Cannot keep AVG Free working

nrc_2

A couple of weeks ago my AVG Free stopped working - just did nothing when I tried to run it. So I removed it and re-installed using the download link for AVG Free. It turns out this actually loads a trial version of AVG Pro.


I searched around and found AVG advice that said to uninstall it and I would get a pop-up asking me if I wanted AVG Free instead. There was no pop-up and it just uninstalled AVG completely.


So, I re-installed "AVG Free" again and once more got the trial Pro version. I then looked around and found AVG advice saying that when the Pro trial expired it would automatically revert to AVG Free, which it did. However, 3 days later I tried to run it and got a pop-up reminder that my AVG Pro had expired and the only option to continue was a "BUY" button.


So it seems to me that there is no longer any way to keep AVG free long term. Any ideas anybody before I remove it completely and install Avast instead? There was another AVG page that talked about removing it again and downloading from somewhere else but frankly I am too frustrated to bother even trying. Shame really, I have used AVG for years.


Thanks, Nick

AndyPix

Take this as a blessing in disguise and remove it completely.


Install bit defender free

david39

I cannot speak for AVG as I don't use it but many of these free maintenance tools offer you a Pro version and a Free version. If you install the Free version, somewhere towards the end of the set up process they offer another option to start a free trial of the Pro version. However, it is laid out and worded so that the user mistakenly thinks he is installing the Free version when, in fact, he is installing another free triall of Pro that will expire. The point is that having chosen the Free version at the start of the process, the user does not expect to have to re-affirm it at the end as well.

You need to make sure you read all of the boxes carefully and make sure you are not being hustled into choosing the Free Trial again rather than the Free version.

nrc_2

Many thanks for the replies. I assure you that I did read all the fine print and instructions. Google searches seem to suggest that it is just what avg does to market its paid for product. There are a number of complaints about it but no simple solution form avg despite their insistence that there is a free product (which I had for all of 3 days when the pro trial expired!).
I will take the advice and get rid of it - the pro "trial" that I got without knowing it slugged performance so much that my pc became pretty much useless so no way I would pay for it.

esuhl

If you've already uninstalled AVG, run the AVG Remover to clear up any left-over remnants:

http://www.avg.com/us-en/utilities

Then try installing the free version again, if you want to stick with AVG. Or try Avast (or one of the other recommendations).

Moon_Keh

AndyPix wrote: »

Take this as a blessing in disguise and remove it completely.


Install bit defender free

Add my vote to that. My brother used to work in a customer support role for a large online product; he used to tell me that AVG caused more problems than it solved. Having used AVG in the past, I can only agree with him.

Added as an afterthought: Some of these "free" antivirus programs are very good at hiding how you select for free, to see if they can convince you to get your credit card out. I've fallen for it several times with avast on an old Windows machine (just not paid, gone back and tried again). There is a chance that it's just not obvious (or is intentionally opaque) as to what you have to do. But in not using AVG I will concede that I'm speculating just a bit.