Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: vtajen on February 20, 2010, 11:21:39 PM
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Hi, I am new and this is my first time using avast! I think I installed everything correctly, but this morning when I came in I had a big red X over my avast! symbol. I clicked it and it says my system is unsecured and my avast! service has stopped. When I click on either the "fix it" button or the "start program" button nothing happens. When I go to the "scan now" screen the four boxes that are there are empty with nothing in them and I can't click on anything. On the "file system shield" screen it says protection status "unknown" and when I click on "Start" I get an error message "Unable to start the File System Shield! Shield unreachable."
I am really confused as to what to do next. I already tried to uninstall/reinstall avast!, then I tried to reapir the installation after I reinstalled it the second time, but no luck. I rebooted my computer, I turned the windows firewall off, then back on. I am not that savvy, but I don't consider myself that much of an idiot, but I am at a loss of what to do next. I want to keep the avast! on there because I was using it on my boyfriends computer and I liked it very much and never had problems, but I think it's an older version so I don't know what's going on. I'm on Windows XP HE 2002 SP 2
Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?
Thanks a bunch.
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What were you using as an AV on your computer before Avast! and how did you remove it? What other security software (firewall, etc) are you using? Sounds like it might be a contention problem with the residual of something else on your computer.
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@ vtajen
Windows XP Service Pack 3 has been available for over a year and a half that provides many Critical Updates and performance improvements.
You need to start Internet Explorer then go to Tools then Windows Update and download all of the available updates.
Go to Control Panel then Automatic Updates then select Automatic (recommended) or at least Notify me but don't automatically download or install them.
Go to Secunia Online Software Inspector then run it to see what other applications are vulnerable:
http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/online
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@YoKenny - I'm curious to know why you push sp3 for any and all problems with avast ! It's obsessional.
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@ mhf
You are a Newbie and when you become an avast! Evangelist you will have attained some enlightenment by then:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenment#Use_of_the_term
At least I know what country I am in.
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SP3 is an important security update.
Some users appear to have been "put off" installing it, because of problems or reported problems.
I think it is an important update to have, but perhaps recommending it could wait until the more immediate problem is sorted.
YoKenny, maybe you could make that aspect clear when posting this info?
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For example:
Known problems
Some data on an NTFS partition may become corrupted after you restart a Windows XP-based computer that uses a SATA hard disk drive. This is not a **defrag bug but a Microsoft defragmentation API bug. Microsoft has fixed this in XP service pack 3. Also see: Bugfix 941715
from a disk defragmenter website.
Service packs are a fact of life. Just get them.
Gordon.
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And another one...
Where did I say that one shouldn't install service packs ?
I was just wondering why a certain person posts the same information so often (check post statistics) in reply to legitimate requests for help with problems that could well, and probably do, have other causes than the fact that they are not up to date with Microsoft patches.
As to being a newbie...
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Sorry - I shouldn't post until I've had some sleep.
OK. There are three parts to any problem on computers: the user, the OS supplier (Microsoft in this case) and the app -- Avast!. All parts can contribute to a problem. The user can reduce the complexity of the problem by applying the updates and ::) service packs ::) supplied by first Microsoft and second by Alwil. Service Packs and updates address shortcomings and omissions not foreseen or noticed in the original software or which arise through normal development of other associated software.
We should note that much software generally is written with a bland assumption that the user will have applied the latest Service Packs. A good example is .418: it is supposed to be compatible with W2K SP4. Unfortunately, it's not. You NEED rollup 1. Then it works.
YoKenny is doing what every advisor should do. Maybe he is a little short and sharp. Maybe he should have a two-page document explaining in microscopic (no I'm not sorry -- the pun stays!) detail about the need for the latest updates. But then again he perhaps assumes some self-responsibility on the part of the user... He is doing what I would do in his position. :)
If people don't have the latest Service Pack, they should at least make the effort to get it (and install it :-[ ) before asking for help.
Gordon.
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@ mhf
You are a Newbie and when you become an avast! Evangelist you will have attained some enlightenment by then:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenment#Use_of_the_term
At least I know what country I am in.
Why are you so rude for? Don't you know manners maketh man? As for you being a Evangelist it means FA all it means it that you have made a lot of posts big deal, and must of them could of been a pile of horse!
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Hi..
I can confirm that SP3 is not an essential requirement for v5.
[url]http://forum.avast.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=87e2f3a6ff6bbbe4b3e9a955753768fa&topic=56121.0[url]
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I have the exact same problem, I am running Windows Vista. all up to date. In fact the issue has started following one of the Windows Updates (rebooted after update installation, and the problem appeared). I click on the "Fix Now" and "start program" buttons, the user account control dialog pops up and I allow it, yet nothing changes.
I suspect something to do with the recent windows update may have interfered with avast.
Please let me know if there is a fix for this.
Thank you!
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I uninstalled and reinstalled avast and it appears to be working now
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Seems anything and everything interferes with Avast 5. I uninstalled and reinstalled a couple times a week to where I can do it with my eyes closed. Yes I did it in safe mode with the cleaner ::) Very unstable program except on the Evangelist's machines. Went back to Avast 4.8 and everything is smooth sailing. Question....was earlier 4`s this unstable and got much better over time or is this just a 5 thing ?
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Hello,
I was searching for information on this exact problem with the Avast warning system is unsecured when I came upon this. I started having this problem today when I turned on my pc. I am running windows xp pro with all the updates and service packs and have not had any problems with Avast until this morning. I too cannot click to fix the problem or restart the program.
The problem is not on my machine with vista on it.
Any idea on why this has happened or how to fix it? Or should I just download the software again and reinstall it and should I uninstall it first?
Thanks
Just to add I went to control panel and windows security center and it states the antivirus program is up to date and running
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Based on what I've googled, resolutions offered include:
*Windows Update
*Uninstall/Reinstall
*Repair
I didn't try the former, the second didn't work, and the latter is unavailable in my Control Panel (weird, no?) So what I did was:
Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Change/Remove > Update Components. Latest version is unknown, but after checking for updates and proceeding to update the program (and of course restart the PC), it worked! :)
I hope this helps in any way-- I spent 5 hrs all in all with this problem! 4 hrs in scanning for malware and 1 hr for googling. :p
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Any other security program that could interfere? An old antivirus installation?
For some reason, did you use Windows System Restore?
I'm trying to get what's wrong... but another possibility is an infection that corrupted avast installation... Maybe an online scanning or with MBAM.
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Hello, I'm new to this forum, and even as I type this, my Avast V goes to unsecured....arrrrgh!!! I've tried all the suggestions posted here with no success. I'm running XP Pro and have all the updates from Microsoft. It looks like the best solution is to go back to the previous version which never gave me any trouble. Too bad, I like the new look and features. It's a real pain having to constantly monitor something that's supposed to be worry free. If I find a solution later, I'll post it, but I'm not too hopeful.
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microsoft unknown updates make avast crazy?
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microsoft unknown updates make avast crazy?
I don't think so.
Seems a virus definitions update... or something related to avast itself.
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The problem is that your Avast service isn't running. What worked for me (and everyone else I assume) is:
Easy solution for most cases:
Open msconfig (just type it in the search section of your Windows start menu).
Go to the 'services' tab and find 'avast! Antivirus'. Just enable the service by putting a 'v' and in a minute or two you will be able to successfully press 'Fix It' in your Avast program.
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@ vtajen
Windows XP Service Pack 3 has been available for over a year and a half that provides many Critical Updates and performance improvements.
You need to start Internet Explorer then go to Tools then Windows Update and download all of the available updates.
Go to Control Panel then Automatic Updates then select Automatic (recommended) or at least Notify me but don't automatically download or install them.
Go to Secunia Online Software Inspector then run it to see what other applications are vulnerable:
http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/online
No matter how pro you are with computers, in this case my friend you made it way too difficult to solve the problem :-) The only thing here was just a stopped avast! service..
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Cortex88 please read the dates of the posts you are replying to as these are all early 2010 ::)