avastui.exe application failed to start

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

After numerous tries to install Avast 5 on a Dell laptop running Windows XP SP3, I have not been able to get around this. The installation appears to go through fine, but I am not prompted to reboot after. When I try to launch the Avast application (either from the desktop or Start menu), I get an error saying that the avastui.exe application failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect.

I have gone through removing and reinstalling numerous times, both from Safe Mode and not, using the aswclear5 utility and not, but no luck. Any ideas?

I should note that the services do appear to be running just fine, I just can’t launch the UI.

2

Install and boot.
Try.

Any other antivirus before avast? How it was uninstalled?

3

Hi,

I got the same issue.
OS: Vista 64bit Home
I upgraded from avast 4 home edition to avast 5 free edition following the steps provided.
AvastSvc is running, though I don’t see any avast logo in the systray.
I rebooted, uninstalled, reinstalled, rebooted etc but the failure is persistent.
Seems like a bug to me.

Regards

4

Additional info from the eventlog:

Logboeknaam: Application Bron: SideBySide Datum: 21-2-2010 17:57:56 Gebeurtenis-id:33 Taakcategorie: Geen Niveau: Fout Trefwoorden: Klassiek Gebruiker: n.v.t. Computer: PLAYGROUND Beschrijving: Kan activeringscontext voor 'C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastUI.exe' niet maken. Kan afhankelijke assembly Microsoft.VC90.MFC,processorArchitecture="x86",publicKeyToken="1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b",type="win32",version="9.0.21022.8" niet vinden. Gebruik sxstrace.exe voor een gedetailleerde diagnose. Gebeurtenis-XML: 33 2 0 0x80000000000000 8059 Application PLAYGROUND Microsoft.VC90.MFC,processorArchitecture="x86",publicKeyToken="1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b",type="win32",version="9.0.21022.8" C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastUI.exe
5

I ran into the same problem with an Acer laptop with WinXP SP3 that had previously had older Avast versions installed. I removed and installed the latest free version three times and every time I get the same error:

“C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastUI.exe
This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem.”

This is very frustrating and I hope somebody can help. In light of this help I definitely won’t try to buy a better version…

6

Tatsu333, Sebastian09 and perhaps pido,

“This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect” and “side by side” errors have been reported a number of times in the forum. I don’t know whether this is applicable in your cases or not, but from memory Avast was not able to find the correct version of Microsofts Visual C++ run time library. I seem to recall a post indicating that the correct version was provided as part of the Avast installation, so it may be a case of determining whether it did not get installed for some reason.

7

Hey olddog,

It seems like your the only one that pays attention to this problem, thanx.
If been searching my registry for clues on your tip.
Strange things I found:
ImagePath=??\C:\Windows\system32\drivers\aswMonFlt.sys
DataFolder=\DosDevices\C:\ProgramData\Alwil Software\Avast5 (I got more of those prefixes)

I couldn’t find any Avast key referring to any C++ runtime.
Can you give a hint?

8

C++ runtime should be installed in windows\winSxS directory during avast5 install. Probably you have troubles with this store. E.g. diagnosing SideBySide failures is described in http://blogs.msdn.com/junfeng/archive/2006/04/14/576314.aspx

9

Update:

So I checked the winsxs folder and there’s lots of stuf there.
I also ran sxstrace but that resulted in a binary file that couldn’t be parsed.

I used to be happy about avast but this going more-commercial and leave the home edition for rubbish.
Really make’s me wonder

Since Avast has decreased it’s protection through webpages (excluding Sandbox) and this problem isn’t solved yet, I think I’m going for the alternative: Avira

10

I have been having a hell of a time with this…
I tried installing net framework 3.5 and the 2008 redistribute.
Nothing worked.

However I did manage a work around by searching for vc90.crt on another xp computer. There were about 8 files in the windows\winSxS directory that I copied over to the problem computer.
Then the event log showed a side by side error for vc90.mfc.
I did the same thing, searched for vc90.mfc and found about 8 files again… Copied to the problem computer and boom. Avast started up.

Hope this helps someone else.

11

Does anybody know how to fix WinSxs.
Avast totally messed up my computer with this.
Update nor other programs that require winsxs all fail.
This is like a nightmare and Avast isn’t providing support.

12

Yea there is a way to fix all that avast ui.exe stuff. forget all that 3.5 framework if MS want let it install and google Microsoft visual c++2010 express (it is free) make sure to download all especially the VC 9.0 runtime and there you will see a 4 net framework you will need and other software but you can probably opt out of silverlight or go ahead and the disable what you don’t need. There are about 9 parts to this download so be patient but when you are through make sure all previous av software is uninstalled and the install avast 5 and presto ui works and then you will see the orange avast ball in status bar. NOTE THIS DOWNLOAD WILL TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME.

13

Installing C++ Express and the rest of the programs worked perfectly. Thanks!

-Earl

14

I have the same problem with avast installation and at the end I have downloaded Visual c++. My problem is now solved!!! My avast is working excellent. Thank you everybody!!! ;D