Installed avast Home Edition, ran through initial scan but no avast "blue ball"!

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

I installed avast HE on my daughter’s ACER Aspire netbook (with Win XP) but avast icon does not appear in lower right icon tray. I tired to go through START menu to avast app but nothing happened when double clicked. I even tried “ashDisp.exe” shortcut to Desktop (as suggested in one of your blogs) but nothing happened either when double-clicked. I attempted to uninstall avast from the system but was unable to do it through “ADD REMOVE PROGRAMS” - nothing happened when double-clicked “CHANGE/REMOVE”. However, I did manage to uninstall avast with “aswclear” application (downloaded from avast.com), downloaded and installed avast HE again but with the same results - no avast icon in tray, nothing happened when double-clicked .exe, can’t uninstall avast, etc. Any suggestions?
I did have a trial McAfee AV that came installed with the ACER that I uninstalled when I downloaded and installed avast AV. Could there be something “left over” from McAfee that is interefering with avast?
Please help!

2

That is a strong possibility, depending on what version you had.

2007 version - http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/MCPR.exe

Also see - How do I uninstall SecurityCenter? http://ts.mcafeehelp.com/faq3.asp?docid=71525

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. ?

3

No luck with your suggestions. Tried McAfee cleanup tolls, reinstalled avast and still no avast “blue ball” (avast still being blocked). I don’t have any adaware, spyot apps either. Any other ideas?

4

Just for fun, I reinstalled McAfee and got same results as Avast - app is there but not working or won’t work on manual .exe file double-click. The system did have “Windows Enterprise” (spyware?!) prior to all this which I removed. Or, was it completely removed and might still be affecting AV deployment?! Please advise.

We have been using avast at work (Datamex Technologies), as well as on my own laptop, for a few years now and have been very satisfied with your product. I’d like to install avast on my daughters netbook asap.

Thanks

5

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.

Check the option in the Appearance tab of Program Settings.

Or Make a link to ashdisp.exe in your startup folder. I wouldn’t try this as a first option (but a final one) as you won’t be able to find the true cause of the problem.

6

Created shortcut “ashDisplay” on Desktop - doesn’t work, nothing happens with avast. Not sure what you mean with “Check the option in the Appearance tab of Program Settings” or second option to “Make a link to ashdisp.exe in your startup folder” Please explain further.

Thanks.

7

What do you mean didn’t work, did you double click the shortcut but nothing happened ?

What about double clicking the file itself ?

Once you manage to get the avast icon, then you can access the Program Settings (right click of the icon) and the Appearance section.

Dragging the shortcut you created on the desktop into the Startup folder (C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Start Menu\Programs\Startup).

I believe having reinstalled McAfee but found the same issue with that, it would appear that there are other issues, possible as you say “Windows Enterprise” remnants, I don’t really know as I had never heard of this product before, so I don’t know how you would ensure it was completely gone.

All I can suggest is you a) uninstall McAfee again, b) run the McaFee removal tool again and do a clean reinstall of avast as you did before.

The other possibility is that there could be malware on your system blocking these actions.
If you haven’t already got this software (freeware), download, install, update and run it and report the findings (it should product a log file).

Don’t worry about reported tracking cookies they are a minor issue and not one of security, allow SAS to deal with them though. - See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_cookie.

8

Used MalwareBytes Anti-Malware as recommended. Avast finally deployed upon system reboot - we’re good to go now!

Many thanks for your help and assistance.

9

You’re welcome.

It would be interesting to know what MBAM found ?