Suggestion: need way to stop ALL services/processes

[beerslayer]

Hi again,

One thing I notice is that avast! 4 does not offer me any convenient way to stop *all* of its processes.  During normal operation on my system, there seem to be four or five avast!-related processes running:

• ashDisp.exe (App - actually, tray icon)
• ashMaiSv.exe (App)
• ashserv.exe (Service)
• ashSimpl.exe (App, present only if console window is open)
• aswUpdSv.exe (Service)

"Exit" from the console's context menu only quits ashSimpl.exe, leaving the other four running.

"Stop On-Access Protection and Exit" from the tray icon's context menu does not actually quit *any* of these processes (bug? or design? I'm using v4.1.268).  All it does is change the icon to have a red circle/slash on it, and presumably inactivates (but does not actually terminate) the services.

I would like an option in the tray context menu to disable, terminate, and unload all avast! 4 processes/services from memory, so that they are not executing in any form.

If this is not possible, or there's a good reason not to do this that I haven't thought of, the next best thing would be a shortcut in the Start menu to an app which shuts down all the services in that same manner.

Fortunately, I can fudge a batch file to do all this (and I have).  But, come on, I really shouldn't *have* to... and many users may not know how to do this.  There ought to be a simple way to unload avast! 4 from the system.

-- Jeff
-- aka The Beerslayer

[mantra]

i use taskinfo to stop providers

what kind of batch did u made?
can u post here?

[Vlk]

beerslayer, ashServ.exe and aswUpdSv.exe are indeed system services, and as such, can (and ought to) be controlled via the OS's built-in capabilities (namely the Services applet of the Administrative Tools in Control Panel, or, alternatively, by the net start/stop command-line program).

ashDisp.exe is, as you figured out, just the tray icon - if you don't like it, you can kill it... This process is actually responsible for all UI of the resident modules, including the virus alerts, updating windows etc... (the services never display anything, they "don't interact with the desktop" in MS tech parlance).

ashMaiSv.exe is the only exception. It's the mail protection proxy. It's able to work as a service as well, but this is not the case by default.
This process is only needed if you use the mail (SMTP/POP3/IMAP4) proxy. Whether it auto-starts with the OS or not is determined by a check box in the Mail Protection Wizard.

Anyway, I appreciate your care. It seems that you have quite carefully examined avast's workings and your suggestions could make the program better (if you have any specific suggestions/needs/reqs, just tell us)...

Thanks,
Vlk

[beerslayer]

I don't want to post the whole thing here because it's way too long - I build lots of error checking into my batch files.  However, the basics of its operation are:

• use the command 'net stop <service>' on the services "avast! Antivirus" and "avast! iAVS4 Control Service"
• kill "ashDisp.exe" and "ashMaiSv.exe" (using the 'kill' command from the NT resource kit, which you'd have to have installed.)

Note that this will probably only work under flavors of Windows NT (NT4, 2000, XP), since the 'net stop' command and services in general work differently under DOS-based versions of Windows (95, 98, Me).

Note also that if ashMaiSv.exe is made into a service in future versions, as discussed in another topic on this forum, you would use 'net stop <service>' on it as well.

This is essentially a hack.  I provide no guarantee that it will work for anyone but me.  If you blow up your computer trying, I'm not responsible.  Don't bother suing me; I'm using free software - what does that tell you about my financial situation?   ;D

Again, I don't feel like I *should* have to hack this to make it work... there should be some built-in, safely tested method for accomplishing the same thing.

-- Jeff
-- aka The Beerslayer

[Lisandro]

The basics of its operation are:

• use the command 'net stop <service>' on the services "avast! Antivirus" and "avast! iAVS4 Control Service"
• kill "ashDisp.exe" and "ashMaiSv.exe" (using the 'kill' command from the NT resource kit, which you'd have to have installed.)

Thanks beerslayer.
The user could take a look at AutoIt (the best Macro maker for Windows, I guess) at the links of http://www.avast.com/forum/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=834;start=new

With some experience, the user could kill services and applications as well  ;D

[beerslayer]

I have a feeling I'll be making periodic visits to this forum... been here barely 24 hours and already learned of two new utilities (and I thought I knew them all already): AutoIt and regDatXP... I may not use AutoIt for this particular task, but it looks like it will come in handy for lots of other stuff.

From a confirmed "utilityholic"... thanks!  

-- Jeff
-- aka The Beerslayer

[Lisandro]

I may not use AutoIt for this particular task, but it looks like it will come in handy for lots of other stuff.
From a confirmed "utilityholic"... thanks!  

Why can´t you use AutoIt for it?
Thanks for the "utilityholic"  

[beerslayer]

Why can´t you use AutoIt for it?

I didn't say I "couldn't"... I probably could, if I were willing to go to the trouble to redo what I've already successfully done as a batch file...  

-- Jeff
-- aka The Beerslayer

p.s. Actually, I was calling myself a "utilityholic"... but feel free to call yourself one too if you like... no royalties necessary!  

[Lisandro]

Why can´t you use AutoIt for it?

I didn't say I "couldn't"... I probably could, if I were willing to go to the trouble to redo what I've already successfully done as a batch file...  

-- Jeff
-- aka The Beerslayer

p.s. Actually, I was calling myself a "utilityholic"... but feel free to call yourself one too if you like... no royalties necessary!  

Thanks for your explanations Beerslayer...
Your sense of humor makes me laught