by the product's maker. Used if some "burp" occurred with the normal uninstaller, which has left a partially removed situation (which often causes conflicts with either a reinstall or installing another product).

3. Revo or similar. And these should only be employed if the "heavy duty uninstaller" did not work. I personally have never seen the "heavy duty uninstaller" fail.