avast internet security won't autostart upon login

Hi everybody, I have a major problem: ais (avast internet security) will not automatically start upon login. However I can manually start ais. I’ve tried booting into safemode and uninstalling ais using the avast uninstaller tool and then reinstalling(when reinstalling I made sure to temporarily disable any security programs that I had running). The problem still doesn’t go away (I’ve tried several restarts but ais still won’t automatically start).Moreover I’ve tried to repair the installation but avast doesn’t appear in the control panel. Previously I had been using avast free. I have vista 32 bit and I’m using mamutu and spyshelter.

note: when I reinstalled avast my computer restarted without any warning near the end of the installation.

what AV did you have before your first avast install ?
have you removed it, and did you use a removal tool to clear all leftovers ?

run and reboot - removal tools http://thewebatom.net/uninstallers/security-software/

before ais i had avast free. i have already run the uninstaller utility and rebooted.

and before avast! free ?

have you tried uninstalling mamutu and spyshelter, then re installing avast! ?

I think I had norton before avast free. I have been using avast free for a long time without any problems. I really don’t want to go through the bother of uninstalling mamutu and spyshelter. I don’t think the problem is caused by those two programs as i temporarily disabled both while i was installing ais.

Most of the times, with security programs, disable is not enough… regardless you’ll read in Internet…

okay then i will uninstall mautu and spyshelter and ais (using the uninstall tool).reboot and then reinstall ais.

and run norton removal tool

i uninstalled mamutu and spyshelter and ais (using the uninstall utility). Norton removal tool doesn’t work (when i try to run the removal tool nothing happens although it does come up in taskmanager), i doubt that its norton that’s causing the problem. I then reinstalled ais but avast still doesn’t autostart after reboot… I think I might have found the problem;during installation of ais the installation never actually finished properly. When the installation was in its final stage the whole computer all of a sudden restarted with out any warning (is this suppose to happen?)

for some reason norton uninstall tool popped up after about 30+min, very odd, i ran it and rebooted
but avast still dose not autostart.

Is your OS fully updated…

maybe you should post an OTS log so Essexboy can have a look inside

OS is fully updated.

HiJackThis log:

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 16:25:52, on 18/07/2011
Platform: Windows Vista SP2 (WinNT 6.00.1906)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v9.00 (9.00.8112.16421)
Boot mode: Safe mode

Running processes:
C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HiJackThis\HiJackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://g.uk.msn.com/USCON/2
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.google.co.uk/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: Search Helper - {6EBF7485-159F-4bff-A14F-B9E3AAC4465B} - C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Search Enhancement Pack\Search Helper\SEPsearchhelperie.dll
O2 - BHO: Groove GFS Browser Helper - {72853161-30C5-4D22-B7F9-0BBC1D38A37E} - C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveShellExtensions.dll
O2 - BHO: avast! WebRep - {8E5E2654-AD2D-48bf-AC2D-D17F00898D06} - C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\aswWebRepIE.dll
O2 - BHO: Windows Live ID Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O2 - BHO: LastPass Browser Helper Object - {95D9ECF5-2A4D-4550-BE49-70D42F71296E} - C:\Program Files\LastPass\LPBar.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - (no file)
O3 - Toolbar: LastPass Toolbar - {9f6b5cc3-5c7b-4b5c-97af-19dec1e380e5} - C:\Program Files\LastPass\LPBar.dll
O3 - Toolbar: avast! WebRep - {8E5E2654-AD2D-48bf-AC2D-D17F00898D06} - C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\aswWebRepIE.dll
O4 - HKLM..\Run: [WPCUMI] C:\Windows\system32\WpcUmi.exe
O4 - HKCU..\Run: [SandboxieControl] “C:\Program Files\Sandboxie\SbieCtrl.exe”
O4 - HKCU..\Run: [OpenDNS Updater] “C:\Program Files\OpenDNS Updater\OpenDNSUpdater.exe” /autostart
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User ‘LOCAL SERVICE’)
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19..\Run: [WindowsWelcomeCenter] rundll32.exe oobefldr.dll,ShowWelcomeCenter (User ‘LOCAL SERVICE’)
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User ‘NETWORK SERVICE’)
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18..\Run: [DelayShred] c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee\mshr\ShrCL.EXE /P7 /q C:\Users\Saif\AppData\Local\MICROS~1\Windows\TEMPOR~1\Content.IE5\M2GK9OPH\INC95C~1.SH! (User ‘SYSTEM’)
O4 - HKUS.DEFAULT..\Run: [DelayShred] c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee\mshr\ShrCL.EXE /P7 /q C:\Users\Saif\AppData\Local\MICROS~1\Windows\TEMPOR~1\Content.IE5\M2GK9OPH\INC95C~1.SH! (User ‘Default user’)
O4 - .DEFAULT User Startup: Dell Dock First Run.lnk = C:\Program Files\Dell\DellDock\DellDock.exe (User ‘Default user’)
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: LastPass - file://C:\Program Files\LastPass\context.html?cmd=lastpass
O8 - Extra context menu item: LastPass Fill Forms - file://C:\Program Files\LastPass\context.html?cmd=fillforms
O9 - Extra button: Send to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra ‘Tools’ menuitem: S&end to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra button: LastPass - {43699cd0-e34f-11de-8a39-0800200c9a66} - C:\Program Files\LastPass\LPBar.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\wpclsp.dll
O11 - Options group: [ACCELERATED_GRAPHICS] Accelerated graphics
O16 - DPF: {E2883E8F-472F-4FB0-9522-AC9BF37916A7} - http://platformdl.adobe.com/NOS/getPlusPlus/1.6/gp.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip..{3E993DC3-FD9A-4689-B2B9-3C48EA4B3B48}: NameServer = 208.67.222.222,208.67.220.220
O18 - Protocol: grooveLocalGWS - {88FED34C-F0CA-4636-A375-3CB6248B04CD} - C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveSystemServices.dll
O19 - User stylesheet: C:\Users\Saif\Downloads\fanboy-IE9-Mod.css (file missing)
O20 - AppInit_DLLs:
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Component Categories cache daemon - {8C7461EF-2B13-11d2-BE35-3078302C2030} - C:\Windows\system32\browseui.dll
O23 - Service: Adobe Acrobat Update Service (AdobeARMservice) - Adobe Systems Incorporated - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\armsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Andrea RT Filters Service (AERTFilters) - Andrea Electronics Corporation - C:\Program Files\Realtek\Audio\HDA\AERTSrv.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Antivirus - AVAST Software - C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\AvastSvc.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Firewall - AVAST Software - C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\afwServ.exe
O23 - Service: Dock Login Service (DockLoginService) - Stardock Corporation - C:\Program Files\Dell\DellDock\DockLogin.exe
O23 - Service: Macrium Reflect Image Mounting Service (ReflectService) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Macrium\Reflect\ReflectService.exe
O23 - Service: Sandboxie Service (SbieSvc) - SANDBOXIE L.T.D - C:\Program Files\Sandboxie\SbieSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Secunia PSI Agent - Secunia - C:\Program Files\Secunia\PSI\PSIA.exe
O23 - Service: Secunia Update Agent - Secunia - C:\Program Files\Secunia\PSI\sua.exe
O23 - Service: stllssvr - MicroVision Development, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\SureThing Shared\stllssvr.exe
O23 - Service: TomTomHOMEService - TomTom - C:\Program Files\TomTom HOME 2\TomTomHOMEService.exe


End of file - 7049 bytes[/color]

Do you get any errors when you start AIS ?

Also could you confirm that you are not installing in sandboxie ;D

I get no errors what so ever. In fact when I manually start avast it opens up as if was already running, it is very quick to open.
Of course I didn’t install ais inside sandboxie.

The start run key is missing for the GUI. I’m sorry if the sandbox question was a bit noobish but we must cater for all levels of knowledge

This is mine :

O4 - HKLM…\Run: [avast] C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\avastUI.exe (AVAST Software)

So the question is why is the run key not being added, what is blocking it

well i found out what the problem is. it turned out that a worm was interferring with the installtion of avast >:(. the worm prevented avast installation from properlly finishing and then restarted my computer (tricking me into thinking that avast had restarted my computer), so thats why avast never autostarted upon login.

Avast needs to do something about this so that future users don’t come across the same problem that i had.

I would suggest a feature: before the installation actually begins, there should be a check box which says the following “Randomize the installed file name of avast (check this box if you think you are infected, if you are unsure if you are infected or not check this box anyway)”. Now i’m no malware expert but i’m presuming that the worm would not have been able to mess up the avast installation if there was such a feature.
note:prevx has such a feature

Tis a moot point that - lets flag this for the Avast boys and girls

its hard to make such a good product like avast better. but there are allways small things that make great product better. i hope my suggestion is implemented in future versions of avast (the sooner the better!)

Hi bilpo,

I just want to ask what kind of worm did you encounter and how did you get rid of it? I’m experiencing the same thing.