Prima facie it looks like the Avast "upgrade" is causing your problems.

If you've paid for the product you should have some way (e.g. activation code) to reinstall it if necessary.

In your situation I'd test by completely uninstalling the product, and also running any available Avast complete cleanup/removal tool. Make sure if you do that, that the built-in Windows Security gets re-enabled. Restart if prompted, and even if you're not prompted.

My policy with purchased software (all kinds, not just AV) is that it should make your life easier. If I pay money, and it makes my life more difficult, I ditch it and get my money back. This is especially true with AV, since you're granting it full godlike privileges over your computer - even more than you think you have. The first priority (yes, even ahead of keeping you "secure") is to keep out of the way of legitimate use; if it can't do that, it casts doubt on how well it can do its other purported functions.

In my experience, as long as you follow reasonable cybersecurity practices, you don't have teenagers also using your computer, and you're not browsing dodgy web sites, then the built-in Windows Security works fine. It has by far the best record for not interfering with legitimate use of your computer.

One of the greatest cyber threats these days is visiting a compromised web site. I recommend using a locked down browser such as Firefox with NoScript for general web browsing. That doesn't always play well with e-commerce or government web sites but you can use Chrome or Chromium-based Edge for those. I'm not a fan of AV plugins for browsers unless the computer is being used by someone who can't follow reasonable cybersecurity practices. Plugins are another layer of complexity and can break the browser, or interact badly with other plugins or extensions you may have installed.

>Hi,
>
>Today, Avast agent (the AV software I have been using) made me update their software to the Avast Premium. Now, after I installed Avast Premium, I can no longer use Chrome. Any URL I enter in the browser address goes nowhere. And very limited use of Firefox. Oddly the IE works.
>
>I tried to shutdown/disable Avast for 10 minutes but, still, Chrome does not work.
>
>Could this be a coincidental issue with Avast? Or, I should try to uninstall Avast all together?
>
>Any suggestions?
>
>TIA