I have Windows 7 32 bit and after installing the latest Avast free edition I found it does not appear to be loading on reboot of the PC. There is no icon notification on the toolbar (even hidden) and if I right click a file in Windows Explorer and choose the scan option it gives me an error that some component is not loaded and the impression I am getting is that it is not loading at all on boot up - until I go into the start menu and load it manually. I tried uninstalling and then installing again and it did not help. I can manually put it in the Startup folder I guess but I would have thought that apps that start on boot up like Avast! wouldn’t need a presence in the Startup folder in order to start on boot up like many other applications.
I briefly had a similar problem when test running avast 5 with XP on a couple of computers - avast would not load at start up (only on one computer). I would need to start avast manually despite that it was set to start automatic. The issue appeared to be remedied by an update before I had time to really troubleshoot the problem.
If no immediate solution from forum members, then may help to notify vlk with a brief description of problem and a link to your topic thread. Just in case update needed for win 7.
Bearing in mind also that solution to issue may require some adjustments on your Windows desktop. Any additional information would help forum members to support your request for a solution.
Contact vlk at vlk@avast.com through yr email service and provide a link to this topic thread. Best provide details of what you did and what your seeing on yr screen. Brief spec of desktop system and net connection(s), other anti-malware that is loaded and was previously. Anything else you may think. Also, post the details to this topic thread so forum members can see, as someone may have come across a similar problem and may be able to help. With vlk, they will be very busy at avast with the new release only having been underway for a few weeks, but your information will be received and considered amongst various information coming in about the running of the new release on Win 7 so that any potential hiccups can be sorted out for users. So just maybe an update.
But also maybe not. So also dont forget yr Windows and connections or other yr software may require some adjustment if something working there to prevent smooth running of avast 5.
I uninstalled Avast completely and reinstalled version 418 and had the same problem - does not load on boot up - even when I add it to the start up folder myself. The short cut icon it put on my desk top I moved to a desktop folder I have (I use to remove clutter) and I moved it back after I saw it wasn’t loading-_ I can’t see how that would cause the problem though. Another thing I notice is that when I move the shortcut back to the desktop for Avast, it loses its icon graphic and has one of the system one’s instead, though I had no problems changing it back.
avast has a good track record and because of this, Avast 5 has a lot to live up to. So not surprising there is some ups and downs as users look to upgrade avast services with what are their existing computer configuration. But has to be done to meet new challenges posed by changing web environment, cannot really be avoided, just a matter of when to be done. And probably no time better than the present.
desktop shortcuts are merely surface feature. More important that yr system is ready to run avast 5.
Can you provide forum members with the following so they may help?
Brief spec of desktop system
Net connection(s)
Any other anti-malware that is loaded - and what was previously loaded.
Also -
Do you run a firewall? – on one computer I had to reset my firewall (Online Armor) to accommodate avast 5. On the other computer, no adjustment of OA was necessary.
Do you have good uninstall / reinstall procedure - for example use uninstall utilities, now commonplace addition to many software on the market. (part of changing web environment). If previous AV was avast, here is avast uninstall utility http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility. If not, what was previous AV?
Brief spec of desktop system
I am running Win 7 32 bit.
Net connection(s)
I have DSL.
Any other anti-malware that is loaded - and what was previously loaded.
I have always had Avast since I installed Win 7 (new, not an upgrade). I was on Avast 4.8 (or whatever the latest was) before going to the current version.
Originally, I uninstalled using Avast, but on the most recent time I used jv16 Powertools uninstall feature to do it.
Another issue I have come across. I created a task in Win 7’s Task Scheduler triggered on start up of Windows to run “C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastUI.exe” - which is what I have to do manually after boot up. After boot up it still does not load and the history log file contains the following:
Level: Error
Task Category: Task start failed
Operational Code: Launch failure
I just made another modification - I set it so that it should start even when I am not logged in and maybe that will get it going.
I don’t reboot too often to know if my last modification made a difference, but I suspect it did - I was looking into a problem with another task I had scheduled and realized that clicking on the error line brings up more details in a window below. It gave me an error value of “2147943645” which is pretty meaningless to me so I googled for “task scheduler 2147943645” and the very first link google returns is http://thewinforums.com/topic/28120-task-scheduler-error-value-2147943645/ which says the problem relates to not being logged in and to set the “Run whether the user is logged on or not” option which is what I did. If next time I reboot, it loads I will post back here my success. In the event that it doesn’t work, I will try your suggestion of delaying the start up by a minute as I see an option for doing that. That would assume that Avast can be loaded before anyone is logged in which hopefully is the case.
Update: The task ran successfully but Avast never loaded. The next step will be to do what you suggested which was to create a delay before it starts and see if that works.
Well I think it is now working. I rebooted and a little bit afterwords Avast popped up on me. Totally forgot about it not loading so it wasn’t even on my mind to manually load it. I think the delay may have done it. The main settings for the scheduled task as I have set them are:
run only when user is logged on
run with highest privileges
Begin at start up
Delay task for 1 minute
Repeat every 5 minutes
for a duration of 15 minutes
Run task as soon as possible after a scheduled task is missed