Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: gmccann on July 16, 2004, 12:58:56 AM
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I have just downloaded and installed avast Home edition v4.1 (build 4.1.418) but get an error every time I try to launch the program from the desktop icon or from the system tray ball icon. Despite this the program appears to be running as I had a virus file update download.
The error message is 'cannot load skin function "usiGetSkin" failed'.
From the FAQ with the program I noted that this error is obviously common and your fix is to run C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\RegsvR32.exe ACTSKIN4.OCX
I did that and the registration was stated as succeeding, however, exactly the same fault message continues to occur and I cannot continue into the program configuration, if that is what is beyond the splash screen. Rebooting made no difference. I am a little unsure that I have the syntax correct. I assume there is a space between exe and the A of ACTSKIN4.ocx. Presumerably the registration would not have succeeded if I had it wrong.
The problem is that, because I cannot get beyond the system splash screen before the errror comes up and access halts. Thus I cannot do a system virus check. Despite this the program seems to be working in that I get the two blue balls in the system tray.
I have tried contacting avast supprt but they do not respond.
I have tried the program repair option but there is no change
I am running Windows Me.
I hope someone can advise me
Graham
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Graham,
Firstly, it sounds like you have a faulty installation.
Did you have any other antivirus software on the computer when you intalled Avast? Any installed prior to the installation that you removed?
Yes, there is a space after .exe and before the filename you wish to register.
At this point, I would uninstall Avast. Reboot the computer. Shut down ALL uncessary programs except Systray and Explorer (if you have IE).
Then install Avast again.
Let me know what happens.
At what point do you see the system freeze...
as soon as the splash screen appears?
when the boot scan starts?
at some point during the boot scan? etc.....
Thanks. I will do my best to solve your problem.
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Tried the things you suggested but same error.
I did have McAfee anti virus program but both uninstalled it and also ratted through the registry to get rid of any references to McAfee.
The following are replies to your comments
At what point do you see the system freeze...
"After the splash screen and the memory check is completed or bypassed. The sytem does not freeze, the screen reverts to the desktop and the error screen (cannot load skin Function "usiGetSkin" failed) I described appears."
I have tried to re register the dll as the offline FAQ suggests but no change.
The program appears to be working fine and getting updates etc but because I cannot get into the program I cannot set up a system scan.
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Help would be a bit easier if we knew more about your computer ... such as the OS, amount of ram, etc. :)
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You can make a boardsearch for 'usiGetSkin' or maybe this maybe solve your problem: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=1163;start=msg6346#msg6346
Maybe if you repair your avast installation (Control Panel > Add/Remove programs) ::)
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Thanks. Tried both of these but still get the error
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Computer details are:
94 mb RAM
330 mb Processor
4gb HD (80% used)
Windows ME
The computer is a laptop.
Did have McAfee virus program which was removed and the registry cleaned
of any flotsam and jetsam
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Windows Millenium is not the most 'stable' one :(
I think you can try:
1. uninstall
2. boot
3. close all programs (speciallly firewall and any other spam/spy killer application)
4. install
5. boot
Can you try? Can you post a list of your startup programs and services?
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Thanks but I did all of that in response to the first post to no avail, including disabling everything not essential
I had been running the McAfee virus program and it is fairly demanding of a computer and had no problems, except for the huge weekly update files, which is why I gave it away. I had uninstalled it and cleaned the registry of all the rubbish left behind.
As I have said in earlier posts the program is working fine. It is just that I cannot get beyond the splash screen to set up a system scan. I cannot even get back into it via the system tray icons to achieve this. I found the fix in the offline FAQ from the Help page for just the problem I am having (but it made no difference) by right clicking on the VRDB icon and slecting "what is avast VRDB " and this took me into the program help files.
The error occures when I click on the avast desktop icon. The splash screen opens and the memory check is done. It then says it is continuing to load the program. The next thing is the error screen called "unknown Error" which contains the informaton that "Application cannot load skin. Function useGetSkin failed"
This error is described in the offline FAQ and I carried out the fix recommended but, although the dll was registered, the error continues to appear. If I right click on the avast icon in the system tyray I get a menu but, if I select "start avast Antivirus" I go down the same track as I described above and the erro appears.
I cannot do without a system scan for much longer so will have to try another program if I cannot get avast working.
Appreciate your help.
I am new to the program and assume that a screen will come up after the splash screen if you open it from the desktop icon to allow you to configure it and initiate a system screen
The thing that puzzles me is that avast support will not resond to my emails for assistance.
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I've seen simulair behaviour with other applications on ME. It sounds to me you have a corrupt registry and/or a corrupt windows installation. The original system files are likely replaced by other versions. You may want to try scanreg /restore or scanreg /fix to see if it changes anything, but to be honest I doubt it will solve the problem I think you are facing a clean isntallation of ME.
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Windows ME has a Repair function. Before get drastic and do a re-install, do a repair.
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There is no way I will do a clean install because this program might be causing problems.
The problem with repair is that you then need to download a huge backlog of Windows updates as the repair takes it back to the original version.
Unless I get some good advice, and I thank you for your interest so far, I will throw avast away and try another anti virus proram.
What really bugs me is that avast will not respond to message to its Support email
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I'm sorry... I tried but cannot figure out what is causing that...
Did you already tried to see if there is anything wrong with your firewall, proxy filter...?
Can you connect the Internet by your browser?
Did you change your storage type from ODBC to XML into avast4.ini file?
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Thanks.
I did not have a firewall installed when the problem first appeared. I now have Zone Alarm but have disabled it before each new install.
I still have good internet connection. Indeed avast has upgraded my virus filles after each reinstall. It is strange as the program is doing its scanning and upgrading just fine. It is just that I cannot get from the program splash screen into the main screens so I can configure it and generate a system scan. That process halts when the error screen appears.
I have even tried downloading a fresh program file in case there was something corrupt in that, but no change. Before that re install I put JV16 through the registry to clear out anything left from the avast uninstall
The only thing I have not tried is to do an install deselecting the skins. The only logic in that is that the error seems to relate to a skins function. Might try that.
I do not use a proxy.
I have not intentionally changed the avast.ini file
Thanks for persisting!
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Hi gmccann
Before you do that, Please download the following following program and use it to do a complete uninstall of Avast!.
http://freeweb.siol.net/razor256/downloads/avast_external_control.zip (http://freeweb.siol.net/razor256/downloads/avast_external_control.zip)
This program is from one of our members (RejZoR) and is a Must Have Utility for Avast!
Once you've done the complete uninstall, then please re-install and I'm sure your problems will be over.
Good Luck and let us know how you make out.
Have a good evening.
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Sadly, even though I used the "brutal" setting in the uninstalll utility within the program you recommended, then reinstalled with the mimimum of things running, when I clicked on the desktop program icon it opened the spalsh screen, did the memory check and the next thing was the error message and no progress beyond that. Thus no change from my previous attempts.
"Unknown Error" "Application cannot load skin. Function 'usiGetSkin' failed"
The blue balls are in the system tray and all is working fine there. If I right click on the 'a' ball and select 'Start avast Antivirus' the same occurs as described above.
I again went through the dll registration recommended in the Offline FAQ in the Help file which is supposed to cure just this problem but that again made no difference.
Sigh!!!
Graham
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I have not intentionally changed the avast.ini file
Why not?
You could test if changing your storage type from ODBC to XML into avast4.ini file works...
Try RejZoR's application (link Control on my signature)
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gmccann
Just curious, what kind of video card is in your computer and what are your current settings?
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gmccann, please start the Registry Editor and verify that the following registry key exists:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{0944D16C-D0F4-4389-982A-A085595A9EB3}
Does it have any subkeys?
Thanks
Vlk
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Yes, there are heaps of sub keys. None seems to relate to avast but the sub keys are :Control,Inprocserv32, Misc Serv, ProgID, Programmable, ToolboxBitmap 32, TypeLib, verb, Version, VersionIndependentProgID
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Yes, there are heaps of sub keys. None seems to relate to avast but the sub keys are :Control,Inprocserv32, Misc Serv, ProgID, Programmable, ToolboxBitmap 32, TypeLib, verb, Version, VersionIndependentProgID
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The video card is an ASUS V7100
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Please check the avast! Log viewer. Are there any related events?
Thanks
Vlk
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The only log viewer item which has anything is Setup info which has many pages of data, all dated yeaterday when I did the last reinstall. I assume that this was where you wanted me to look.
None of it means anything to me but many of the lines end in "not OK" The last line is "return code 0x20000000 (something done). All the previous lines seem to relate to the installation process.
This is all a bit beyond my understanding so forgive my possibly garbled explanation.
Graham
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With none of the resolutions to my problem working I have been forced to uninstall avast and go to AVG, which has loaded and operates just fine.
Thanks for all the advice. It is a pity I could not get it to work as I like the program.
Avst support finmally came back with a fix (after three repeat emails) to suggest I took the action decribed in the offline help file to cure my specific problem. Had they read my messages properly they would have seen that I had already tried that but it made no difference.
Thanks again
Graham
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This is the second user that have to go to AVG because of the same error :'(
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=7543
What's up?
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No further replies from Avast support so I uninstalled the program and went with AVG, which works perfectly,
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hi gm....I too am experiencing identical problem. I've read all the suggestions, etc,.. please tell me, were you finally able to resolve? I've done all the things suggested and uninstalled and re-installed several times, tried the repair option, did whatever and nothing helped. Please tell me if you fixed and how you managed to do so. Thanks so much....Darcy ???
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Never resolved the problem and Avast were no help so changed to AVG which works fine.
Best of luck
Graham
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For some reason, ActiveSkin (the 3rd party library we use for skinning) does not seem to be working on your system. As a workaround, we may disable skinning in avast - that should solve the problem.
To do that, open the file <avast>\data\avast4.ini, look up the [UserInterface] section, and add the following entry:
StartWithSkin=0
Thanks
Vlk