When MS XP boots, I am getting a notice that a program is trying to change an Avast INI file and a warning that unless I initiated the action, I should not accept the change. When declining the change (clicking “No”), the system locks up tight even to the point that it is unresponsive to CTRL+Alt+Del.
I was able to schedule a boot time scan (had to work quick before the INI thing popped up) and the scan found nothing.
If I click on details when the INI change notice pops up, it says the service requesting the change is searchprotocolhost.exe from %root%/Windows/System32.
Running a Google search on searchprotocolhost.exe shows it to be a Microsoft file and not any form of malware. Scanning the file itself from Vista (I dual boot) does not pop up a warning.
Should I accept/allow the INI change that searchprotocolhost.exe is requesting or is there an issue here (beyond the fact that Avast and XP lock up completely if I deny the change)?