Windows Action Center has started complaining that my antivirus and spyware protection is turned off. This problem started only after Avast downloaded the 8.0.1488 update. I’ve tried uninstalling Avast, downloading the 8.0.1489 installer and reinstalling but Windows Action Center still complaining that my antivirus and spyware protection is turned off. I reinstalled the old version 8.0.1483 just for testing purpose and the problem went away, so it must be something wrong in 8.0.1488 and 8.01489.This problem I have in my both laptops running Windows 8 Pro X64 and Windows 8 Pro X86
My Laptops specifications:
ASUS, Core i7 2670 QM 2.2 up to 3.2 Ghz, Geforce 610M with 2 Gb dedicated video memory, 1Tb HDD Hitachi, 8 Gb DDRAM, Windows 8 Pro X64
SONY VAIO, AMD E350 1.6 Ghz, ATI HD 6310, 750 Gb HHD Toshiba, 4 Gb DDRAM, Windows 8 Pro X86
[b]I have Avast on my 2 Dell computers; this one which I’m currently posting on is a Dell Vostro 1510 laptop and my other Dell computer is a Dell Dimension 3100 desktop PC. At the moment I have Avast Free Antivirus software which I got from CNET; my current version of Avast is #8.0.1489 which is installed on both of my Dell computers. For about a week a Windows red security shield has been appearing in my systray; lower right corner of my laptop’s screen; I go to Control Panel; click on check my computer’s current security status and it says my Avast is “turned off”. Other security software on my laptop is SUPERAntispyware version #5.6.1020 and Malwarebytes anti-malware version #1.75.0.1300.
From my computer’s security center I have tried to “turn on” my Avast. nothing happens. Someone over on CNET’s discussion board recommended I use Avast’s uninstall utility tool which I have and done so in “SAFE MODE” then reinstalled the latest version of Avast but after doing all of that the red shield is still showing up on my computer’s screen and my Avast is still “turned off” and cannot be turned back on. My Dell Vostro 1510’s OS is Windows Vista Premium 32bit; I don’t feel comfortable using the web without an active working antivirus. What should I attempt to do next? I’m a entry level computer user and am not a high end technical computer user.
Romulus72 and Fillup when you install Avast Free did you just installed the normal way just double click onto ‘avast_free_antivirus_setup.exe’, or did you right click on ‘avast_free_antivirus_setup.exe’ and pick ‘Run as administrator’ are you following me. Are you login to administrator account to you’re own PC, or does this computer doesn’t belong to you because you’re not access to a full control administrator account before installing might have trigger the problem with Windows Action Center.
For Vista/7 go to Start > All Programs > Accessories > right click on Command Prompt and choose Run as Administrator
For Windows 8 hover the mouse to the bottom left corner until you are seeing the Start pictogram > right click on it and choose Command Prompt (Admin)
b) In the command prompt window type the command below and press Enter
winmgmt /verifyrepository
c) You will get either one of these results:
WMI repository is consistent -no problems detected >> go to step f)
WMI repository is inconsistent -problems detected >> go to step d)
d) To rebuild the repository type the command below and hit Enter
winmgmt /salvagerepository
e) You will receive one of the results below
WMI repository is consistent -no problems detected >> go to step f)
WMIrepository salvage failed -failed to rebuild WMI repository. Try repeating step d) again.
WMIrepository has been salvaged - WMI repository has been successfully rebuilt. >> go to step g)
f) Reset the repository to its initial state using the command below and hit Enter
winmgmt /resetrepository
g) Now reboot the PC and check if the issue reoccurs
This problem is happening again as of a couple days ago and again today. It went away for a couple days after a reboot last time. Now it’s back. I’m not up for continuously uninstalling and reinstalling. That’s just a nuisance and should not be required. Avast IS has been a terrific suite for me for years. I hope they get this fixed soon, or tells us what to do. If it’s a Windows problem, we’re not likely to ever hear a fix from them.
The problem actually lies with the windows action centre or rather the WMI. This is something which has been the same for several generations of the windows action centre/windows security centre and it isn’t just restricted to avast, but other security software.
Just got .1497 free and it shut down according to action center on windows 8, unistalled .1489 and downloaded 1497 and installed it and re registered. This problem is getting ridiculous.
Ridiculous, yes, but the issue lies with the WSC/WAC.
Did you try the win8 suggested solution in Reply #27 which is trying to effectively reset the WMI which is used by the WAC to monitor the security applications.
I ran the microsoft Fix It link that someone posted earlier, it did not seem to fix it. So I turned off Antivirus security warnings in the security center. Now that I rebooted with them turned off, and turned them back on, it seems fine.
HTH
-ML
I had an issue with the Windows Security Centre too. I had updated the program from within the program itself, rebooted but still had the Windows action centre pop up saying “start Avast anti virus”. Even clicking that didn’t resolve it.
Downloading the uninstaller then doing a clean reinstall has sorted the security centre not seeing Avast as having started but there is clearly an issue for some who just update through the program itself.
Which is why when moving to a new later version, it seems to work better to do a clean install rather than an update via the gui to the newest version. Seems to save time and headaches. Plus, if using the free version, you get a new license good for another year when you register the latest version. Any lost usage on the old license does not really matter as all one has to do is re-register the latest version anyway; it’s free plus you get upgraded protection vs. the old version just removed via clean uninstall/install.
I had an issue with the Windows Security Centre too.I did follow some of the solutions provided namely resetting the winmgmt service in the command prompt. I rebooted and nothing had changed. The security centre still wasn’t detecting that Avast! was up and running. I then tried disabling shields for ten minutes and security center detected that. It decided that Avast! was “snoozing” and asked me if I wanted it turned on which I did of course and problem solved.
Unfortunately I have only just done this so I don’t know if it’s a long term solution.
I’m on vista ultimate on a lenovo T61p. avast version 2014.9.0.2006
I had the very same issue with Windows 7 Action centre after upgrading to Avast AntiVirus Version 2014.9.0.2006. Nothing was working until I tried your suggestion of disabling all the shields for 10 minutes, then went back into the security center and this time it detected Avast virus & spyware protection & all was fixed & back to normal
Just wanted to say thank you very much for this simple & easy solution. So far no more issues