Hi all :
In the past I seem to recall, on rare occasions, of 1 of the
Avast Servers going "bad". It was "fixed" in a relatively
short period of time . I think my download using Avast
site 2 days ago was from "download24......" !?
BUT that does NOT explain, unless the VPS Updates use
the same Servers as the PROGRAM Updates, why the
Icon(s) ( ashDisp ) "suddenly" "disappeared" from those
who were using 4.7.871, as buttoni & I, and NOT the
latest 4.7.892 !?
thanks, message sent.
If it doesnât work, would it be worth going with the previous version of avast until teh problem is resolved? Is that even a possibility?
Fixed the disappearing icons⌠perhaps not a conventional fix, but it worked.
First, David, thank you for the prompt response and for ashDisp. I extracted it to the Avast4 folder, rebooted just to see, but no icons. So, I added ashDisp to Comodoâs application monitor (donât know if that was encessary or not), then I used Spybot S&D to add ashDisp.exe to the startup list. Rebooted and they are there! Ran msconfig just to be sure, and ashDisp is there on the startup list.
Thanks again! Iâll stay posted in here to see if the original problem is figured out (why ashDisp.exe went away in the first place). Hopefully my fix is all that I need and itâs all good as new. Hopefully.
;D 8)
Alanrf, I would gladly try yet again, from the www.filehippo.com site this time, if I only could. 
But I am no longer able to uninstall my currupted Avast via Add/Remove programs first. As I mentioned in an earlier post, when I click the Change/Remove button, I no longer get Uninstall, Repair, etc. buttons at the left, it goes straight to an Install Avast Setup screen, followed by EULA, etc. sequence of screens which fails with the log shown in red on page one this thread. Aswclear.exe is now the only uninstaller available to me.
@David:
I feel certain that a copy of ashDisp.exe isnât going to help me. I have several corrupted program features. The file would restore the tray icons, but wonât fix the updating problem or the incomplete screen choices in ControlPanelâs Add/Remove Change/remove screen. I need to be able to fully purge the corrupted program copy from my system without the ability to do it in Add/Remove Programs. I could Search/Manual Delete off HDD and Search/Manual Delete in the Registry, if there are no other options available. Is aswclear.exe able to do a full uninstall off the hard drive or is written to only go after registry leftovers? Perhaps a Windows Run command with some kind of Avast path designation that would invoke the Windows Uninstaller specifically to uninstall Avast?
aswclear offers the full uninstall of avast ⌠you will need to point it to the directory in which avast is currently installed.
In my case the regular uninstall was available via add/remove programs. I just used aswclear to ensure there were no file or registry remnants for my test uninstall/reinstall.
Thatâs good to know about aswclear.exe, Alanrf. Then it should be getting the crucial bits off my system. I did notice very little left to manually delete, even in the registry.
I just keep plugginâ with this. Last night I tried to download the latest version 4.7.892 once again, but this time from filehippo and exactly the same results, unfortunately. No Go. I did notice one thing last night. After the uninstall via aswclear, during my manual file deletions of remnants, Windows would NOT let me delete ashShell.dll. Could that be significant here?
Anyway, I think Iâm going to uninstall with the means available to me and try installing the older version 4.7.871 from filehippo.com like you did, Alanrf, and see if that version will install properly. At this point, what else can I try? Iâm convinced this lingering ashShell.dll or some other remnant/function âhiddenâ to me is preventing a successful install and fuly- functional of 4.7.892. Iâll post back my results.
Oh, BTW I ran a SFC /SCANNOW and no corrupt/missing files in Windows System files were found. So whatever is going on with Add/Remove in Control Panel appears to be just Avast related.
Same thing here. I canât uninstall it. All it wants to do is install then I get an error.
Will Avast still update?
@Alanrf
Well, Alan, I uninstalled 4.7.892 using aswclear.exe just now, did all possible manual file/regkey deletions for keywords Alwil, Avast, Ash,Asw (just those that appeared to only be Avast-related). Rebooted and installed 4.7.871 like you from the filehippo.com site. No go. Same scenario: no tray icons, only dsktop icon, About shows Ver 4.7.871; TskMgr shows same Avast files running, canât update, canât get on-access scanner screens, canât build VRDB, nothing Avast is in Startup list on msconfig and now Windows Security Center baloon tells me my AV is âout of date & Iâm at riskâ at each reboot (which I just close).
Neither version will install & work properly for me now. SO I GIVE UP, FOLKS. I have retried 4-5 times now without success from either site. I have absolutely no other ideas and am leaving this older version on my system until someone on the Avast team can suggest something else to try. At least the protection side of the program is working, even if signatures are âout of dateâ according to Windows Security Center pop-up today. I think the technical problem is âway over my head at this pointâ. 
@ irishgodfather
What was there when you clicked the View setup log ?
Can you post the last 30 lines or so of the setup.log file, perhaps someone from the Alwil Team or others can see what the error is about.
Since this Topic relates to Lost system files, what was your reason for (re)installing avast, since you have 5 posts in the forums, I assume you already had avast installed ?
Is this in anyway related to your Topic on Vista, e.g. installing for the first time under Vista ?
The only program to ask permission of Comodo to connect for either install has been avast.setup, which I granted OUT access. Shouldnât other Avast files be asking Comodo to connect, like ashMaiSv.exe, ashWebSV.exe and especially aswUpdSv.exe? They have not as yet on either version reinstalls done in the last two days. I can do manually in Comodo if I know the âParent Applicationâ of the three files.
Donât know if this tells you anything, but in the Setup log, the install, as I read down it, looks like all goes OK. But I sure donât understand all that technical stuff. Reads pretty much like I remember it reading in months past. Then each time Setup shows entries like this section (which I assume are attempts to update itself?)
10:21:21 min/gen Started: 02.10.2006, 10:21:21
10:21:21 min/gen Running setup_av_pro-367 (871)
10:21:21 nrm/sys Operating system: WindowsXP ver 5.1, build 2600, sp 2.0 [Service Pack 2]
10:21:21 vrb/sys Computer WinName: STUDY
10:21:21 min/sys Windows Net User: SYSTEM
10:21:21 min/gen Cmdline: /downloadpkgs /noreboot /updatevps /verysilent
10:21:21 vrb/gen DldSrc set to inet
10:21:21 vrb/gen Operation set to INST_OP_UPDATE_GET_PACKAGES
10:21:21 min/gen Old version: 367 (871)
10:21:21 vrb/gen Install check: âC:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashDisp.exeâ does NOT exist
10:21:21 nrm/gen SGW32P::CheckIfInstalled set m_bAlreadyInstalled to 0
10:21:21 vrb/sys Computer DnsName: STUDY
10:21:21 vrb/sys Computer Ip Addr: XXX.XXX.X.XX
10:21:21 min/gen GUID: 8bb577c1-ff39-4372-a833-56e7f66a33c7
10:21:21 min/gen Default server pseudo definition loaded as ââ.
10:21:21 nrm/gen SelectCurrent: selected server âFailSafeServerâ from âmainâ
10:21:21 min/pkg GetPackages - set proxy for inet
10:21:21 nrm/int SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
10:21:21 nrm/int SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
10:21:21 nrm/pkg Transferred files: 0
10:21:21 nrm/pkg Transferred bytes: 0
10:21:21 nrm/pkg Transfer time: 0 ms
10:21:21 vrb/fil NeedReboot=false
10:21:21 min/gen Return code: 0x20000019 [Unknown error]
10:21:21 min/gen Stopped: 02.10.2006, 10:21:21
Iâll attach the full Setup.log on the currently installed version 4.7.871 for analysis
Hi Alan :
As one of my posts clearly states, aswclear.exe
does NOT completely REMOVE Avast from a computer .
Hi buttoni :
You mentioned the "Windows Security Center", which I
hope you know if its "firewall" is NOT disabled, could
conflict with your Comodo !?
As to "ashShell.dll", should seriously consider installing
"Unlocker" from http://ccollomb.free/fr/unlocker/ .
This good & FREE program adds another option to your
RIGHT-click Menu, to use when "Delete" does NOT work .
And after my recent apparently successful re-install of
4.7.871, my firewall asked for permission of Avast to
"connect"; it now says "ashServ" & "ashWebSv" are
"allowed" & 2 others are "ask".
Thanks for the interim suggestion, Spiritsongs. That sounds like a useful tool to have onboard. And I always forget about HijackThis Tools âDelete file on rebootâ option, which I already have onboard. Iâll try one of these options when I try another uninstall, which I no doubt will have to do, but am unwilling to until an Avast programmer advises further. Yes, I know two firewalls running is a no-no and WinFW SErvice has been off for over a year on my system. Security center only shows Comodo running as Comodo actually turns of WinFW during the install. But mine was already off.
Since you have Comodo, can you confirm whether the Parent Application for each of those files is C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4 [/color] for all of them and not some subfolder file? Iâm new to Comodo (1 week, dumped McAFee PFW) and know how to add an application rule, but donât want to denote the Parent incorrectly. Didnât have to denote Parent Apps in McAfee.
Spiritsongs,
I did read what your post clearly stated.
I also rely on the evidence of my own system and my own knowledge of Windows systems. I have just uninstalled 4.7.892 again on my system using aswclear.exe.
avast has removed all files and folders it placed on the system, it has removed all registry entries that it creates on the system.
There is nothing left of avast that is executable by Windows on my system.
I am not trying to minimize the problem that is reported in this thread.
I need to clarify one point for [b]buttoni[/b]. In the test uninstall/install I performed yesterday I downloaded nothing from filehippo. The avast setup file I used to reinstall avast was the one for 4.7.892 downloaded from the avast website. It installed perfectly for me and it does contain the ashdisp.exe file. The folks I support have also all updated to 4.7.892 without problems.
In the setup log posted above by buttoni it is very clear that the ashdisp.exe program is installed on the system and the registry entry to start it is created. It is also clear that something has removed it since it cannot be found in the next avast log section.
I have to guess (and that is all it is at the moment) is that some element of protection in the systems having the problem is considering ashdisp.exe an unacceptable startup program and removing it.
None of the folks I support are using the Comodo firewall, most are using ZA and a couple just the Windows XP firewall. I know that Windows Defender involves itself in asking the system user to permit or deny changes in startup. Do you know if the recent update to the Comodo firewall contained any similar protection? Hi buttoni :
Did not mean to imply I have Comodo, which I do NOT;
have the bought out, then abandoned by Symantec/
Norton known as "Sygate Personal" and I quoted its
"Aplications" Menu .
One thing about the browser you are using: my Duplicate
Bridge partner has AT&T DSL and she has mentioned she
does NOT use its "browser", but clicks on her "IE" icon
and uses that . AT&T ( and AOL as well ) "use" IE, but
there appears to be slight differences, so I wonder IF
there may be a positive result of DIRECTLY using IE when
on the filehippo site to download !?
BINGO, Alanrf. I think you just may have hit on my problem. I have been running SpywareDoctor 4.0 a few months now. It has a StartupGuard feature. Though the screenshot attached clearly shows it will remove offenders, I thought it would warn me before deleting!!! :o Apparently not!!! I confess didnât know it removed âsilentlyâ. I though turning off SpywareDoc during my Avast prgm update was all I needed to do. Wrong. SWDr deleted multiple fiiles/registry entries after my reboot. Wonder why it sees these files as âharmfulâ? It did nothing when I installed Comodo a week or so ago? Now I see why those other Avast files never asked for internet access with ComodoâŚThey werenât THERE!! :o
Iâm gonna run with your theory and try a full uninstall of the older version 4.7.871 using aswclear.exe (as this is my only means now to do so). Iâll once again do the âSearch and Destroyâ mission on remaining files/RegKeys. Iâll PERMANENTLY turn of SWDr StartUp Guard (donât ever want to deal with this again!). Iâll reboot and then try a fresh install from Alwil Avast website. and see what happens. Canât be any worse off than I am right now, right? ;D
Interesting note: The Results tab view on this SWDr feature had no entries. HmmmmmâŚCurious. I expected to see several Avast entries there. ???
@ Spiritsongs: Sorry I misunderstood about your firewall. Let me try Alanrfâs theory out first, since it is more likely the culprit. ATT DSL tech told me on the phone once that IE6 does âall the drivingâ in their browser and all they did was put their & Yahooâs âbrandingâ on the screens. I think Alanrf has really hit on the solution. Will post back results of my on-going âadventure?â ASAP
IT WORKED!!! ;D What a rollercoaster of uninstalls/reinstalls this last two days has been. I downloaded v.4.7.892 from Alwil site. Removed existing Avast with aswclear.exe (it got all but 4-5 pretetch entries). Only couple empty folders and keys left in registry to delete. Install went OK and it took my license key w/o a glitch. About Avast is showing v4.7.892 with VPS 0640-0 created 10/02/06. I have both of my cute little A-balls spinning around in the System tray. AshDisp.exe is present and in Startup lineup in msconfig, And Avast scanner is working fine. At reboot I checked & SpywareDoctor 4.0 StartUp Guard is off and will stay off for good. Iâm so disgusted with how slow it loads at bootup, resource usage & false positives, I think Iâll be checking out another realtime anti-spyware package very soon! This episode was just frosting on that cake!
My thanks to David, Spiritssong and especially to Alanrf for interpreting my Setuplog and triggering me to take a closer look at SpywareDoctor (besides just turning it off during an install) I really appreciate the help & time you all spent on this. :-* coming your way through cyberspace! Whew! Thatâs over!
Now to go cook dinner! Thanks again for being there and helping.
buttoni,
I am very glad to hear that you are up and working on 4.7.892 with the rest of us.
I hate to say it but what did I put in reply #1 of this topic. It could have saved you a lot of pain.
[b]As these are the usual avast icon killers, what other security based software do you have that might block new startup entries, e.g. Spybot S&D (TeaTimer), AdAware (AdWatch), SpySweeper, PrevX, WinPatrol, ProcessGuard, etc. ?[/b]
But at least you have found the problem and it is resolved.
This is for the drive I have XP on.
Iâve been using Avast for years with no problem.
The other day my task bar icon disappeared.
I was told in a different forum to uninstall and reinstall it. I went to add/remove to remove it. Thatâs where I got the error.
As far as View setup log. No idea where to do that.
My main concern is will Avast still update?
Itâs listed as up to date and running in security.
Clicking the button at the time would have been the easiest option but, you can find it here C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\setup.log it is a text file and can be opened with a text editor, notepad or wordpad depending on size.
If avast hasnât installed correctly although it might look like it is OK, the least of your problems is updates, rather security/protection. Your best bet is a probably reinstall - uninstall, reboot, run the uninstall utility, reboot, install using the latest version you downloaded, reboot.
It would probably be best to download the latest version of avast and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again. Use that when you reinstall.
Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, find it here and save it to your HDD also.