No Tray Icon

[Norm321]

I am working on a friends system that was infected and am making progress. avast would not run at first but I removed a bunch of spyware with Spybot Search and Destroy and I did get avast to run a boot scan and it did move a bunch of nasties to the virus chest. Now it still seems to be disabled as there is no icon in the tray in Windows. Comparing the program settings to mine all is the same. What do you suggest I do to get avast active. Thanks!!

[mouniernetwork]

Did you check if the processes were running ?
Perhaps a HJT Scan ?

Al968

[DavidR]

Now it still seems to be disabled as there is no icon in the tray in Windows. Comparing the program settings to mine all is the same. What do you suggest I do to get avast active.

The icon missing doesn't mean it is disabled, only that the icon (user interface) is missing. What avast processes are running in Task Manager, they begin with ash or asw ?

What other security based software do you have that might block new startup entries, e.g. Spybot S&D (TeaTimer), AdAware (AdWatch), SpySweeper, Spyware Doctor (StartUpGuard or OnGuard), PrevX, WinPatrol, ProcessGuard, etc. ?

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.

Check the option in the Appearance tab of Program Settings. Or Make a link to ashdisp.exe in your startup folder.

[Lisandro]

Which is your Windows? 98, Me, XP?
Do you use any other antivirus in your computer?

Can you try to repair your installation?
Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > avast! antivirus > Remove. Then choose Repair function in the popup window (Repair). You must be connected to the internet while repairing.

If this does not help, can you uninstall / boot / install / boot again?

[Norm321]

Sorry, it is a XP Media Center Edition.
No other AntiVirus is installed.
I will try a repair when I feel brave enough to hook it up to my network.

There are 4 processes running.

1. ashServ.exe
2. aswUpdSv.exe
3. ashWebSv.exe
4. ashMaiSv.exe

As far as other Security Software.

Spybot Search and Destroy(I installed this)
AVG Anti Spyware
AdAware SE
RougeRemover

I will try HijackThis just to see what's running too.

Thanks!!

[DavidR]

Check that you haven't got spybot's TeaTimer running as that can kill the ashdisp.exe entry and file without asking you. If it is running check to see if there is an entry ing quarantine, etc. for ashdisp.exe.

I assume that AdAware is the free version (?) that doesn't have AdWatch, so shouldn't be a problem.

Hijackthis will not shed any light on why the avast icon is missing, just the applications running, not what they do or if they removed the avast icon. Check the two likely culprits above.

If not those two then try the other options I mentioned.

[Norm321]

Thanks, I'll check the TeaTimer thing, but the icons were missing before I installed Spybot SD. AdAware is the free version. I have another more serious issue now. The computer is not booting just a black screen. That's what it was doing when I received it(the owner clicked on a popup that said it was a update for XP)and I thought it was the spyware but now am not so sure. I got it to boot about three times by trying a number of on and off tries. Now I can't get it to boot, nothing on the screen, just black. Crap :-(

[alanrf]

Norm - while I have every sympathy for the difficulty you face it reminds me of the advice I gave a old friend of mine last weekend who wants to join the list of folks I support and to fix his ailing machine.

To quote DavidR ... first do no harm ... and as I told my friend ... I will look at your system when you have performed a complete backup of the system.  I will not look at or change a system until that is done. 

I hope you have a backup in that old back pocket!

I very much doubt that Tea-Timer is the only culprit - I know it is not.  Beware of other security software - particularly the antispyware offerings - and even Windows Defender in full protection mode.  A number of these will kill the registry startup entry of avast given the chance.   

[Norm321]

Well the hardrive is OK, I pulled that out and hooked it up in a External USB enclosure and all that data was there. I got on with Gateway live chat and we did some troubleshooting. They had me pull the memory out and try to boot. No beeps, so they said the Motherboard was dead. Oh well, I tried!!