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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: gate1975mlm on September 28, 2005, 03:54:04 PM

Title: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on September 28, 2005, 03:54:04 PM
When I right click on a Short cut on my desktop or a program in my Start All Programs menu why does it have 2 entries for the Avast scan? One ending in .exe and the other ending in .ink?Why would I need both of them? And is this a little bug maybe? If I could I would only like to have the .exe shown. Only reason is I don't like having to many thing in my context menu.
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: igor on September 28, 2005, 04:18:46 PM
Can you post a screenshot, please?
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on September 28, 2005, 04:34:36 PM
here you go
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on September 28, 2005, 04:44:52 PM
1 more

 (http://img120.imagevenue.com/loc190/th_ccf_untitled1.JPG) (http://img120.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc190&image=ccf_untitled1.JPG)
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: igor on September 28, 2005, 05:05:08 PM
Interesting... I'll check that.
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: Lisandro on September 28, 2005, 05:18:22 PM
I never had such problem...
Maybe if Igor does not find an answer you could un-check one of them with ContextEdit:
http://www.ramlende.com/downloads/contextedit11.zip
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on September 28, 2005, 05:20:21 PM
can you post a pic of you right clicking on a program in your All Programs menu list please.I would like to see what yours shows. Or a short cut on your desktop. Thanks
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: XMAS on September 28, 2005, 05:24:53 PM
I don't have such a problem too.
Here's a screenshots:
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on September 28, 2005, 05:26:12 PM
no the pic you posted is not what I am talking about. Look at the pics I posted.
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on September 28, 2005, 06:53:57 PM
 (http://img101.imagevenue.com/loc273/th_9cc_untitled2.JPG) (http://img101.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc273&image=9cc_untitled2.JPG)

Strange.
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on September 30, 2005, 03:45:39 PM
Am I the onlyone here with this little problem? :-[
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: igor on September 30, 2005, 03:52:12 PM
It seems so....
Please, try to find {472083B0-C522-11CF-8763-00608CC02F24} in your registry - in particular, in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. There should be a few occurrences - so paste the corresponding keys here.
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on October 01, 2005, 02:55:18 AM
I will get you the info soon!
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on October 01, 2005, 02:48:01 PM
Here you go! I hope this helps.

 (http://img12.imagevenue.com/loc210/th_40a_ScreenShot004.jpg) (http://img12.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc210&image=40a_ScreenShot004.jpg)
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: igor on October 01, 2005, 05:48:15 PM
The list looks completely normal (i.e. exactly how it should look like). avast! shell extension is registered to handle all files (*) and folders.
I really don't know why the second item ("Scan .... lnk") appears there. If I should guess, I'd say it is caused by some other program (that you have installed on your computer) that modifies the context menu this way. Do you any such tool (some kind of GUI extension... don't know what exactly it should be)?
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on October 01, 2005, 08:38:23 PM
 (http://img121.imagevenue.com/loc123/th_6db_1.JPG) (http://img121.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc123&image=6db_1.JPG)


 (http://img44.imagevenue.com/loc17/th_5d3_2.JPG) (http://img44.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc17&image=5d3_2.JPG)


I did a scan with both the .exe and .ink.
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on October 01, 2005, 10:53:43 PM
Is there an option to remove the Avast from the context menu?
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: Lisandro on October 01, 2005, 11:54:04 PM
Is there an option to remove the Avast from the context menu?
Test the program link I've posted before for edit ContextMenu.
Into avast4.ini file you can only hide the icon with value

ShellExtensionIcon=1

in section [UserInterface] of avast4.ini file.
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on October 02, 2005, 05:04:00 PM
OK
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: lakrsrool on October 02, 2005, 06:34:38 PM
gate1975mlm wrote
Quote
Am I the onlyone here with this little problem?   :-[

You don't have to feel like the lone ranger  ;D  I've got the same exact thing.

I really didn't notice this because I have never scanned an icon on the desktop or in the programs list before this since I have only used the context menu to scan Window Explorer items which works just fine.  BUT EVEN IF I HAD NOTICED THIS I WOULD HAVE ASSUMED THAT THIS WAS OKAY BECAUSE IT WOULD BE FOR THE PURPOSE TO SCAN BOTH THE ICON AND THE EXECTABLE, BUT WHAT DO I KNOW...  ;D

But since this appears to be a problem, here's what I found that maybe will help the techies figure this out  ???

The first list for Avast on the context menu appears to be the "exectable", the second appears to be the name of the icon where it will have the "ink" extent.

Example: When right clicking on the Outlook Express icon I get:
Scan msimn.exe as the first entry
Scan Outlook Express.ink as the second entry (name of the icon)

When I click on a program I know what the executable is I get the same thing.  The top one says: Scan USERID.exe and the bottom one says Scan My Passwords.ink (which is the name of the icon)

What is interesing however is this When I scan on a zipped file I get this:

Scan WINZIP32.EXE (on the first one)
Scan data1.cab.ink (the name of the icon again)


The first one is the zip program which I guess is still consistent with being the exectable program  ??? since it is a zipped file.

But what's even more interesting is when I get the context menu for the ms-dos prompt icon THERE IS NOT PROBLEM because I only get ONE scan selection choice where it says: Scan MS-DOS Prompt.pif, I suppose this still maybe consistent in that it is not an "exectable program" maybe  ???  But atleast this shortcut menu is okay.  So it ONLY happens with EXECTABLE program ICONS (I say ICONS since this does NOT happen WITH WINDOWS EXPLORER ENTRIES !!! (SEE FURTHER)

I hope this all helps...  :)  As I said I have only scanned files in Windows Explorer which does not have this problem so I hadn't noticed this before.

Btw, I have a QUESTON for gate1975mlm If you right click on a file in Window Explorer you don't get BOTH ENTRIES for Avast Scan DO YOU ?   ???  So two Avast entries in the list only occurs when you right click on an icon in the desktop or in the Programs menu list, right ?

Don't ask for pictures because I don't know how to do that since I can't seem to trap the short cut menu since when I click on "Alt/Print Screen" the context menu (shortcut list) goes away and I don't get it included in the picture.  I have no idea how you guys do it  ???
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: lakrsrool on October 02, 2005, 07:20:35 PM
He's back...  ;D

It occured to me to try the shortcut menu on exectable and zipped files in Windows Explorer instead of JUST Documents etc.

I have found on further investigation, this thing ONLY HAPPENS WITH ALL DESKTOP ICONS AND ALL ITEMS LISTED IN THE START MENU.

It does not happen for anything in Windows Explorer!!!
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: lakrsrool on October 02, 2005, 08:13:19 PM
It's me again...  ;D

I just noticed something else, not ALL items in the START PROGRAMS menu list have two Avast choices in the short cut menu after all.

For instance, I have a few EXECUTABLE programs I added to my (START) PROGRAM list myself which was just a downloaded exectable and not an INSTALLED PROGRAM executable.  In each case these ONLY SHOW ONE AVAST CHOICE in the context menu.

Also I have Dialup DUN icon I added to my (START) PROGRAMS list and it also does not show BOTH Avast entries in the shortcut menu.  (for further clairification in WIN98 this is the icon which is in the My Computer>Dialup Networking>(these icons for dialing into the internet is what I'm speaking of).  This is also not an INSTALLED PROGRAM, if that is what makes the difference ?

So it seems as far as the START (MENU)>PROGRAMS list it is related to something else other than just being listed in the START MENU LIST.  If the items were ADDED BY ME and which were NOT installed programs then they ONLY HAVE THE ONE AVAST CHOICE listed in the shortcut menu.

One other interesting observation, this applies to ONLY the START>PROGRAMS list.  I also have an exectable program I have added to my computer myself directly on the START menu list itself(not one of the sub menus like Programs etc.) and this one DOES SHOW BOTH AVAST CHOICES even though it is an executable program which was not installed but I actually wrote and added to the START MENU as I said myself.

Also items listed in MY DOCUMENTS in the START MENU which of course are items NOT INSTALLED but documents I have personally added myself DO HAVE BOTH AVAST CHOICES in the shortcut menu.

So I'm a little puzzled as to any kind of consistency here.  ???

I'm not sure how much help this is, but I thought I'd add it into the mix...
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: lakrsrool on October 03, 2005, 02:06:03 PM
Sorry, since no one else has replied, it's me again... :-X

I'm back to the icon thing.  Isn't it possible that this two entry scan selection in the context menu a GOOD THING in that it is related to the file (program) icon associated with the software (executable or document file) ?

There is always an entry for the executable file, which is understandable.

The second entry is always an "ink" file (extent).  This extent can be related to the CorelDRAW vector graphics software which is a legacy graphics file technology designed and supported by Microsoft. 

I don't know how icon (graphics) work with windows and are linked to their assocated software, but could this be a case where the icon is generally a seperate (graphics) file.  Like in the case of my program I wrote in VB in which am using a seperate icon I found and added using windows which does show up with the second entry "ink" scan choice.  But in cases where I have downloaded an intact executable maybe the icon is "built in" included within the software and not a seperate graphics designed file thus NO seperate entry "ink" file is listed in this case which is what I find on some files I have added to my Start>Programs list (which does not have the seperate entry).

To support my "theory"  ;D ALL of the files that DO HAVE THE "INK" 2ND ENTRY IN THE CONTEXT MENU will OFFER ME A CHOICE TO SELECT AN ALTERNATE ICON IN THE PROPERTIES OPTION THEREFORE THE ICON IS A SEPERATE ENTITY AND AVAST SEES IT AS SUCH).  BUT FOR THOSE FILES WHICH DO NOT HAVE THE 2ND ENTRY ("INK" FILE TYPE) THERE IS NO OPTION TO SELECT AN ALTERNATE ICON WHICH COULD BE DO TO THE FACT THAT THE ICON (IMAGE) IS INCORPORATED INTO THE EXECUTABLE THUS AVAST DOES NOT SEE IT (THE ICON) AS A SEPERATE GRAPHICS FILE AND THEREFORE A SECOND FILE SCAN OPTION IS NOT LISTED.

In conclusion in the cases where the icon can be changed and thus a seperate (attached) file as such Avast would see this as a seperate file which btw, could be infected with a virus I presume.

I'm just thinking out loud and have no idea of the technological aspects of what I am surmising, but I just thought I'd add my 2 cents with this idea just incase it makes any kind of sense.

This is my attempt at explaining why I have the 2 entries to can in the context menu on most but not all of my files and is consistent with how Windows is using the files in regards to the associated icon to the file itself.

So if my suggestion (idea) here is right Avast could be doing exactly what it should be doing and allowing the option to scan the seperate assocated icon.

Any opinions, thoughts, ideas ?  ???
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on October 03, 2005, 02:17:51 PM
Yes it only happens on the Desktop and All Programs menu. I just would like to know what is causing this.
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: lakrsrool on October 03, 2005, 07:37:19 PM
So, gate1975mlm, do you think I'm barking up the wrong tree regarding my post just ahead of yours ? ;D

It doesn't happen with all of my Program files depending upon if I had downloaded an executable and put them in the list myself (see my previous post).

Ooops, it just occured to me, if we are the only ones with these two entries then I guess that blows my idea all to h---  ::)  After all we can't be the only ones with an Avast program doing it right...  ;D

So I'm with you, why do we have this 2nd entry  ???

It is interesting that I only have the 2nd entry for those programs that give me the option to change my icon and all the programs which I did not install but downloaded and added to the Programs list that DO NOT give me the Change Icon option ONLY HAVE ONE Avast scan entry.   ???  At least I found some kind of consistency...  ;)
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: lakrsrool on October 03, 2005, 09:43:19 PM
Hey gate1975mlm, did you used to have Norton AV on your system before Avast ? (I'm trying to find some common ground since this is the case for me).

So gate1975mlm, then these two entries do NOT occur for the context menu in Windows Explorer right ? (just like me)

Assuming this to be true (above question) I have a question for the general population of the forum:

Since it is much more common for people to only scan fileS in their Windows Explorer than on the Desktop or Program files, maybe it is more common place than we realize.

1) Based on this are there any others that have these same two entries in the shortcut menu (context menu) when right clicking on Desctop icons or Program files ?

Now what's that music on that game show...  ;D

If we can get a majority who have it then we can call it a feature of Avast  ;)
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: DavidR on October 04, 2005, 12:56:38 AM
Sorry to disappoint, only a single scan icon in All Programs, desktop items or explorer.
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: garyb on October 04, 2005, 01:53:02 AM
Sorry to disappoint, only a single scan icon in All Programs, desktop items or explorer.
Same here...except for when there's not even the one scan icon, such as shortcuts to any Office2003 products, recycle bin, my docs, etc
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on October 04, 2005, 02:52:15 AM
The only place I get the two entries for Avast is on Desktop shortcuts and All Programs menu. No I have never had Norton installed.
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: Lisandro on October 04, 2005, 02:59:48 AM
Did you try just disabling one of the entries with this program?

I never had such problem...
Maybe if Igor does not find an answer you could un-check one of them with ContextEdit:
http://www.ramlende.com/downloads/contextedit11.zip
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on October 04, 2005, 05:26:18 PM
Did you try just disabling one of the entries with this program?

I never had such problem...
Maybe if Igor does not find an answer you could un-check one of them with ContextEdit:
http://www.ramlende.com/downloads/contextedit11.zip

Yes that does work also Mmm+ works. But My point is that I would like to know what is causing this to happen?
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: igor on October 04, 2005, 06:01:59 PM
I'm afraid I don't know. It might be interesting to find out what ContextEdit changes in registry when disabling the item (when you sayit works).
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on October 05, 2005, 02:03:20 AM
When I use ContextEdit it gets rid of both .exe and .lnk so thats no good.
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: Lisandro on October 05, 2005, 03:49:25 AM
When I use ContextEdit it gets rid of both .exe and .lnk so thats no good.
It's very misterious  ::)
Did you have two lines (entries) there or only one?
Did you search at Folder and All files regardless the extension?
Two entries should be two lines...  ::) :-\
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: igor on October 05, 2005, 12:25:00 PM
When I use ContextEdit it gets rid of both .exe and .lnk so thats no good.

OK, that sounds logical for me. There's only one avast registration in the registry (as we have seen), which can be either enabled, or disabled. Even the ContextEdit doesn't know this kind of magic and sees only the one item.
Why Windows use this shell extension twice (first for the .lnk target, second for the .lnk file itself), that's the mystery.
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on October 07, 2005, 06:26:38 PM
Sure is and would like if you could fix it  :)
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: lakrsrool on November 12, 2005, 10:12:10 AM
Since I have just installed ClamWin as a BU AV scanner (which I like a lot  btw) I can presently add more info to this thread.

It would appear that the problem is not necessarily an Avast problem but more likely an OS issue of some kind.

I base this on the fact that ClamWin also has two entries in the context menu.  ClamWin does not specify the file to be scanned in the context menu so I cannot verify this part of it but considering their are two entries the same as Avast it does not appear to be exclusively an Avast problem.

I also noted that BOTH of my ZIP utilities in my context menu has duplicate entries as well.  I am using WIN98SE and am not sure if  this problem only occurs in this OS or not but as gae1975mlm stated, it would be nice to know what is the cause and how to fix it.  Since I now have two entries for not only Avast, but ClamWin and both ZIP utilities (which I have apparently had for some time) it does take up a lot of room on my shortcut menu list.

Again as noted before in this thread the duplicate items only occur when right clicking on desktop icons and most program files.  When using the context menu within Window Explorer which is where it is most often used anyway there is not problem with two entries at all.  Could there be some kind of registry setting that Microsoft has added which could be causing this?

Has anyone come up with a solution on this as of yet  ???
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on December 22, 2005, 05:36:50 PM
I never found a fix for this as of yet.  :'(
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: gate1975mlm on January 13, 2006, 05:45:23 AM
Update I found out what was causing it. If you use a program likee TweakUi to remove the Arrow from the shortcuts on your desktop thats what makes Avast show 2 entries in the contexty menu. So if you add the arrow back to the shortcuts that will fix the issue. :)
Title: Re: 2 entries for Avast in the Context Menu!
Post by: DavidR on January 13, 2006, 12:28:48 PM
Thanks for getting back and letting us know, hopefully this will help others.