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Lately my free AVG antivirus pops up with an annoying upgrade ad every so often. Is there any way to disable it?

OmerGertel
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No. You could either buy it or uninstall it. Any other ways (such as 'hacking' the application), if possible, are immoral and possibly illegal (depending on your country).

Although a lot of quality software is free, if you are the type of person who uses security suites, I strongly suggest you purchase and pay for it.

Some suggestions include:

Josh Hunt
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  • Thanks for the answer. I didn't plan on hacking it. It's just a new nuisance, that AVG hasn't done before. AVG free has been good to me for years now. I'll be sad to let it go. – OmerGertel Aug 03 '09 at 08:29
  • Though I agree with you, I don't think a lecture was called for, and it certainly does not answer the question. – dbkk101 Aug 04 '09 at 17:38
  • Lecture? Please forgive me, I was not trying to be harsh. I believe I certainly answered the question in the first two characters ("No") – Josh Hunt Aug 05 '09 at 00:51
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No. Ads are the price you pay for getting a free anti-virus software.

Dan Walker
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Actually, the answer, well documented and easy to find now, is and always was "YES". Yes but you shouldn't is different from no you can't, so in response to joshhunt, you actually did not answer the question, and did indeed lecture. The OP could just have easily replied "they were immoral in abusing my trust, by activating a new hook on my 'free' software long after I agreed to the terms - that constraint being aggressive adware, operating far outside the bounds of the application's UI."

from: http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=612687

Either rename w/ a *.bak extension, or delete the following two files from the AVG directory (substitute "\AVG8" w/ whatever version you have installed)...

C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgmwdef_us.mht

C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgresf.dll

Regarding the legality of disabling the popups your free software emits, read your license agreement. I honestly don't know what the answer is, it cannot be assumed either way without reading that specific document, and I bailed on AVG when they assaulted my girlfriend with these ads while I was away (I wasn't even certain they were genuine at the time).

Regarding the morality, surely the reader doesn't need lectures from me.

shannon
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    You should read the EULA/License of AVG. Breaking/Violating the EULA/License is off-limits on SU, no matter if it is 'well-documented' or not. – Bobby Dec 29 '10 at 10:23