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Avast "free" antivirus

diesel4me

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Yesterday I got a warning from the "free" Avast free anti-virus program,that they aborted a attempted phishing on facebook,the details also showed the lounge here as being listed among the potential sources..

The warning popped up with a bell going ding-ding-ding and I couldn't close it out by hitting the "X" in the RH corner,it kept coming right back up again repeatedly..
I was tired and in no mood to deal with it at the time,so I just shut the computer down and went to bed.

This morning,before I logged onto the internet,I ran a "smart scan" on the Avast and it showed no recent issues,and no malware,etc,it said everything was OK,so I logged onto the web and have had no issues so far on CK5 or Craigslist..have not yet logged onto Facebook today..

More than once in recent months I'll get a pop up from Avast saying "we've detected a threat--or your IP address is "visible"to anyone,and that my computer has 2.1 GB of "junk registry files " and various other issues,and "click here to resolve these issues"--which leads me to a page showing how much "junk" and registry items are in need of clearing out,and to do so will require "upgrading" to a paid subscription...these pop ups can come up anytime,sometimes I get one every week or so,then none for a month..

I rather doubt this computer even HAS 2.1 GB of memory,and if that many registry items were "bad",it wouldn't be working as fast as it always has--is this just something they do in hopes of getting you to pay for a supposedly "better" program I wonder ?--when I try to close out the prompt to upgrade then another page pops up saying "still unsure--try a free trial for 30 (or 60) days..

I refused,because I don't have any means of paying for anything online yet,and don't really see the need to pay for antivirus when I've not had any issues using the "free" version...computer seems OK,hasn't been acting weird or slow otherwise..
It's like they keep pestering you in hopes you'll give in and pay for a "upgrade"..and do so in a threatening manner,listing all the things they have supposedly stopped from happening in the past..

I'm going to go on FB now--if I don't show up here later,then you'll know I probably got "hacked",but according to the scan I ran,everything is OK..
:screwy:

Edit--I was on facebook previous to getting the warning last night,but had closed that tab and been here on CK5 for awhile before it popped up..
I have noticed facebook has been scrolling "jerky" lately at times,but no other issues...
 
Mods :

Not sure how I managed to post this in the "Garage" forum...:doah:
Could have sworn I was in the Lounge when I made & posted this thread..:blush:

Could one of you move it to the Lounge please ?...
 
Unless he purchased a new computer in the last year, which I highly doubt, then he’s running Windows 8.1.


Same here..:frown1:
The computer I am now using has Windows 8.1 and is a "64 bit",my old scanner and digital camera are older and "32 bit" ,so they are "incompatible"...
Sucks ,because all my photos are trapped in my old computers hard drive,so I cant just scan them into this one..or post any new pictures taken with the camera..
Might try swapping the hard drive from the dead computer to a Dell I have with Windows XP pro,which was what the dead one had..then at least I can take pictures and post them again..
 
I prefer Windows Defender for anti virus. The pop ups can be a range of sneaky crap. Either the avast program itself is compromised or something got into the browser via an ad in.
 
As far as getting files off of your old computer, that is easy with a thumb drive if the old computer is still running. If is dead, I could get them off with an adapter I have where I can plug a harddrive in to a USB port.
 
Easy for someone who knows how to do it !..
I'm about useless doing pretty much anything online that isn't "point & click"..
I use Chrome for a browser,not Windows,but the computer does have Windows 8.1 installed..

I haven't had one issue since that night when I kept getting the pop up from Avast,and the scan I ran the next morning did not come up with any malware or other issues..it's like they have those pop ups come up out of nowhere every so often,listing several "potential threats" to "scare" you into upgrading to a paid subscription..
I wasn't even on FB when the pop up appeared,I had been earlier,but had closed out that tab--I was here on CK5 when it came up..:screwy:
 
I use Chrome for a browser,not Windows,but the computer does have Windows 8.1 installed..

Chrome is the software browser you use to get on the internet. Windows is the operating system that runs all the software on your computer. Two completely different animals.
 
I knew that Windows is the operating system,I was saying I use Chrome as a browser,not any Windows related program or Internet Explorer,etc..
 

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