Purchasing KAV Personal Pro - a bad experience.

I am new to this site, although I have used it to evaluate AV software which I need to update as my current licence with Sophos is due to expire and I have no wish to pay through the nose for a product which offers very limited update facilities.

I tried both NOD32 and KAV trial versions, and went ofr KAV because the demo version synched with my Outlook whereas NOD32 picked up Outlook Express only which I don't use. I removed the demo before purchasing KAV Personal Pro for close enough to $100 but for some reason it failed to synch with Outlook like my demo did.

I e-mailed them and they responded fast but with useless advice. They sent me a registry cleaner which removed the programme and then asked me to re-install. I did that, then asked them where do I re-install from since I downloaded the programme from their website and I don't want to buy the programme again. They don't seem to have an answer which I find incredible. I paid $100 for this download, it didn't work like the demo and now I'm left with nothing.

I would have went for Norton but I heard it had isuues with Win2000 which I run, so I went for something which appeared to test great on my system yet messed up once I stumped up for the full programme. Their tech support via e-mail has responded fast but ignored my main problem which is how do I re-install KAV Pro (which has been paid for) without the CD. This raises the issue of what happens if you get a bad download? Unless you've bought a boxed version of KAV it seems you are up the creek without a paddle.

I hope they come up with an answer soon, because I spent quite some time researching before I bought this product and I feel badly let down.

 

From where did you get download? Did you get a key file? Was it 4.0.6 version? After you received a key file, the demo becomes full registered version. No need to uninstall...

Technodrome

 

Kaspersky has demo progs that do not take a key. I have the FTP download sites if you have a legitimate key.
Paul, is it ok to post Kasperskys FTP site here?

 

I got he download from http://esd.element5.com

which was provided directly from the Kaspersky website. I un-installed the demo because I didn't want any interference with the paid version which sometimes happens with other software. I have been sent a new key file since then but as I was required to un-install the existing KAV programme, the problem I now have is how to re-install KAV. This was a download so how to re-install without paying again?


I have been told by KAV support "All you need is your key file (*.key) and installation file which you downloaded from the internet"

problem is, I am not a computer savvy person and I don't understand where to find my installation file. The key file I have located, that's not a problem. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Which ones?

Technodrome

 

Where did you download File (save). Execute file from there. KAV installer should take care of the rest.


Technodrome

 

If you have a key file you could download program from here:
ftp://ftp.kaspersky.com/products/release/4.0/english/homeuser/kavpersonalpro/kavperspro40eng.exe

Put your key file in C:\Program Files\Common Files\AVP Share Files

OR

Point to key file---------->click right site of mouse---------> click add key file


Technodrome

 

I don't know. I just ran the programme according to the default settings which were automatic. I didn't choose any specific location it was already selected by KAV (like most software). That's why i don't expect it should be so difficult for KAV to be more specific about how to re-install a commercial programme. They have my personal e-mail address, I am in touch with their tech support, it just seems really a problem for me to find out how to do this. I wish I had ordered the CD instead of downloading from their site now.

 

If you lost your downloaded file and if you still got a key file please download program from the link i provided and use my instruction to install a key file.


Technodrome

 

Technodrome, I will try that and post back with the results tomorrow. I wish I had got that much detail from the support team who till now have failed to provide a download site. yes I have a valid key file as they know.

Thanks for your help. I hope this works because from what i saw of the demo version, this AV programme is the one that appeals to me above the rest other than it's failure to launch upon paying for the full version.

 

Wish you luck Ashak!

Technodrome

 

Well all is well that ends well! KAV support had already provided me with a registry cleaner and a couple of files to save to my desktop, all I needed was the link to the download which Technodrome provided. This worked just fine, the programme picked up the key file on installation and this time my Outlook e-mail protection installed smoothly and without any hitches.

So needless to say I am happy that I haven't wasted $100!

A quick mention for KAV support here; they seemed to have trouble understanding that I didn't have access to a download once I'd removed the programme, but they did provide a link last night eventually, by which time I'd already solved the problem thanks to the link provided by Technodrome. Even so, I did appreciate the fact that they responded so quickly to my e-mails every time (2 or 3 times in 1 hr isn't bad) So I thank them for that.

Any other KAV users here and what are your impressions of the product? I know it's supposed to be quite a hog on systems resources, but I have a P4 1.8 with 500mb memory so I am not too concerned about that. I made this choice because I wanted a dedicated antivirus that would update automatically without conflicting with other progarammes or my OS. My impression from reading other user views here and CNET is that most are very pleased with the performance of KAV.

One final point: In the CNET review there was a criticism that KAV won't allow you to scan files individually, but I don't think that's true. If you right click on a file there is an option to scan the file and it takes a nano second so I don't know where they got that from.

 

Hey Techie, the last time I downloaded a trial copy from Russia and Switzerland both, I could find no way to enter a key. That is why I have several KAV sites bookmarked now that have the pro versions.
Since KAV changed from gold to personal and pro and superdooper versions, there is only one demo version, but the keys are for the different versions available.
On the other hand, I may be sleeping at the wheel.
Glad the problem got resolved anyway.

 

I hope you like the program enough to pay $100 each and every year. One of the reasons I dumped Kaspersky was because they would never give me an answer about renewal charges. I emailed them at least 5 times, they answered once saying they will get back to me and I never heard from them again. While it may be a good program, I don't believe in paying full price for it each and every year.

Regards,

XTraveler

 

Well i agree it is over-priced. But you can buy the personal edition for $49 which is pretty much par for the course and it offers you the same basic protection as the Pro version.

Why I chose Kaspersky was for a few reasons. I couldn't go with Norton because their latest 2002 version has serious conflicts with my WIN200 OS. Earlier versions are hard to track down.

My initial choice was NOD32 but that failed to pick up my Outlook account in the trial version which put me off. E-mail protection is essential as far as I am concerned.

I dropped Sophos because they didn't offer auto-updates and I got hit by the Nimda Virus as a result of relying on their monthly CD issues. They have realised their mistake and are offering auto updates now, but at a ridiculous premium on top of their already over-priced product.

Kaspersky is expensive but when I access a webpage, I can see the programme checking it first. My e-mail account has been picked up and is secure. Basically this programme has linked well with my system and caused no conflicts. If I want to get rid of it I can use the registry cleaner which they themselves provided. My experience of Norton in the past makes me very thankful for this fact.

In a year's time I will re-evaluate, but for now I am very happy with this product. I can actually see it doing it's job! Try accessing a webpage and watch the programme kick in!

My business relies on my PC so I need full protection full stop. After paying so much for Sophos and being collared by a virus I think this programme isn't over-priced at all. It works best for me on my system. Maybe that'll change in the future, who knows?

Right now, I'm happy

 

Ashak

Suggestion: You may wish to check the paths for these files in registry: ccexecfg.dll, execloc.dll, avpcccfg.dll, ccclient.dll

The current v4 KAVPro installer errs & puts wrong path as
KAV program folder instead of Program Files\Common Files\KAV Shared Files folder for some or all of these files.

I used RegVac 1.07 (www.superwin.com) to locate these
regkey errors & edited key values to point to correct path.

These steps basically ensure your KAV Control Centre
works flawlessly.

Just my 2 cents,FWIW
SKA

 

You do not pay for the program. You pay for the right to use the software in a certain time period. That is the difference. The price for KAV Pro is IMHO too high. The two additional tools are not really necessary for most users or can be bought cheaper from another company.

wizard

 

Hello Ska,

yeah got the same advice from KAV tech support and they advised a registry clean up and install those files in the Common Files\KAV Shared Files folder which worked just fine.

XTraveler,

I agree that the pro version is over-priced, the Personal version which costs $49 is reasonable enough though. For that money it offers pretty comprehensive protection. Kaspersky are pulling a bit of a fast one by offering only the Pro version for trial download. I am very wary of screwing my system so that's the reason I went for the Pro version as I had installed it successfully in the demo version.

Incidentally, I ran the Disk Inspector for the first time today and it reported some file changes as suspicious - change in file size. There was a virus pop-up warning in fact. I think it's probably a false alarm as I have PestPatrol to scan for trojans and that didn't pick up anything. Unfortunately I didn't save the report otherwise I would have sent it to Kaspersky for analysis. I've a feeling it's probably just a false positive.


Thanks for your help all, and thanks also Paul for your welcome. Much appreciated. I am surely learning a lot on this site.

 

Hi Ashak,
Maybe a bit of topic, but some side-notes with respect to that report from KAV Inspector.
I myself don't have that one, but a more or less similar tool, called ADinf32 Pro (from the company that sells DrWeb).
Just an example:
When I have updated my NAV and later run ADinf32, then ADinf gives me some kind of a warning about (possible) virus-activity. Well, there is no virus-activity, but only were some older NAV-files deleted and some new NAV-files added.

So what can we learn from this?
Utilities like for example KAV Inspector, ADinf32, NISFileCheck (see the special forum on this board for it) are really very usefull tools; they give you a better insight about what has happened on your system with respect to files.
But it is the user who has to decide whether some reported file-changes (changed, deleted, added) are harmfull or not.
Having a good AV (and you certainly have one with KAV Personal Pro), AT, etc. etc. can help you making that decision.

 

FanJ,

I agree. The additional information was certainly welcome. At the moment I am having a problem when I boot up Windows my Network Dial up settings are failing although I feel this is probably just a configuration problem.

Maybe a software conflict?

Anyway, I am having some difficulties when I re-boot so something isn't quite right.