Windows Security Alert

??? Hi there - hope someone can help.

I’m running XP Home ed. and every time I boot up - I get this anoying speech bubble pop out of the system tray telling me that my computer may not be protected. When I go to the security centre I’m told that Windows has not been able to detect my Antivirus software and to get an alternative programme.

I’ve got AVAST home edition and, to be honest, it seems to work fine. I just find the Window’s thing really anoying.

Does anyone know if I can sort this out?

Did you install any other antivirus in your system? Even in the past?
Do you use ProtectGuard, TeaTimer, Ad-watch or any other application that monitors startup items?
Do you use a firewall? Can you disable it and try to repair avast (Control Panel)?

Hi Johnsonr,
in Windows “security center” have you check the box “I’ve got my own AV”?

What version of XP Home, XP home, XP home SP1, XP home SP2?

I’m running XP Home SP2. I’ve never had any other AV software installed.

I’ve tried ticking the box which says I’ll monitor my AVsoftware myself and this prevents the pop up. However, is XP not capable of monitoring Avast for me? I’m sure it used to tell me that AV was upto date. Also, when I try to “repair” Avast via the Control Panel - I notice that the programme has not been used for some time. This is not right as Resident Protection is always running. Do i have problems here?

Yes, anything is messed in your system.
Can you post the contents of these Windows Registry keys in your system?
Maybe you do not have all of them (don’t worry).

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet004\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD

XP Home and XP home SP1 do not have Central Security…

Don’t worry about the “frequently”, “rarely”, etc., or the last date supposedly used, as shown in Add-Remove. I don’t think any of us has ever figured out why, but it’s totally unreliable in how it reports those.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswMonVd.dll

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswMonVd.dll

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD
No ControlSet002

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswMonVd.dll

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet004\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD
No ControlSet004

Thanks for your efforts people - any further thoughts? Do the missing Registry Keys mean anything?

They’re ok. The first two are the important ones here. They’re correct.

Can you answer my prior questions?

Do you use ProtectGuard, TeaTimer, Ad-watch or any other application that monitors startup items? Do you use a firewall? Can you disable it and try to repair avast (Control Panel)?

Can you answer my prior questions?

Do you use ProtectGuard, TeaTimer, Ad-watch or any other application that monitors startup items? Do you use a firewall? Can you disable it and try to repair avast (Control Panel)?

Tried disabling windows firewall and repairing Avast - this didn’t help. I don’t use ProtectGuard, Teatime or Ad-watch although I am using the new Microsoft Spyware (Beta, I think) programme which I think monitors start up items.

Sorry, Johnson… I’m empty.
This happened to me some time ago but on next boot, everything worked again.
For me, the problem was the Firewall. In other time, the ProtectGuard :frowning:

Ah well - thanks for your time anyway.

Anyone else?

Anyone here - Google is your friend, a search for ‘XP Security Center not detecting anti-virus program’ without the quotes returns many hits - this one is from MS so may be the most relevant http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883792 - if not check out some of the others.