Question about a Running Process

I am attaching a screen shot of an EXE file I found within AVAST’s setup folder and the running process in task manager. Is this a valid file for Avast?
I am fairly new to using Avast, and just wanted to make sure this executable should be in my running processes for my FREE version. I don’t recall seeing this process before, but I could be wrong.

Thanks,
Derika

*Windows 7 Professional 64bit
*Chrome, Firefox browsers

It is a uniquely named file created by the emergency update process.

It wouldn’t be running all of the time, just when an emergency update is available it is run to download and install it.

Your explanation makes sense, but I have manually updated Avast and that EXE is still running in the processes.

The two are different manually updating avast (and you don’t say what, program or virus definitions ?), but assuming that it is the program. Then you may well have the latest program version, but the a manual program check would just say you have the latest version.

However, an emergency update allows for program components to be updated without having to release a formal program update.

If it is still running then there is a possibility that something is blocking it. What other security based software do you have installed (firewall, WinPatrol, etc.) ?

Sorry, I should have said I updated both definitions and program. I use Windows Firewall as it came installed with no tweaks made to it since owning this PC a year ago. I do have Malwarebytes, but it is an ON Demand program and I only run it once a week so it is not running at all times. I also have Spywareblaster silently running and I do use a host file from http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm - This is all I can think of that would be running in the background at all times. I can provide any further screen shots if needed.

The windows 7 firewall, whilst it has outbound protection, it is disabled by default. If you haven’t made any changes then it shouldn’t interfere.

SpywareBlaster shouldn’t be an issue as it only adds to the HOSTS file and doesn’t block startup items. MBAM also as on-demand only shouldn’t get in the way. The actual HOSTS file of hosts file managers also don’t monitor or block startup items.

The upshot of this is I’m at a loss as to why this emergency update file would be running all of the time (if you haven’t rebooted I would do that). It certainly isn’t running in my XP Pro or win7 32bit systems.

I had the same thought as you did about restarting the PC and figured since it was so late here that I would just shut it down for the night and once I rebooted in the morning I would check the running processes, but I ran into a bit of a hang up on shut down. Windows Task Host said it was trying to end tasks and did I want to shut down anyway so I chose yes and then the whole PC locked up and continually gave me the “Shutting Down” message and wouldn’t shut down. I had to power it down and when I rebooted it the EXE we have been discussing was no longer running and neither was the AvastEMUpdate.exe (think that is what it showed). I will keep an eye on this and if it proceeds to give me trouble I will come back and and post in this same thread. Thanks for the help!

The AvastEMUpdate.exe is the function that checks for emergency updates and is scheduled to run twice a day. If an emergency update is found then it creates the uniquely named file and a RunOnce registry entry. This will then run the next time that you boot to download and install any emergency update present.