Author Topic: avast free user interface not starting automatically.  (Read 11838 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

duke_sc

  • Guest
avast free user interface not starting automatically.
« on: September 28, 2011, 06:06:44 PM »
A few days ago I downloaded an infected file which I think Avast missed. It came inside 7zip.exe which I've since deleted. Since that initial infection I've completely scanned the pc from a seperate windows xp installation on another drive and cleaned any bogus files. I've also run Malware bytes until nothing was found.  Modem off, I booted back into my vista installation and uninstalled and reinstalled avast but no matter what I try - installing from safe mode with admin rights etc. Whenever I start the machine again there is the avast service running but no UI.  I've ticked the box to load avast services after other services, still doesn't work.  If I start Avast manually after bootup it seems to work fine.  It just won't start automatically.  Any ideas what else I could try?  On a side note when the virus hit it took out all my system restore points - just in case that's relevant.

Thanks

Offline Shiw Liang

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Super Poster
  • ***
  • Posts: 1432
Re: avast free user interface not starting automatically.
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2011, 06:34:25 PM »
Have you uninstall avast using the uninstall tool?

If you have not then download the uninstall tool here:
http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility

Reboot after removing avast, and then try again...

I'm not sure it is gonna work but there is no harm giving it a try :)
« Last Edit: September 28, 2011, 06:37:29 PM by Shiw »

duke_sc

  • Guest
Re: avast free user interface not starting automatically.
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2011, 02:39:01 PM »
Hi,
I ran the removal program from safe mode and then rebooted. Next I ran the installation again and then rebooted. Avast still didn't start properly but I noticed that it was listed in the "Windows has blocked some of your startup programmes" icon in the lower right of the task bar. When I right clicked and chose run blocked program, avast was in there and when clicked ran normally.

So why has windows now decided to block avast?  When I had it installed and working properly before the virus incident I didn't install at as admin and it was never blocked.  I did the exact same this time - didn't install it as admin - and now it's blocked!  I long for windows xp it never used to screw around like vista.

Anyway :)  any more ideas would be gratefully received as I don't fancy having to keep clicking on the blocked programs icon to run avast.

Thanks

ady4um

  • Guest
Re: avast free user interface not starting automatically.
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2011, 03:56:13 PM »
If you are talking about Windows Defender (or some other equivalent software), asking about changes to Windows, this should be a one-time question. If you tell Windows Defender to accept the program to change Windows settings (dll or registry or whatever) as a permanent and valid change, then it shouldn't bother you again. At least, this is how it is supposed to work.

If in doubt, install Avast by selecting the setup.exe, right click on it, run as Administrator, and install it again.

In any case, after the changes or reinstall (and accepting the changes in Windows Defender if it shows up), reboot again and test. Then please report back.

Offline kyuuketsuki_kurai

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 88
Re: avast free user interface not starting automatically.
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2011, 10:46:39 PM »
If you are talking about Windows Defender (or some other equivalent software), asking about changes to Windows, this should be a one-time question. If you tell Windows Defender to accept the program to change Windows settings (dll or registry or whatever) as a permanent and valid change, then it shouldn't bother you again. At least, this is how it is supposed to work.

If in doubt, install Avast by selecting the setup.exe, right click on it, run as Administrator, and install it again.

In any case, after the changes or reinstall (and accepting the changes in Windows Defender if it shows up), reboot again and test. Then please report back.
Just to clarify, this isn't Defender. I've seen this happen and it's actually being stopped by Windows UAC.
Alienware 17, Windows 10, Intel Core i7-4700MQ, 8GB RAM, Avast 19.2, Chrome 72.0 64-bit

ady4um

  • Guest
Re: avast free user interface not starting automatically.
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2011, 11:32:02 PM »
Just to clarify, this isn't Defender. I've seen this happen and it's actually being stopped by Windows UAC.

Windows UAC doesn't show you "Windows has blocked some of your startup programmes" as above described. Either the user gives permission to UAC to install Avast correctly, or not. The described problems might start if either no permission was given, or the user *can't* give administrator permissions at all (even if he wants to).

I don't know if it was Windows Defender, or some "similar" tool. As mentioned, reinstalling with "run as administrator" and accepting UAC and any warnings from Windows Defender (or similar/equivalent) tool should take care of the problem.

After that, a reboot is needed.

BEFORE all this, any other AV should be completely removed using the respective specific removal utilities (not just with "Add/Remove Programs") and under Windows Safe Mode.

Offline kyuuketsuki_kurai

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 88
Re: avast free user interface not starting automatically.
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2011, 12:11:12 AM »

I'm fairly sure he's referring to this. It's part of UAC. I've seen it happen when an install has gone wrong.
Alienware 17, Windows 10, Intel Core i7-4700MQ, 8GB RAM, Avast 19.2, Chrome 72.0 64-bit

ady4um

  • Guest
Re: avast free user interface not starting automatically.
« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2011, 02:39:46 AM »
That's not UAC.

In any case, (and I already said it several times now), the user should install it running it as admin, which should solve the problem, or run the specific Avast removal tool under Safe Mode and then reinstall as admin.

Offline Lisandro

  • Avast team
  • Certainly Bot
  • *
  • Posts: 67195
Re: avast free user interface not starting automatically.
« Reply #8 on: September 30, 2011, 02:57:02 AM »
This is Windows Defender message, not UAC.
The best things in life are free.

Offline kyuuketsuki_kurai

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 88
Re: avast free user interface not starting automatically.
« Reply #9 on: September 30, 2011, 07:56:25 PM »
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930367
In the Cause section, Microsoft calls it part of UAC.
It's mostly semantics, since it boils down to something going wrong in the install, since it obviously shouldn't do that.
In the case I fixed, it had been installed in admin, and in the end there was actually a problem with Windows itself.

Alienware 17, Windows 10, Intel Core i7-4700MQ, 8GB RAM, Avast 19.2, Chrome 72.0 64-bit

duke_sc

  • Guest
Re: avast free user interface not starting automatically.
« Reply #10 on: October 01, 2011, 02:23:50 AM »
Hi guys,
Just to clear things up.  It's definitely not Windows Defender because the first thing I did when I got this vista machine was to disable the Defender services and use my own choice of software to take care of those tasks.

Now back to the problem. Latest is that I have uninstalled with the avast uninstaller in safe mode (again)and rebooted.  Then I reran the Avast installer making sure to right click/choose properties/compatibility and click on run as admin.  Then rebooted the pc and got the same message about windows having to block certain programs.  Right clicked on that chose blocked programs and there is avast waiting to be clicked and asking permission to be run. :(  So I'm still no further forward.

What next...?

ady4um

  • Guest
Re: avast free user interface not starting automatically.
« Reply #11 on: October 01, 2011, 10:11:51 AM »
Hi guys,
Just to clear things up.  It's definitely not Windows Defender because the first thing I did when I got this vista machine was to disable the Defender services and use my own choice of software to take care of those tasks.
I did say "Windows Defender or similar / equivalent", didn't I? :)

Quote
Now back to the problem. Latest is that I have uninstalled with the avast uninstaller in safe mode (again)and rebooted.  Then I reran the Avast installer making sure to right click/choose properties/compatibility and click on run as admin.  Then rebooted the pc and got the same message about windows having to block certain programs.  Right clicked on that chose blocked programs and there is avast waiting to be clicked and asking permission to be run. :(  So I'm still no further forward.

What next...?

Next you give those questions the correct answer. Could you attach an image of those dialogs / questions? Isn't there an option (checkbox or whatever) to make the answer permanent (so to allow Avast service each time, not only just this boot time)?

duke_sc

  • Guest
Re: avast free user interface not starting automatically.
« Reply #12 on: October 04, 2011, 10:43:31 AM »
Quote
Isn't there an option (checkbox or whatever) to make the answer permanent (so to allow Avast service each time, not only just this boot time)?

Hi,
No there is no option to make it permanent.  When you right click on the system tray icon for the "windows has blocked some of your programs" app you have the option to run blocked programs which when clicked lists only Avast. Clicking on that simply runs the program (after asking you to give it permission to do so).  There is no pop up or check box to make it a permanent choice.

Also its not the service that isn't starting - it starts when windows starts - but the avastui.exe isn't run until I run it from the blocked list.

Thanks

ady4um

  • Guest
Re: avast free user interface not starting automatically.
« Reply #13 on: October 04, 2011, 05:11:11 PM »
If you want a solution, you need to provide the requested screenshoots.

Using Windows Explorer, go to the avastui.exe -> right click -> properties -> general tab -> unblock -> OK.

Reboot and test.

duke_sc

  • Guest
Re: avast free user interface not starting automatically.
« Reply #14 on: October 08, 2011, 04:17:35 PM »
Hi,
Took me ages to find out how to show you the piccies, hope this works.  You can find them here :-

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2424749265632.2136669.1458530244&l=f40d985951&type=1

Like I say, when I get to the unblock program (step three) there is no option to make this choice the default it just brings up the UAC permission request and then runs the program when I click on yes I want to run it.

Thanks