Avast at startup (Resolved)

[xpphil]

Hello,
Maybe a useless question but I found nothing about this point in FAQ nor forum.
When I start my XP Pro, the avast icon only appears about 30 seconds after the web connexion icon (bottom right). Does that mean I'm not protected till the Avast icon appears or not? If I'm not how can I have Avast start before?
Thanks (I have free version of Avast)


Question peut-être inutile mais je n'ai rien trouvé à ce propos ni dans FAQ ni ds le forum.
Quand j'ouvre XP, l'icone de connexion internet apparait bien 30 secondes avant celle d'Avast (en bas à droite). Suis-je quand même protégé pendant ces 30 secondes? Si non comment faire démarrer Avast avant le lancement de la connexion?
J'ai la version Avast gratuite pour le moment.
D'avance merci.

[DavidR]

The avast tray icon is an integral part of the avast protection, but an interface to the program settings, etc.

Avast should be running fairly soon after boot so you should be being protected, though why it isn't appearing for some time after boot isn't normal. I have XP Pro and it is one of the first icons I see displayed in the tray.

How do you connect to the internet, dial-up or broadband ?
What other security applications do you have installed (firewall, anti-spyware, etc.) ?

You can check the Task Manager and you should see avastSvc.exe, the main avast process that controls the avast shields and scanning. You may also see avastUI.exe, that is the avast user interface process and what loads the avast tray icon. Are both of these displayed in the task manager early in the boot process (check before the avast tray icon appears) ?

[drummerman]

Strange, I dont want to hijack this thread but I only have one Avast process running according to the taskmanager. That is
AvastUI.exe*32.

I run Windows 7 64bit (and as per original poster, the Avast tray icon is without fail the last item to load, sometimes taking quite a while ...

Is that right?

[DavidR]

Win7 task manager displays things differently, so you have to look at other tabs.

Edit: just check my win7 netbook and you have to look in the Services tab for the avast! Antivirus (avastSvc.exe), but you should also see it in the processes tab, but my win7 is 32bit so I don't know if that is the difference.

[xpphil]

Thanks DavidR
Checked taskmanager after start up: Both avast progs you say are on the list. They have a "normal" (in french) priority. Tried to rise it but I don't have acces to change them.
Do you think it would help to rise it and do you now how?

[DavidR]

You're welcome.

The normal priority is fine, I don't know if it is a windows issue not being able to change the priority or the avast self-defence module blocking it.

[xpphil]

Ok thanks again DavidR
But I still don't know if avast protects me during the short period before it's icon appears.

[DavidR]

The icon itself has nothing to do with the avast protection, it gives access to the avastUI (User Interface) changing the priority on the task manager (even if it were possible) wouldn't bring it up any sooner.

What I suggest you do is take a long critical look at what programs actually run on startup, many want to run on startup but aren't really needed that soon, media players are one such instance, they aren't needed until you actually click on a media file and that will open the program anyway.

You didn't actually answer the questions I asked before as these can have a major impact on your boot time and when the avast icon appears.

How do you connect to the internet, dial-up or broadband ?
What other security applications do you have installed (firewall, anti-spyware, etc.) ?

[xpphil]

Sorry
My connection commes thru ADSL (that's the french name but guess you'll understand) via SFR (a "fournisseur d'acces" like Orange) so no dialing.
Otherwise I only have Avast  and Windows firewall.

[xpphil]

Further information
I just checked. I had Malwarebyte installed (used once for a virus search about a year ago) but not running and with no auto start. I didn't appear in the taskmanager. I uninstalled it to make sure.

[DavidR]

MBAM (MalwareBytes) shouldn't be an issue, even if it was the Pro version and running. The windows firewall in XP has zero outbound protection, so that shouldn't be an issue either.

Does your ADSL (broadband connection) start automatically or do you have to start it ?

Though I honestly can't get the link between the the avast tray icon not appearing until 30 after your broadband connection is established, as essentially the avastUI.exe file isn't dependant on having a connection available.

Whilst this may seem unrelated as it is about Updates, check the avastUI, Settings, Updates, Proxy Settings and ensure that you have Direct Connection (no proxy) checked.

How long have you been using avast and has this tray icon problem always been the same ?
What CPU (processor) and how much RAM (memory) does this system have ?

[xpphil]

Yes My ADSL starts automatically
concerning connection settings,  "use system proxy parameters" was checked. I replaced it by "no proxy" That was on my firefox. I'll check in IE.
I use Avast since feb 2011 and I only have this problem of Avast icon appearing late since 2 or 3 months.

Processor is Intel(R) Celeron(R) CPU 2.80GHz with RAM 1Go

[DavidR]

The Proxy settings I'm talking about aren't those in the Browser settings, but those in the avast Settings (see image) essentially if you don't use a proxy to connect to the internet, those in your browser/s wouldn't have one set.

With your Intel Celeron processor boot time might put it under load 1GB of RAM should be fine on XP unless you have lots of programs run on startup; but I still don't understand how that would stop the avast tray icon from loading until after your connection is established. For many years I had dial-up and I didn't switch it on until needed and that didn't stop the avast tray icon from loading.

Try a repair of avast:
XP - Add Remove programs, select 'avast! Anti-Virus,' click the Change/Remove button and select Repair, click next and follow.

[xpphil]

Ok I also checked non use of proxy in Avast settings.
I made the repair of Avast as you said. result: Avast icon appears sooner but still after connexion.
I used bootvis to see what it said. I enabled disk caching and ran bootvis optimizer. Boot time fell from 96 to 48 and complete process showed in bootvis fell from 154 to 98 or so. Avast icon appears a few seconds after connection. I think I'll go on with the disk caching though I've seen risks in case of power break.
I also unauthorized indexation of HDs.
I checked services launched during startup and found one named 9prop which starts my wifi connexion. I delayed its launching with "startup delayer". Now my startup is much faster and connexion comes after Avast icon appears.
This seemed to settle my problem. But next day things came back as before. Actually this 9prop program is not the one that launches the connexion. It's done by an other one I didn't identify yet. But maybe I won't have to as today, startup is very fast (about 10 seconds) and Avast comes in first. Don't ask me wy, I couldn't say. But things will be fine if they go on yhis way.
Any comments?
Anyway thanks for your attention ideas which led me to this point.

[DavidR]

You're welcome.

You have done a fine job of investigating where the conflict may lie, but these issues are rarely easy to pin down. This isn't something I've come across before in the forums (avast tray icon not appearing until after the connection), so I haven't any personal experience to fall back on to be any practical help.

Perhaps the bootvis optimiser takes a couple of boots before you are likely to see a change. The optimisation done by bootzis would also get reflected in the windows prefetch data as some of the programs being launched would have to refreshed in the prefetch data.