avastui.exe does not fully start with Avast 9

[BuggleUp]

Windows 7/x64, Avast 8 had no apparent issues, Comodo is installed with only firewall active (have tried disabling)

When starting computer, avast does not appear in the notification area (have tried waiting for up to 20 minutes).  Trying to manually scan a file gets the error message that avast UI process is not currently running, but task manager does show avastui.exe running from the installation directory.  Trying to launch it again from file manager or start menu does nothing.  If I kill the process using Process Hacker, it is immediately relaunched by AvastSvc.exe and after this, everything runs normally (get icon in notification area, can scan files, bring up UI).  But at the next restart it's not working again.

I have tried uninstalling through control panel and with the removal tool in safe mode.  Have only scanned with Malwarebytes and a quick avast scan that occurs after install (may try a few others).

I'll probably go back to 8 for a while before I give up Comodo, but was wondering if there were any known issues which may be causing this.

[Phenoman]

Hey i have a fix for your issue check out my thread
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=137353.0

[BuggleUp]

Thanks, but I don't think it's the same issue and when the problem is occurring, I can't get into the UI to to make changes to begin with.

[Phenoman]

Try to disable avast from right clicking it in the taskbar and enable from the taskbar

[BuggleUp]

There is nothing to click on when the problem is active.

[Phenoman]

I see you tried uninstalling have you tried to use repair mode or a clean install without comodo?

[DavidR]

There is nothing to click on when the problem is active.

Do you have comodo defence + or its HIPS (whatever it is called enabled ?
If so try disabling that.

Does the comodo firewall allow full 'trusted' status to avastui.exe (as this would have changed in the avast 9.0 update ?
If it does, try deleting the avastui.exe entry and reboot, hopefully this would force comodo to ask permission. You would obviously have to have comodo settings to Ask rather than take autonomous action.

Does comodo have a learning/training mode setting ?
If so try enabling that and see if it subsequently allows it.

Aside from MBAM do you have any other security programs ?

Sorry that's me for the night, 1:50am here in the UK.

[BuggleUp]

-uninstalled Comodo
-uninstalled MBAM
-deactivated windows defender (no more installed security programs)
-uninstalled a few 'disc related driver' programs for the hell of it (sandboxie, shadow defender, intel rapid storage technology)
-ran McAfee Labs Stinger (nothing found)
-ran removal tool again from safe mode
-reinstalled
-same issue as before
-tried repair install
-tried disabling deep scan, reputation services, software updater, and shields then rebooting
-still same issue... avastui.exe will load but apparently gets 'stuck' somehow when initializing... killing the process with ProcessHacker and then reloading it (if AvastSVC.exe doesn't do it automatically) gets everything up and running normally (as  far as I can tell). 

[DavidR]

This is weird, having got rid of programs that may possibly have had an interaction with the avastui.exe file, I would have expected it to appear.

Since it didn't I would have suspected some form of corrupt installation, but a clean reinstall should have taken care of that.

I'm at a bit of a loss as to what else to suggest, I just wonder if delaying it slightly might help. Try this from the avastUI (I know, when loaded) > Settings > Troubleshooting and check the 'Load avast! services only after loading other system services'  option.

[BuggleUp]

Try this from the avastUI (I know, when loaded) > Settings > Troubleshooting and check the 'Load avast! services only after loading other system services'  option.

Thanks for the input and suggestions.  I tried the delay option, but it didn't work so I undid the change.  On a hunch, I uninstalled VirtualBox in case the 'network' it creates was causing avast to hiccup.  It either didn't work or I didn't wait long enough, but after reinstalling VirtualBox and rebooting yet again, avast seems to be back to normal.  Whether it was indeed something with VirtualBox or something else or simply voodoo, I have no idea but for the past three reboots avast has loaded fine.  Hopefully it stays this way.

Thanks again.

[DavidR]

You're welcome.

Thanks for the input on VirtualBox, it isn't something I have used so I'm not to familiar with how it and avast might interact.

[BuggleUp]

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