I am using the free avast version 4.7 home edition, which I downloaded in April 2007. All has been working well until a couple of days ago when the Windows security alerts warned me that virus protection was out of date, and I have noticed that the little blue advice notice (that pops up at the bottom of the screen by the clock) has not been in evidence and letting me know that all is well with the world!!
I have tried to download updates manually by clicking on the various buttons but without success. And I thought as a last resort to remove the programme via the control panel and reinstall it. But it refuses to leave the control panel and and it also refuses to reinstall itself.
Has any one any ideas what to do next???
If so - I would be extremely grateful, but please explain in words of one syllable as I am somewhat of a dinosaur when it comes to IT.
First thing to check is to take a look at your system clock. Is it showing the correct time ? It could be something simple as that…
If it’s wrong it could mean two things (mainly)… one that you changed your system time by accident, or that your CMOS power battery level inside your computer case is low and it needs to be replaced.
EDIT: little explanation - your system time needs to be correct in order to properly update avast! antivirus
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.
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. ?
Check the option in the Appearance tab of Program Settings. Or Make a link to ashdisp.exe in your startup folder.
What avast processes are running in the task manager, they begin with ash and asw ?
Thanks for your advice guys, but SasH, my clock seems to be on the correct time and date, however I’ve no idea whether my CMOS power battery level inside my computer case is low and needs to be replaced. Is there an idiots guide to find this out?
And DavidR the Avast! icon isn’t missing and every thing else seems to be working as I did a thorough scan this evening and it found various Trojan horses. It’s just that the programme won’t update itself.
The other security based software that I’m running are:- Spybot Search& Destroy, AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5
and the free Zone Alarm Firewall. I remember when installing Avast! that there was a warning about certain incompatibilities between Zone Alarm and Avast! , but all has been working well with all these programmes since April and I am using the same programmes on my laptop where Avast! is still downloading the updates.
Your CMOS battery is bad if you notice that your system clock is not showing correct time from time to time… That’s the easiest way. I guess there is nothing wrong with your CMOS battery then…
I suspect that your firewall ZA is blocking avast! somehow, and it could happen after you download and install a new version of your firewall… maybe you forgot to allow avast! update service to access the internet. Make sure all instances of avast! inside your Program list (inside Program Control section in ZA) are allowed to access internet.
My misunderstanding I thought the missing related to the icon and not the update notification.
I too like Sasha feel this is ZA blocking (not any incompatibility, which isn’t an issue with the ZA free), this is backed up by the the fact it works on your other system with the same applications.
The ZA Program Control has been known to suffer amnesia even when a Program has been given permission and it is shown on the list as having permission. If there is an entry for avast.setup in the Program Control and it has permission, delete the entry for it and do a manual update, this will force ZA to ask permission again for avast.setup.
Thanks everyone. Windows security alert now tells me that everything is right with the world!
I ran spybot and the AVG anti spyware progs. Plus, as you suggested went into the programme control of my ZA Firewall and gave everything I could find, that was related to Avast!, a big green tick (most of them had previously been ? ), plus I went into the Avast! 4 file and looked for any files that seemed to be related to downloading and added them to the ZA programme control. Low & behold!,When I turned on this afternoon no nasty little red thingy (tech speak) at the bottom of the screen by the clock.
Many thanks everyone for your help.
But just one thing! Spybot S&D came up with some adware called ‘virtumonde’ which it can’t get rid of. I know that I’ve had it some time and it doesn’t appear to be detrimental to the pc. Is there a way to get rid of it or doesn’t it matter and I can live on with it?
S&D is saying that it can’t get rid of two items called virtumonde generic and virtumonde containing 8 files.
when I hit the expansion button the following appears:-
Virtumonde.generic: User settings (Registry key, fixing failed)
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats{7D064D71-DD76-4596-90C0-921766AD560A}
Virtumonde.generic: User settings (Registry key, fixing failed)
HKEY_USERS.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats{7D064D71-DD76-4596-90C0-921766AD560A}
Virtumonde.generic: User settings (Registry key, fixing failed)
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats{57E218E6-5A80-4f0c-AB25-83598F25D7E9}
Virtumonde.generic: User settings (Registry key, fixing failed)
HKEY_USERS.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats{57E218E6-5A80-4f0c-AB25-83598F25D7E9}
Virtumonde: User settings (Registry key, fixing failed)
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats{74DD705D-6834-439C-A735-A6DBE2677452}
Virtumonde: User settings (Registry key, fixing failed)
HKEY_USERS.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats{74DD705D-6834-439C-A735-A6DBE2677452}
Virtumonde: User settings (Registry key, fixing failed)
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats{46A4E9D9-B30E-452A-8157-DBBEC8573B03}
Virtumonde: User settings (Registry key, fixing failed)
HKEY_USERS.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats{46A4E9D9-B30E-452A-8157-DBBEC8573B03}
Basically S&D isn’t finding Virtumonde (there are no file/s) but remnants of it in the registry which isn’t so much of a problem. This wouldn’t have had any impact on the update issue.
As for fixing the registry items I would say there is nothing to fix as the registry entry is only related to to the virtumonde malware, so there is nothing to set it back to, which is what a repair would be trying to do. Effectively in this scenario the only repair is deletion, which is never a good idea. I would select quarantine in S&D and see if it can comply with that instruction. With quarantine it should be possible to reverse that decision but possibly not a deletion.
Sorry I can’t be too much practical help as I haven’t used S&D for about 6 months (uninstalled).
These registry entries don’t give a file name or location that can be checked as such but the virtumonde is usually seen as a browser helper object (BHO) in a HiJackThis listing.
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {46A4E9D9-B30E-452A-8157-DBBEC8573B03}
- C:\Program Files\VSAdd-in\VSAdd-in.dll
Program & Tutorial - Also useful as a diagnostic tool - FileHippo Download - HiJackThis - HJT Information HiJackThis Tutorial 1. Post the contents of the HJT log here, you may need to cut and past it into two posts and we will have a look at it.