Thanks Hugh -- but that's actually kind of bad news,

  Additional data point:  I found myself with a spare copy of Norton AV 
2009.  When I try installing that on the machine -- and tell it to skip 
trying to uninstall Avast free and Zone Alarm, thank you kindly -- it 
installs and downloads updates just fine, and then I have a choice of 
two outcomes:

1.  Let it "Scan", and after 24 hours find the machine apparently frozen 
with no indication that the Scan is running or even HAS run, or

2.  Tell it to skip the Scan step (I should be able to run a scan after the 
install manually, right?) and have it collect error logs and report that 
installation failed and that I need to reboot to finalize cleaning up after 
the failure.

  Of course, I can boot from the CD and let it scan my hard drives with 
definitions from last August which, not surprisingly, don't find any 
problems.  (Booted from the CD, it can't seem to talk to the Internet to 
get newer definitions....)


  All of which suggests that I'm infected with something, but offers me 
no clue WHAT.

David Gillett



On 2 Apr 2009 at 16:36, Hugh Vandervoort wrote:

> AVG runs fine on my Athlon 64.
> The server problem is fairly common, and usually corrects itself.
> The AVG slowness is often caused by the link scanner, which I have turned
> off, even though it never affected me.
> 
> 
> On Thu, Apr 2, 2009 at 2:47 PM, David Gillett <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
> 
> >  I have several machines running AVG Free 8.5.  I like it, and have
> > updated one to the paid version.
> >
> >  I have ONE machine, running 32-bit XP Pro on an Athlon 64, on
> > which since about March 25th any attempt to update AVG -- free or
> > paid! -- blue screens.  (The day this started, the paid machine reported
> > for several hours that it could not contact AVG's update server, but that
> > problem corrected itself in much less than a day.)
> >
> > David Gillett
> >
> >
> > On 1 Apr 2009 at 10:26, Vince Teachout wrote:
> >
> > > Joyce A wrote:
> > > > I have been there, done that with Norton.  They _used_ to be good...
> > > >
> > > > I now have AVG Free Edition (not to be confused with their 'trial'
> > > > version),
> > >
> > > I've been an AVG user for at least 3 years, probably longer.  When they
> > > announced no more support for 7.5, and "suggested" I update to 8.5, I
> > > did so.  Computer ran so slowly, I had to uninstall it.
> > >
> > > Got Avast (Free home version), have been running it for the last week,
> > > and am thrilled with it.  No problem w/Conficker, either.
> >
> 
>         The NOSPIN Group has added a new feature on our website,
>            web based bulletinboard for questions and answers:
>               Visit our sister website at http://nospin.com
> 

               The NOSPIN Group Promotions is now offering
                 our special coffee cups and mouse pads
              with the PCSOFT logo...  at a great price!!!
             http://freepctech.com/goodies/promotions.shtml