That is a Skype service. Try to update program or better yet uninstall and reinstall again.
Oh right! Only started happening after the Avast update. Must admit though when I start Skype the dialogue below comes up, I think since the merging of Windows Live Messenger and Skype (not sure I rarely used Skype before). It works ok once OK is pressed though v. slow.
Also the dialogue on closing down seems to have gone (I pressed Cancel to debug after which it closed cleanly).
I had intended to reinstall Skype due to the error below so I'll do that and see what happens. Thanks