Startup failing

[Nick W]

On one of my laptops (win xp pro, all updates) at startup Avast (IS latest version) fails to load fully (no icon in the sustem tray, though the process is shown as started in MSconfig), and is preventing other startup apps (Ghost, Dropbox, HP Print monitor etc) from starting as well. Outlook opens but I cannot open mails for reading. On shutdown the system hangs showing just the wallpaper.

If I uninstall AIS everything else works fine.

I have also deployed aswclear.exe mutiple times in safe mode. Whenever I reinstall it wors fine until a reboot when I get the same problems.

My other laptop, with pretty much the same setup, is fine.

Help!

[Asyn]

- OS..?? (32/64 Bit..? - which SP..?)
- Other security related software installed..??

[Nick W]

Win XP pro with all updates 32 bit
None

[Asyn]

1. Download avast! Internet Security: http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/avast_internet_security_setup.exe
2. Follow instructions: http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility (Run this tool for all prior installed avast! versions..!!)
3. Reinstall avast! with the downloaded installer from point 1.
4. Reboot.

[Nick W]

I have done all that already. Many times.

[Asyn]

I have done all that already. Many times.

Please try it again and follow the instructions precisely..!!!

[Nick W]

I have done that - again. Still getting the same problems. With AIS installed nothing works. Even opening the Run... window takes minutes. Services appear to be running but show no UI in the toolbar, IE does not open etc. etc. etc.

I have removed AIS again (safe mode using aswclear.exe, btw the button in this is labelled "uninstall" not "remove")  and everything else is running properly again.

Please tell me I'm not going to have to rebuild the system.

[Asyn]

Try this:

1. avast! GUI -> Settings -> Troubleshooting -> Enable: "Load avast! services only after other system services"
2. Click OK.
3. Reboot.

[Nick W]

Well that gives some improvement.

On the plus side Outlook and other apps now respond in real time.

However none of the services (though showing as running in MSConfig) show up in the toolbar, including AIS.

EDIT: System shutdown still moves glacially.

EDIT 2: Oh, and the Avast AntiSpam toolbar is not available in Outlook, even after I manually start AIS.

[Asyn]

Oh, and the Avast AntiSpam toolbar is not available in Outlook, even after I manually start AIS.

Read here: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?msg=804553

[Nick W]

Outlook 2k3. It's not that the addin is disabled, it isn't even avaiable.

When I've got a few spare hours I'm going to try reparing Win XP.

[Nick W]

Repairing windoze fixed it.

Thank goodness I didn't have to do a complete new install from the ground up.

[MagrothM]

I've got the same problem, but none of the above fixes work. I even tried to disable Avast on boot and was going to manually start it after that, didn't work either (strangely). Maybe I didn't disable it the right way. Anyway, I got tired of it and uninstalled it. Will use some other AV for a while. It's a real shame since I've really liked Avast for many years now.