Hello
Is there any way to disable avast! from auto starting with Windows? I want to be able to start the real time protection when I want to.
I’ve disabled the real time protection in the avast! settings and also everything I can find that has to do with avast! in the auto start section of msconfig. Still, ashDisp.exe, ashServ.exe and aswUpdSv.exe automatically starts with Windows.
/nerfme
Why do you want to do so?
avast is not a good non-resident antivirus.
Anyway, you should set all avast services to manual and remove ashdisp.exe from the startup menu.
Even this way, drivers will be loaded and there is not way to avoid it…
It seems like I can’t set anything to manual, I can only set it to normal or high. Is this because I have the home edition?
No it is not, Tech is talking about setting the Services to manual and honestly if you didn’t understand that or how to do it, I would suggest you don’t attempt to disable avast’s resident protection. I sorry if you feel this is an insult, it certainly isn’t intended as one.
avast is designed as a resident antivirus and there is no point in switching on the resident element when you want, one of the times when virus activity is prevalent is on boot when it could be loaded into memory.
You didn’t answer Tech’s question, why would you want to do this ?
Tell us why and we may be able to resolve any problem that would make you consider that.
Have (or did) you another AV installed in this system, if so what was it and how did you get rid of it ?
What other security based software do you have, e.g. Spybot S&D (TeaTimer), AdAware (AdWatch), SpySweeper, Spyware Doctor (StartUpGuard or OnGuard), PrevX, WinPatrol, ProcessGuard, etc. ?
I want to be able to activate avast! when I feel for it since I have Windows Defender and Ad-Watch running all the time…
I would certainly trust avast before either of these, defender can run alongside avast, I would sooner disable those than avast.
Like David said… avast is more important than the others security programs you’ve posted.
Set the avast Standard Shield to Normal (the best balance between performance and protection) if you need/want.
You should also have avast! running all the time 
There’s a reason the word “should” exist.
I think so…
avast detection (signatures, engine, real time monitoring, etc.) of malwares (virus, spywares, etc.) is greater, much greater, that only the antispyware definitions of SpywareTerminator.
So, in my opinion, avast should be, other antispywares could be.
Has anyone got a clue why I can’t set auto protect settings to custom? It’s stuck on normal/high.
It will remain on high until you change elements in the Customize… settings that basically change the overall security from Normal or High. Simply putting the slider on Custom won’t stick without some changes.
Thanks. I tried unchecking some log option in customize, but it didn’t work. Anyhow, it worked when I uncecked other things.
Logging options wouldn’t change any of the security/sensitivity, what files are scanned, etc. so I wouldn’t expect that would change it to custom. As you found once you change how and what avast scans then the sensitivity change sticks.