Turning Avast on

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hi guys and gals,

How do you turn on Avast? My Windows Security Center advises me that my version of avast antivirus (4.8.1201) is turned off but when I go to the application there doesn’t seem to be an obvious way of turning it on. I’m sure it is pretty obvious to most so can anyone help me?

2

avast is on by default so either avast isn’t running (easy to check) or the WSC is wrong (very common).

Is the avast ’ a ’ icon in the system tray ?
What avast processes are running in Task Manager, they begin with ash or asw, see image ?

3

Hi

It is in the system tray at the bottom right hand corner as Avast On-Access Scanner and in My Programmes as Avast! Antivirus. When I right click on the latter it says ashAvast.exe but I cannot find my Task Manager. Sorry, I normally use Macs so I’m not quite on top of things as you can tell!

4

Is ashServ.exe running? That’s the resident of avast.
Also, check, http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=23457.msg193534#msg193534
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/repairwmi.htm

5

The three finger salute in Windows (Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys together) will bring it up or much easier, right click on a part of the Taskbar and select Task Manager ;D

6

OK found it. Thanks guys. In task manager I have ash.Disp.exe, ash.Serv.exe, aswUpdSv.exe

7

Probably typos to ashDisp.exe and ashServ.exe.
So, avast is running. Is you system time and date correct?
Did you check the links I’ve posted before?

8

There should also be ashWebSv.exe (if you gave enabled the Web Shield provider) and ashMaiSv.exe (if you have enabled the Internet Mail Provider), these are normally enabled by default.

So have you disabled these or did you do a custom install and not select these ?

However, the ones that you did mention should be enough for the WSC so there is something wrong with that.
WSC doesn’t detect avast! - http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/topics/help/wmi.mspx#EQKAC

Also this - Solution when Windows Security Center does not recognize antivirus or firewall

Have (or did) you another AV installed in this system, if so what was it and how did you get rid of it ?