Outlook Sub System Not Starting

[Lisandro]

I am running Outlook 2002. I have tried repairing and/or uninstalling Avast Anti-Virus numerous times and the Outlook/Exchange provider keeps waiting for a sybsystem to start. Outlook is open and running, but the subsystem never starts.

I suppose the plugin is non disabled into Outlook items...
Which other items are activated? Did you use any other antivirus in the past?

[larlyles]

The Avast plugin isn't even listed in Outlook > Tools > Options > Other > Advanced Options > Add-In Manager. The only items that are listed there are 'Redemption Helper Outlook Extension' and 'Exchange Extensions property pages'. Both of them have check marks in the checkboxes to the left of them. As far as the Avast Anti-Virus On-Access Protection Control, all 6 of the other providers are running, and seem to always be running. It is just the Outlook/Exchange provider that isn't running, regardless of whether Outlook is open and running or not. The Avast plugin showed up for a while in the Outlook plugin list on my wife's computer, but then without me doing anything to cause it to, it just disappeared and has never showed up again. Outlook was running and I was looking in the Add-In Manager location where the Outlook plugins are listed, trying to find a clue why it wasn't running on my computer, when it just disappeared from the list of plugins and I can't get it back. Under Help > About Microsoft Outlook > Disabled Items in Outlook, there are no disabled items listed on either computer. It appears that this Avast Outlook/Exchange plugin is very, very touchy on our Vista machines running Outlook 2002.

[larlyles]

I forgot to answer your question as to whether I used any anti-virus in the past. Yes, I was running the McAfee Security Suite, but I disabled their firewall because I could never get it to allow me to see the other computers on my home network. My ISP began providing this security suite free of charge as a service to their customers. I really didn't like the McAfee Security Suite because it was a resource hog and slowed down opening programs and loading webpages. I had completely uninstalled the McAfee Security Suite before installing Avast Anti-Virus.

[Lisandro]

I had completely uninstalled the McAfee Security Suite before installing Avast Anti-Virus.

This article provides the steps to remove SecurityCenter from your computer.
http://ts.mcafeehelp.com/faq3.asp?docid=71525

If you need, you can find many free versions of these registry cleaners here:
http://www.snapfiles.com/Freeware/system/fwregtools.html

Sometimes, McAfee won't be completely removed if, before, you do not uninstall Avast, including the use of its "Uninstall Application" if necessary (www.avast.com/eng/faq-install-uninstall-avast.html).

After uninstalling both, you can install avast again.

[larlyles]

I am running Vista Home Ultimate. The article about removing McAfee Security Suite applied to Windows 2000 and Windows XP. However, I had already removed it using the Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel. I checked in Program Files and ProgramData to see if there were any McAfee folders and files left in either location. I found several in ProgramData and deleted them. I had already previously gone into the Registry and searchd for any references to McAfee. I didn't find any. One other thing that I remembered is that my computer came with a trial version of Symantec's Norton Internet Security Suite installed. I had previously uninstalled it, but I went into the Registry and searched for any references to Norton and deleted all of them that were found. I then ran Registry First Aid to remove any unnecessary registry and/or unassociated registry entries. Then I uninstalled Avast Anti-Virus. After rebooting, I went into the Registry and searched for any references to Avast and deleted all of them that were found. Then after all this, I reinstalled Avast Anti-Virus and rebooted. Then I opened up Outlook 2002 and checked in Avast Anti-Virus to see if the Outlook/Exchange provider was running. It shows that it is still waiting for a subsystem to start. It is still not listed under Tools > Options > Other > Advanced Options > Add-In Manager. So I am exactly where I was when I first posted. I cannot get the Outlook/Exchange addin to run, even when Outlook is open and running. I really thought that your latest suggestions might solve my problem, but the didn't work. This Outlook/Exchange provider addin is just very, very touchy on my, and my wife's, Vista computers running Outlook 2002. Thanks for every thing you have suggested. If you have any more ideas, I will be glad to try them also.

[Lisandro]

I remembered is that my computer came with a trial version of Symantec's Norton Internet Security Suite installed. I had previously uninstalled it, but I went into the Registry and searched for any references to Norton and deleted all of them that were found. I then ran Registry First Aid to remove any unnecessary registry and/or unassociated registry entries.

I never manage to uninstall Norton from Vista systems (thanks God!).
But you can search Symantec site for a proper uninstall tool to be run after you use Add/Remove programs from Control Panel.
Indeed, remains of McAfee + Norton are the worst thing for an email plugin to work...

It is still not listed under Tools > Options > Other > Advanced Options > Add-In Manager.

So it's not proper installed.
Check Control Panel > Add/remove programs > avast > Change/Remove, then in the window that popup choose Change option and see if the plugin is set to be installed.

[larlyles]

The Outlook/Exchange provider addin has been checked every time I have installed, repaired, or changed the Avast Anti-Virus program. It never shows up in the Outlook addin list after isntalling, repairing, or changing the Avast Anti-Virus installation. I don't know why, but it is never there. But, as I stated in an earlier post, it was there for a while on my wife's computer, but then it disappeared for no reason and I haven't been able to get it back. It doesn't show to be a disabled item in Outlook. I don't have any idea why, after everything that I have tried, it still does not show up in Outlook addins. If it would show up there, it would run when Outlook was open.

[Lisandro]

Larlyles, it will be good if anyone from Alwil team, maybe Vojtech, maybe Kubecj, could help us on this one...
I can't go further, it's beyond my knowledge... Sorry.

[larlyles]

I appreciate all your help. This really is a difficult problem to solve.