How To Install And Use Avast Antivirus In Linux Mint / Ubuntu

Here’s how to install and use Avast Antivirus In Linux Mint / Ubuntu:

1. Go to www.avast.com/linux-home-edition#tab4 and click ‘avast! Linux Edition (DEB package)’ to download and save the *.deb file.

Avast Linux Home Edition - Download Page

2. Now, go to www.avast.com/registration-free-antivirus.php and fill the registration form to get a free license key.

Avast Linux Home Edition - Free license key registration

Avast Linux Home Edition - Free license registration
Click on ‘Register free license’ when done. You’ll get a confirmation that your free license key would be e-mailed to you. Note that if you have a previous Windows Avast Free license key, you can use it in Linux Free Edition too. Also, note that you will have to renew the free license after every 12 months (for free).

Avast Linux Home Edition - Free license registration

3. After you receive the free license key from Avast, open the terminal and change the directory to where you saved the downloaded *.deb file. Now, issue the following command at the terminal –

sudo dpkg -i avast4workstation_1.3.0-2_i386.deb

Avast Linux Home Edition - Installation in Linux Mint / Ubuntu

4. After the installation is complete, click on ‘Menu>Accessories>avast! Antivirus’ to start the program.

Starting Avast Linux Home Edition in Linux Mint / Ubuntu

5. Now enter the free license key that you got from Avast and click ‘OK’ when done.

Avast Linux Home Edition - Entering the license key in Linux Mint / Ubuntu

6. Click on ‘Update database’ to update the antivirus definitions.

Avast Linux Home Edition - updating antivirus definitions

Avast Linux Home Edition - updaing antivirus definitions

[Note that, we have interrupted the antivirus definitions update for sake of saving time since ours is a test machine. Practically, you should wait for the antivirus definition update to complete.]

7. Now, select the directory that you want to scan and click ‘Start scan’.

Avast Linux Home Edition - running scan in Linux Mint / Ubuntu

Avast Linux Home Edition - running scan in Linux Mint / Ubuntu

8. After the scanning is complete, you’ll see the scan results as follows –

Avast Linux Home Edition - showing scan results in Linux Mint / Ubuntu

Thus, you can enhance your system’s security by installing and using Avast Antivirus in Linux Mint / Ubuntu.

 

  1. Eds says:

    If your getting: “An error occured in avast! engine: Invalid argument” after updating, try this in terminal:

    sudo sysctl -w kernel.shmmax=128000000

  2. Eds says:

    As of now.. maybe before… I had no trouble by double clicking the .deb file from Avast. Self/auto install.. Linux needs more of this.

  3. OldGrampa says:

    Tx for the info.

    Anyone figured out how to put a right-click context menu item,
    to scan a folder with Avast?

  4. TsjuunTze says:

    I have found the solution for this problem.

    A temporary fix is to run the following command in a Terminal window before trying to start avast!

    sudo sysctl -w kernel.shmmax=100000000

    This should obviate the problem during any one particular ubuntu intrepid (linux) login session.

    Having to run the aforementioned command every time you start your system, however, can be avoided by creating a bash script file that will automatically run and issue the command every time you start ubuntu intrepid.

    To do this, open a Terminal window and do the following:

    1. Create a bash file (here called ‘avastshm.sh’) by running

    sudo gedit /etc/init.d/avastshm.sh

    You can name the file anything, the only caveat being that the file must not already exist in the /etc/init.d directory, and don’t forget the .sh file extension.

    2. Paste the following text into gedit and then click ‘Save’

    #!/bin/sh
    ### BEGIN INIT INFO
    # Provides: avastshm
    # Required-Start: $local_fs $remote_fs
    # Required-Stop: $local_fs $remote_fs
    # Default-Start: 2 3 4 5
    # Default-Stop: 0 1 6
    # Short-Description: change kernel shared memory
    ### END INIT INFO
    sysctl -w kernel.shmmax=100000000

    3. Shutdown gedit

    4. Assign executable status to the avastshm.sh file by running

    sudo chmod 755 /etc/init.d/avastshm.sh

    5. Include the avastshm.sh file in the list of files to be executed with every ubuntu intrepid start-up by running

    sudo update-rc.d avastshm.sh defaults

    You should now be able to restart your system and the avastshm.sh file you created above will automatically be executed with every start-up, thus allowing avast! Linux Home Edition to start and update without the aforementioned errors.

    Addendum:

    To remove the avastshm.sh file from the list of files to be executed with every ubuntu intrepid start-up, run

    sudo update-rc.d -f avastshm.sh remove

    And finally, if you wish to delete the avastshm.sh file, run

    sudo rm /etc/init.d/avastshm.sh

    The above information may also be appropriate for other versions of the linux operating systems. Good luck!

  5. Gustavo García says:

    I have installed Avast. Here is the terminal output:

    gustavo@Pavilion:~$ sudo dpkg -i Downloads/avast4workstation_1.3.0-2_i386.deb
    (Reading database … 216333 files and directories currently installed.)
    Preparing to replace avast4workstation:i386 1.3.0 (using …/avast4workstation_1.3.0-2_i386.deb) …
    Unpacking replacement avast4workstation:i386 …
    Setting up avast4workstation:i386 (1.3.0) …
    Processing triggers for man-db …

    I have done this several times, always ended ok. Even used Ubuntu Software Center. There is a link, which I find pressing Super+a. I see the Avast icon under Recently Used and Applications. When I click on the Avast icon nothing happens. The focus just bounces back to the window I was in beforehands.

    Thanks

  6. Geoff says:

    Help! Thanks

    I get the following error for step 3 command:

    avast4workstation_1.3.0-2_i386.deb
    [sudo] password for scales:
    dpkg: error processing avast4workstation_1.3.0-2_i386.deb (–install):
    cannot access archive: No such file or directory
    Errors were encountered while processing:
    avast4workstation_1.3.0-2_i386.deb
    scales@scales-Satellite-1to1 ~/Desktop $ sudo dpkg -i avast4workstation_1.3.0-2_i386.deb
    dpkg: error processing avast4workstation_1.3.0-2_i386.deb (–install):
    cannot access archive: No such file or directory
    Errors were encountered while processing:
    avast4workstation_1.3.0-2_i386.deb

    • admin says:

      @ Geoff :

      Try running the dpkg command from within the directory where Avast package is downloaded or alternatively give the full path of the directory where it is downloaded to like : sudo dpkg -i [full path where the package is located]. Suppose if present is in /home/me/downloads, then it will be : sudo dpkg -i /home/me/downloads/avast4workstation_1.3.0-2_i386.deb

  7. lucamax says:

    I found a fix:
    in terminal give this command:
    sudo sysctl -w kernel.shmmax=100000000

    Then start Avast from menu.

    Here the discussion on Avast forum: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=57764.15

  8. lucamax says:

    Thanks for the informations
    Install in Mint 12 was without problems but unfortunately after the update Avast gives an “error in avast engine:invalid argument”

    • admin says:

      Lucamax,

      Here is what you can do :

      As root, try changing /etc/sysctl.conf file (use any text editor like vi or gedit).
      Add the following :
      kernel.shmmax=128000000

      Only that entry should be there.

      Cheers.

      • lucamax says:

        Your solution should be better because permanent, the one I proposed last only for current session.

        Thanks !
        Luca

  9. william says:

    I have installed Avast for Ubuntu successfully and run the scan but like when I tried AVG Free edition all I see is permission denied ???

    What am I doing wrong ?

  10. Bob says:

    Can’t get past first step….shows different site page….I’m lost….????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

  11. Bob says:

    I can’t get past the first step!!! I get a different site to what you’re showing!! HELP!!

  12. Liana Bee says:

    Thank you so much for the instruction. It’s my first time using Linux and I’ve never used a terminal in my life but your directions were easy to follow and everything worked out. However, I did encounter two speed bumps that need to be addressed: firstly, for those of you having trouble figuring what to type for the directory path (I did at first), right-click the avast! file and go to Properties. There should be a line that says “Location.” To the right of that is what you need to type. Secondly, should you encounter the problem the comment above me had–to put it clearly, should avast! shut down after you attempt to update and refuse to reopen due to an “Invalid Argument”–run this command in your terminal:

    sudo sysctl -w kernel.shmmax=128000000
    kernel.shmmax = 128000000

    I don’t know what it does or why it works, but I found it on a forum in the avast! website and it does fix the problem.

  13. sal says:

    after update avsta i’ve got problem dos’nt work:An error occured in avast! engine
    i try to disinstall and reinstall but the same result,what can do?