"Access is denied" message box.

I’ve just installed avast! Home Edition 4.8 and find when I try to change the ‘Startup type’ for avast! Antivirus (ashServ.exe) in Services (services.msc) from ‘Automatic’ to ‘Manual’ I am unable to - I receive a message box stating “Access is denied”.

Why is this? This has never been the case in previous versions.

OS is XP Pro SP2.

Yea i tried that too it says access denied too. But why dont you just leave avast to start automatically?

It is new 4.8 self-defence feature

It is my practice to only have the bare minimum number of programs starting automatically.

Not only is 4.8 the first avast! version that won’t allow a manual start, but I don’t recall any other applications I’ve used refusing a manual start.

I assumed it probably was, but thought I had best check to ensure it wasn’t something peculiar to my installation.

I can appreciate this ‘self-defence feature’ is appropriate for most users, but am nevertheless disappointed it is being forced upon all users.

I can not upderstand your disappointment. Probably the minor part of AV users interesting in disabling AV service (setting startup type to Manual is disabling from practical point of view). This minor part can disable self-defence feature in your settings (Troubleshoot). So your disappointment should be addressed to your own lazy to check settings available.

Thank you for pointing this out - does exactly what I wanted to do.

Please, for your own good, consider revising this practice.
Antivirus is not like any other application… it’s a little bit more than that.

Disabling the self defense module will allow that malware destroy and corrupt avast antivirus installation :-\

yes have now worked out what to do; which is in case any others want to know, & without having to justify why you want to take control of your own computer to someone else who’s business it isnt! open avast user interface, click on settings go to troubleshooting, click box disable avast! self defense module. go to services clock stop; then properties, then disable service & its stopped & disabled. Nice to be able to control whats on your own PC I say. Regards DW

Don’t be rude… if it isn’t our business, why did you ask for help? ???

The solution was posted before by psw in reply #5.