Tray Icon's not showing multi user XP SP2 Install

[aussie7]

I have problems with Avast Home 4.7 Install on my XP SP2 system with 4 user and Administrator account

- I did a fresh install of Windows XP + SP2
- downloaded all the updates from Microsoft (via windows update)
- created 4 user accounts with admin privileges for my family members
- installed spy-bot S&D and ad-aware SE and Avast Home 4.7 while logged into the Administrator account

After install when I boot into any of the accounts the icons (i & a) in system tray (bottom right) are not showing up

I've only had this problem with multi user accounts on the one PC, my other PC with the above software and only 1 Admin account (no user accounts) works perfectly (i & a icons are showing)

Anyone know why the icons are not showing up or how to fix it

Also is Avast working if the icons (i & a) in system tray (bottom right) are not showing up

[DavidR]

I will deal with what is probably your main concern first. The avast icon is just the interface to on-access scanner and menu selections for settings, on-demand scans, etc. a pain in the rear but not directly related to protection.

Check Task Manager and look for the avast processes, they begin with ash or asw, what do you have running (see image) ?

Do you have teatimer running in Spybot S&D as this could be removing the resident protection or if the option exists to exclude ashDisp.exe from detection. Is the AdAware the free or paid for option, if paid then AdWatch could be the issue. If none of those then any of the most common security programs listed below ?

As a temporary measure until this is resolved you can create a desktop shortcut for this file C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashDisp.exe (the avast icon and interface to the providers).  Right click on the file and select Send To, Desktop (create shortcut). You will need to run this after each boot until the problem is resolved.

What other security based software do you have that might block new startup entries, e.g. SpySweeper, Spyware Doctor (StartUpGuard), PrevX, WinPatrol, ProcessGuard, etc. ?

[aussie7]

I will deal with what is probably your main concern first. The avast icon is just the interface to on-access scanner and menu selections for settings, on-demand scans, etc. a pain in the rear but not directly related to protection.

Check Task Manager and look for the avast processes, they begin with ash or asw, what do you have running (see image) ?

In Taskmanager I have the following running
ashwebsv.exe
ashserv.exe
ashmaisv.exe
aswupdsv.exe

Do you have teatimer running in Spybot S&D as this could be removing the resident protection or if the option exists to exclude ashDisp.exe from detection. Is the AdAware the free or paid for option, if paid then AdWatch could be the issue. If none of those then any of the most common security programs listed below ?

SpyBot S&D Teatimer is not on

As a temporary measure until this is resolved you can create a desktop shortcut for this file C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashDisp.exe (the avast icon and interface to the providers).  Right click on the file and select Send To, Desktop (create shortcut). You will need to run this after each boot until the problem is resolved.

What other security based software do you have that might block new startup entries, e.g. SpySweeper, Spyware Doctor (StartUpGuard), PrevX, WinPatrol, ProcessGuard, etc. ?

Only running SpyBot S&D + Adawre on this PC

I found a way to get ashdisp.exe to start on bootup and now have the icons (i & a) in system tray (bottom right)

Click on start > settings > taskbar & start menu > start menu > customise > advanced > all users > start menu > programs > startup > paste (ashdisp.exe) shortcut into this folder

Seems to load on each user account

Thanks for the help

[DavidR]

No problem, welcome to the forums.

My shortcut for the desktop was a temp measure as I said, hoping that we could find the cause and avoid the next step (which you found) or creating the registry key to have it as a Run entry.

[Lisandro]

@ avast team:

Will it be that difficult to add a routine on the repair function (Control Panel > Add/Remove programs) that repair the avast installation including the registry key that starts ashdisp.exe ... I don't think so and this will be a 'repair' as the name says and not a 'partial' repair as it is now. Please, consider.

[DavidR]

I would second that, however, if the missing icon is caused by a piece of third party security (such as that mentioned above) then the repair will last a very short time, at most until the next boot when it will be deleted again.

I don't know what would be more frustrating, a repair that restores the icon only for it to disappear again (probably blame avast) or having the problem and finding the cause, rectifying it and laying the blame where it rightly belongs in most cases other security software.