using avast 4.8 home and have checked tray in appearances, but nothing shows up there. I have restarted app. and updated and restarted pc. Using Windows XP Home. There is no “a” ball in tray.
Try a repair of avast. Add Remove programs, select ‘avast! Anti-Virus,’ click the Change/Remove button and scroll down to Repair, click next and follow.
If that doesn’t work - avast! icon missing - As a temporary measure until this is resolved you can create a desktop shortcut for this file C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashDisp.exe (the avast icon and interface to the providers). Right click on the file and select Send To, Desktop (create shortcut). You will need to run this after each boot until the problem is resolved.
What other security based software do you have that might block new startup entries, e.g. Spybot S&D (TeaTimer), AdAware (AdWatch), SpySweeper, Spyware Doctor (StartUpGuard or OnGuard), PrevX, WinPatrol, ProcessGuard, etc. ?
Check the option in the Appearance tab of Program Settings. Or Make a link to ashdisp.exe in your startup folder.
I just registered to say that this morning I also was having the problem of a missing tray icon, except my zone alarm firewall icon was ALSO missing. I was freaked out, thinking that I was compromised by a virus.
When I first checked the taskbar, I couldn’t see either program so I started to download the programs again. I had just installed zone alarm, when I discovered this thread…
The repair option worked for me, but I just completed a boot scan to be sure and it’s clean apparently. I well probably do a kaspersky online scan overnight, just to get a second opinion though.
I’m posting because I thought I would add this extra information, when I booted my winxp comp this morning it said there was an adobe flash update ready to install, which I did. I didn’t notice at the time whether the other icons were loaded so I can’t confirm it’s unrelated. But I thought it was worth a mention.
Unless kaspersky finds something else overnight, my problem is resolved.
Ben.
Welcome to the forums, Ben. 
Thanks for posting.
Please come back often, learn more, and maybe help others.
EDIT for spelling correction.
Thanks for the feedback Ben, welcome to the forums.
Glad to see it’s not just me having that problem. I thought with all the help u gave me weeks ago I had the problem sorted but it happened again yesterday & did not notice till I was on line so had to log off quickly. I had to go through the rigmarole I used before to get the icon back so when I logged back in decided to try & download avast again. With dial-up was slow going & thought I was going to make it in the 4 hours I get. Had just checked & still had 48 minutes to go & about 2 minutes later saw it had finished. It is on the desktop & saying 24.7MB so have I got it all or did it cut off with a slow download speed. Was averaging about 2.54kbps. It said about 27.9MB on the web site.
Remember the system tray icon isn’t the physical protection, just the interface to the settings and functions, etc. Check the task manager and see that avast is running, with the exception of the ashDisp.exe the icon function, you should have ashServ.exe, the main scanning engine, ashMaiSv.exe, the email scanner (only if you actually have it enabled), ashWebSv.exe the web shield and finally the aswUpdSv.exe the avast update service.
So there is no need to break into a sweat just because it isn’t there confirm avast is running before breaking into a lather.
There really shouldn’t be a need to reinstall at the drop of a hat there are other options that you should do first, especially with dial-up and a 27MB download. If your downloaded file is much different then it could well be a failed download and from what you say it looks like that.
So you should follow the procedures as laid out in my first reply, none of which require you to download, if all else failed then we would consider a clean reinstall. However, it depends on why it happened in the first place, if it were another program responsible then a reinstall may simply have the same happen again.
So start from square one, read my first reply try what is suggested and answer the questions asked and we can start from there.
Thanks David, will try your advice when I log off. Did it all weeks ago though. Checked Task manager & the only one I can see running of the ones u listed is ashDisp.exe. The previous occasion they were all showing.
Well based in the Topic Title that you tagged this on to “avast not in my tray area,” your answer was the last thing I suspected as the icon should most certainly be there. Your problem isn’t related to the original posters but, more serious avast isn’t running.
Now that is scary as the icon is currently showing in the s/tray & merrily turning away. When I think about it don’t think I saw the updated window pop up this morning. Definately did yesterday & have not touched anything since then.
Well that is most certainly strange as it would be physically impossible for the icon to rotate, an indication that scanning is occurring and that can’t happen without at least the ashServ.exe running.
So I suggest you check the task manager again and report what avast (beginning with ash or asw) processes are running.
Logged off & back on again & still the same. Only the ashdisp showing. Putting the mouse over the icon it says " on access scanner, 6 running" & manually updated & that went ok. Think I should log off & try the repair, what do u think?
Most probably the ‘missing’ 7th provider is the Outlook plugin, that is only running if MS Outlook (not the Express) is running. Your installation seems ok.
Repair won’t do anything as everything appears to be running other than for what ever reason the avast processes not showing in task manager and that isn’t something a repair would have any effect on.
So there is or would appear to be something wrong with the task manager/windows not displaying avast processes, though what you can do about that is beyond my experience. I just wonder if there are any other programs that aren’t showing up in the task manager.
When I turned the computer on this morning the icon was missing again so tried all the tricks to get it back but no luck. Did 2 restarts & still nothing. I have Vista & according to the Security Centre it says Avast is up to date & Virus scanning is on & under Spyware & other Malware it says Windows Defender & Avast Antivirus are both turned on.
Task manager is still saying only ashDisp.exe there. I am currently using the computer at the local library as not game to use mine till this is resolved. Will see if my neighbour who has broadband can download Avast again for me. Think other programs are running ok. Of the security based software u asked Camlynn about I have Spybot S & D & SuperAntiSpyware
What about ashServ.exe, ashMaiSv.exe and ashWebSv.exe?
When you say you have done all the tricks, then I suggest that you disable the S&D resident protection as the Tea-Timer could be killing the ashDisp.exe as that has a startup blocking function (which really annoys the h*ll out of me because it doesn’t tell the user it is blocking). Either that or see what is in the S&D quarantine or tea-timer settings.
Sorry I’m about as much use as a chocolate teapot as I abandoned S&D years ago in preference of SuperAntiSpyware (which you have) and also MalwareBytes AntiMalware (MBAM), both of which I believe have better detection than S&D, but no resident function in the free versions. Though I believe windows defender has resident protection so that should cover than and you should also check if it too could be blocking the loading of the ashDisp.exe.
If the task manager is saying ashDisp.exe is there but not shown, check that it isn’t hidden, in winXP there is an arrow < on the task bar (not sure if that is the same in Vista), clicking that shows hidden tray icons.
Download this tool Process Explorer (see below) and that should show accurately what processes that are running, so you should be able to see exactly what avast processes that are running. If that shows all the previously mentioned avast processes are running, then this only confirms that there is something wrong with the Vista Task Manager, unfortunately I can’t help with that I don’t use Vista.
System Internals http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/default.aspx, has a number of tools, ProcessXP is in the Process Utilities section.
Thank for your perserverance David, much appreciated. Have downloaded Process Explorer & will run it later & let u know what it shows if I can understand it. Weird this morning the icon was not there again (& yes I did check the hidden icons 1st) restarted & back it came & the auto update popped up too. A 1st for nearly a week. Will download MalwareBytes & get rid of Spybot & see what happens. Must say I prefer XP too but not given a choice when I got a new computer. Should be back on tomorrow.
Kiwi… what about my question?
Apologies Tech, did not reply as had already told DavidR nothing else was showing up on the Task Manager. Now pleased to say after downloading “The Process Explorer” & checking all the processes u both mentioned, they all show up. As David suggested there must be a problem with “The Task Manager” so will check with Windows Support about that.
Must say I am very relieved all seems to be in order. Have also disabled the Spybot S & D resident protection as suggested so now have to hope the icon stays in the system tray. Started to download MalwareBytes but the signal got too slow so cut off. will go try again now.