when i open avast it closes after a few seconds

[system]

i downloaded it from download.com
installed it, restarted my computer
registered it
then i double-clicked on the program & like after 3 seconds it closes.
the little tray icon also disappears
what can be the problem?

i have windows xp
allowed the program on windows firewall
dont have other anti-virus software installed
i do have aol spyware protection but i dont want to uninstall that unless absolutely necessary

help meeeeee

[FreewheelinFrank]

Hi Instant_Classic,

To check for virus activity causing a problem, run avast! virus cleaner:

http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-virus-cleaner.html

Also try a scan with DrWeb CureIT!

If you can’t run either program, try renaming the .exe and see if that helps.

Try uninstalling avast!, then reinstalling. Select the option to schedule a boot time scan when requested.

If still having problems, post a HijackThis! log.

[system]

Yes, some virus will modify your registry to stop anti-viurs software.
Pls follow FreewheelinFrank’s advice,
If infection is detected, maybe you will need a special malware removal tool.

[system]

thanks i was able to get it working, but i would like to know when its doing the boot scan whats the difference between deleting something and moving it to chest? i dont know which is appropriate for what.

[DavidR]

Deleting something is final no choices left, nil, zero, nada, totally stuffed (I hope you catch the terminal meaning) if you made a wrong decision.

The avast chest is a protected area where nothing can access the files, but it allows you other options, to restore or export the file for instance, this give you time to investigate the problem whilst protecting your system.

[Lisandro]

@DavidR post:5

The avast chest is a protected area where nothing can access the files, but it allows you other options, to restore or export the file for instance, this give you time to investigate the problem whilst protecting your system.

David, do you know how to restore a file from Chest without being logged to Windows?
When the user ‘mess’ with a system file, sending it to Chest (a false positive incident, for instance), how to restore it and boot (login) the computer again?

[DavidR]

I would say you couldn’t so it, as 1) the files in there are encrypted 2) the file names aren’t the same as the original 3) you don’t know what the original location is.

1. above is probably the deal breaker even if you did somehow manage to restore it the file is encrypted.

[Lisandro]

@DavidR post:7

1. the files in there are encrypted

So it would be good if we can uncrypt them into a DOS environment (+ NTFS read driver).

@DavidR post:7

2. the file names aren’t the same as the original

If the file can be uncrypted the user could discover the missed file (warned by Windows) in some cases.

@DavidR post:7

3. you don’t know what the original location is.

Again, Windows could inform this…

But it’s difficult to see that avast is well-designed if it can’t open the door that it has closed itself.
On boot time scanning you can send a system file to Chest. You must be able to restore a file from Chest while in boot time. If not, avast is not good.

[DavidR]

1. to unencrypt them you are going to need the encryption key and method, somehow I can’t see avast being keep to provide this as it relates to the security of the avast chest, the whole purpose if to protect the files in it.

2. which file do you unencrypt as all the files in the chest have changed file names. You don’t know which one would be the system file. I don’t believe that having unencrypted it (even if possible) it doesn’t restore the original file name so it would still be a guess as to which one might be the file reported missing by windows.

3. I don’t think this is always given it might well state that a file name is missing but often that doesn’t include the location. You would still need to find where it should be like a search of the registry (difficult in DOS) or google, etc.

Personally I think the purpose of the chest to protect the file in it will defeat any attempt to extract a file from it, especially from DOS. You could try what you suggest from windows where you can copy a file from the C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\chest to a folder of your choice (without using avast to extract it) and see if you can even decrypt it.

This should in theory be easier in windows than DOS as you would at least be able to run some tools to try and decrypt it. You could place a harmless/clean file in the User section of the chest so you aren’t working with a live virus. You could even try to find one of the back-up copies of the three system files.

Personally I think you would need to try a practical exercise as we could theorise for days as to if it could be done when the whole purpose is to protect files in the chest.

[Lisandro]

@DavidR post:9

1. to unencrypt them you are going to need the encryption key and method, somehow I can’t see avast being keep to provide this as it relates to the security of the avast chest, the whole purpose if to protect the files in it.

I don’t want they ‘provide’ but release, a way to boot in a CD or USB drive and access the NTFS (or FAT32) system, pick up the file and unencrypt it. Could be an Alwil tool, a feature of avast… otherwise, the box is closed with the key inside them.

@DavidR post:9

2. which file do you unencrypt as all the files in the chest have changed file names. You don’t know which one would be the system file. I don’t believe that having unencrypted it (even if possible) it doesn’t restore the original file name so it would still be a guess as to which one might be the file reported missing by windows.

I agree… changing the file name won’t help if the user needs to guess which file he is looking for. But, if avast has an external tool to unencrypt, to show the real file names and recover the info of the original path is simple.

@DavidR post:9

3. I don’t think this is always given it might well state that a file name is missing but often that doesn’t include the location. You would still need to find where it should be like a search of the registry (difficult in DOS) or google, etc.

Ok. If avast puts a file into Chest it should store this info. The only thing I want is a possibility to restore it without having to login into Windows. This is a common problem, more than one user had to handle it… he can’t login and the system file is inside Chest…

@DavidR post:9

Personally I think the purpose of the chest to protect the file in it will defeat any attempt to extract a file from it, especially from DOS. You could try what you suggest from windows where you can copy a file from the C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\chest to a folder of your choice (without using avast to extract it) and see if you can even decrypt it.

I’m not weakening the protection of Chest.
I just want to extract a clean system file from it. If not, what is the purpose of backing up files into Chest if the user can’t login Windows?

@DavidR post:9

This should in theory be easier in windows than DOS as you would at least be able to run some tools to try and decrypt it. You could place a harmless/clean file in the User section of the chest so you aren’t working with a live virus. You could even try to find one of the back-up copies of the three system files.

I’m not a programmer… Alwil loves challenges… this is just another one.

@DavidR post:9

Personally I think you would need to try a practical exercise as we could theorise for days as to if it could be done when the whole purpose is to protect files in the chest.

I don’t want a theory… but I would like if Alwil team post something about the problem, if they’re reading this thread anyway…