Just to confirm … I’ve uninstalled/ re-installed Avast Free 8.0.1489 in Safe Mode as recommended and it appears now to be working as it should, except that pointing to the orange globe in notification area doesn’t confirm ‘Your system is secured,’ which it did before, but that may correct itself in due course.

Database update shows 130817-0 on 17/08/2013 … reassuring to see some consistency.

As expected, there was much complaining from Comodo but it appears to be happy now, as is Winpatrol Pro.

I’m hoping the auto-update function has been restored but that will have to wait until it activates itself.

Many thanks for all the help and apologies to sandlwood if I appear to have hijacked his thread.