I have been searching for help on this topic and I have not found a solution.
I noticed this issue a few days ago when I went to run an on-demand scan and it came back with the error “AvastUI process is not currently running. Please run…” I recall this happening to me once or twice before and I solved it with a fresh reinstall. So, I ran the uninstall, rebooted, reinstalled avast, rebooted, and the avastui.exe process still wasn’t running. I did more research and tried running the aswclear.exe uninstaller in safemode and installing avast by running as administrator. After that the avastui still did not start up. I checked msconfig and there is an entry for the avastui to start. I checked the avast settings and unchecked and rechecked the “Show avast! tray icon”. I ran a quick scan using Malwarebytes and it did not find anything. I may try running a boot scan using avast to see if it picks up anything, but I doubt it. I am running OTL.exe scan now and will post the logs if needed.
What other security applications do you have installed (firewall, anti-spyware, etc.) ?
All of what you tried is unlikely to resolve the problem if it is something blocking the avastUI.exe from starting up, hence the questions.
Is the avastUI listed in the MS Configuration, startup list ?
Click and hold the windows key+R, this brings up the windows Run window, type msconfig and click OK. Now check the startup tab.
What happens if you double click the avastUI.exe file in the C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast folder ?
The only other programs that I am running are SuperAntiSpyware Free and Malwarebytes Free. I am using Windows Firewall. I don’t think any of these programs would be blocking Avast. I have used them in conjunction before without any problems…
Yes avastUI is listed in msconfig. I’ve attached a screenshot.
The windows firewall as far as I’m aware doesn’t have this startup blocking feature and depending on your settings doesn’t block outbound connections, so shouldn’t be a issue here. Some third party firewalls have much greater functionality, encroaching on the security side, that is why I asked.
The free (on-demand) versions of MBAM & SAS shouldn’t be an issue either, so this is a bit of a mystery why it isn’t loading.
What is the full version number of avast that you are using, 7.0.1456 is the latest ?
Did you try running the avastUI.exe file as suggested and what happens ?
I have EXACTLY the same problem … uninstalled and reinstalled avast (latest version) and I can’t get the service or the UI executable to run. No error messages, nothing. In msconfig, avast is listed in both startup and services tabs … in the services tab, the avast service is showing a status of ‘Stopped’.
I tried opening up a cmd window and manually running both the service and the ui exe’s but nothing happend (ie. no error no gui pop … just return of command line).
I have a ticket open with Avast but so far no help. Anybody have any other ideas to try?
When I run the avastUI.exe it brings up the UI and I can operate normally. The system tray icon appears and stays there until the next reboot. I am running the latest version 7.0.1456
I may have stumbled on something. When I was running OTL.exe to create the log avast kept taking control of the program and closing it with its AutoSandbox routine. I disabled Sandbox and rebooted. The AvastUI .exe then showed up in the system tray. I then reenabled the Autosandbox and rebooted and the AvastUI.exe didn’t show up in the system tray anymore. Could it be that Avast is sandboxing itself? I tried adding avastui.exe to the exclusion list for the Autosandbox, but it doesn’t stop it from being blocked.
Edit:
I just turned off AutoSandbox and the avast icon is in the system tray again. I am also running avast on my laptop and it is not experiencing this issue…
I just wonder if is a case of the time when the autosandbox is analysing the avastUI.exe file, though why it would do that is beyond me) the startup entry somehow fails/times out.
Yet when you add it to the AutoSandbox exclusions it makes no difference, that for me defies logic as the file shouldn’t be sandboxed/analysed by the autosandbox.
EDIT: Are their any differences in the two systems, Operating System, etc. ?
Yes I don’t understand what’s going on. I agree that Avast shouldn’t be analyzing itself. All I know is that when I turn off the Autosandbox I get the system tray icon. Could I be infected with something or do you think this is an avast issue?