Avast Instup.exe Process Won't Go Away

As you avast users know, the instup.exe process is active when there is an avast Virus Definitions download in progress. With me having Dial Up Internet and avast Anti-Virus not having a Virus Definitions Download in Progress Indicator ... this instup.exe process in the Task Manager was my only way of knowing when there was a Virus Definitions Download in progress and when it was done.

Sometime last month I got about 2 instances whereby after a Virus Definitions Download was obviously done, the instup.exe process would just never go away from the Task Manager unless I rebooted. Back then someone had inquired about the same issue over at the avast Forum. At that time all I saw someone suggest was to run an avast Repair. Supposedly the repair fixed the problem.

Now ... this weekend I decided to go one better. I did a clean uninstall using the avast clear uninstall utility and reinstalling avast. I updated the Virus Definitions with the Bulk Virus Definitions file from here at Major Geeks as I always do after avast reinstalls. I finished whatever remaining Virus Definitions updating it still needed via the Net.

Verdict? The problem actually got worse! Doh! That instup.exe process now ALWAYS remains after ALL Virus Definitions Updates, not just sometimes. I even performed yet another (2nd) clean uninstall / reinstall of avast and the problem persists.

Any other avast users experience this? Anyone know how to fix things to where that instup.exe process disappears on its own after Virus Definitions Updates as it should without the need for a reboot?

Before y'all ask ... I WOULD inquire over at the avast Forum regarding this issue, but with my Dial Up, I can no longer log in into the avast Forums. And whatever is causing that, apparently also no longer allows me to contact avast via the Contact avast method via e-mail. Or at least I got no response when I used it a couple months ago.

 

Oh I'm sure I won't have to go remotely anywhere near as to go all Rambo on avast. I've had avast Free / Home I believe since 2008 and it's served me well.

Granted yes, they HAVE added a ton of extra stuff in recent years that I don't need or use. But, it's no biggie. As you alluded to, in the custom install, I just untick all except 3 things and I'm good to go. Considering that I've been getting it for free all these years, I don't let that unticking task bother me.

Anyway, back to the problem. It actually seems to have fixed / neutralized itself. For a while there it was doing it every time it downloaded an update and I'd have to reboot every time after it was finished to get rid of that process. After about a week, it just stopped doing it all on its own.

I'm guessing / hoping that once I install the latest avast version, the intermittent issue will be more likely to have been fixed permanently. I'll have to wait until next weekend to do that, though. That's when I'll be able to use my sister's High Speed Internet to download it onto my Flash Drive.