Lost avast icons in taskbar

[unidyn]

System is WinXP SP1.  Upon returning to my computer last night, I was greeted with a message from an avast window that said avast needed to restart my computer for changes to take affect.  I presumed that the program received a program update versus a database update and rebooted.  Ever since then, avast no longer is in my startup taskbar at the bottom right.  I have no idea if active resident scanner is working or not.  The two blue round balls are always the first to start, now they are gone.  I've restarted again and they still do not appear.

What I can identify as set to run at startup is:

HKLM:Run     avast!     C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\AVAST4\ashDip.exe

It seems there used to be at least two if not three avast startup entries before.  I suspect a problem and would like to know what has happened to my active avast components, how to find what might be infecting my system and what to do to locate and eliminate it, as avast does not find anything at this point. Thank you for any help.

[mauserme]

Hi unidyn,

Are you running any other resident virus protection?  I had a situation where AVG was installed (not running) along with avast! and it made the VRDB icon, the one with the i, disappear.  Unistalling AVG solved the problem.

If this isn't the problem you could try repairing the installation.  Go to add/remove programs in the control panel and click on the change/remove button for avast!.  Repair will be one of the options.

Also, make sure you are not hiding inactive icons.  If the icons don't show up even at start up this is likely not the problem but worth checking anyway.

[mauserme]

You can also check out this link for information about something called the RejZor Avast External Control

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=14563.0

I haven't tried it myself but it is mentioned in many threads in this forum.

[unidyn]

Thanks mauserme for your reply 

I do not have another anti-virus program installed.  I will try the repair option you mentioned.  I was thinking of reinstalling the program, but your suggestion is less intensive and likely a better option to start with.  All my other icons appear, so nothing is hidden.  I can start the regular program and it works when manually activated.  I believe my real-time scanner just isn't installed anymore, or deactivated. 

I'm just afraid that something may have purposefully deactivated avast and/or has camoflouged itself from detection now.  I'm watching ZoneAlarm closely for any unusual activity too.  I'll certainly report back if I have a solution or reason for this so others may benefit also.  I'll also look into the link for RejZor, thanks for the resources!

[mauserme]

If you think you are infected you could try a non-resident scanner like Bitdefender as a back up to avast!  Since it only scans on demand it shouldn't cause any conflicts.  I use this in combination with avast! on 5 computers and haven't noticed any problems.

Anyway, if you download and scan with Bitdefender and also try a Trend Micro Housecall online scan you might be able to either identify the problem or ease your mind about being infected.  Follow these links:

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/bdfree.html

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

Wouldn't hurt to update Windows to Service Pack 2, either.

[mauserme]

I can start the regular program and it works when manually activated.

unidyn - if you can start the program do you get the user interface?  If so you can check your appearance settings.  Click on the upward pointing arrow at the top left corner, then click settings, appearance.  Make sure the box next to "Show avast!tray icon" is checked.  You might have to restart the program for the change to take effect.

[unidyn]

Ok, let's begin here.  I can start the interface just fine and I did check to make sure the box selecting "show avast! tray icon" was checked and was surprised it still was.  Rebooting and using the avast External Control program also did not help, but did allow me to do a boot time scan, which I did. Nothing showed up. So far all suggestions in the links provided have been tried and have not been able to solve the issue.  I will try the Trend Micro Housecall and Bitdefender as well.  It appears the other link for http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=14563.0 was addressing the same problem I'm having that someone else was too, but it didn't seem there was any resolution.  At least this isn't isolated, but if it was just a fluke, it's odd that it is so difficult to resolve, hence sensing something ominous must be onboard the system now. 

I will continue to try the new solutions you posted. I'm always open to options, and if I get it resolved, I'll post that immediately, otherwise I'm ready to try anything! Thanks again 

[mauserme]

Just to make sure, did you try to repair the installation yet?  If you did repair, were you on line at the time?

Try the Trend Micro and Bitdefender scans (make sure to get the free version of Bitdefender as this is the one that is non-resident).

You can also try running ashDisp manually.  Look for it in the C:\program files\alwil software\avast4  directory.  Double click it and see if that enables the icons.  If they appear after running this reboot and see if they stay put.

If the above doesn't work, try downloading the program again and uninstall/reinstall.

[Lisandro]

C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\AVAST4\ashDip.exe is the icon on system tray, if you manually execute it, clicking twice over it, won't the icon appear?

All my other icons appear, so nothing is hidden.

Are you sure it's not hidden by Windows (not active) in system tray?

[unidyn]

Just to make sure, did you try to repair the installation yet?  If you did repair, were you on line at the time?

Yes, did it earlier as suggested and was connected to the internet. The process seemed to go fine, but it did not resolve the issue.

Try the Trend Micro and Bitdefender scans (make sure to get the free version of Bitdefender as this is the one that is non-resident).

Yes. I was running Bitdefender last night and it was completed this morning. I see that it showed it did a scan for yesterday, but the program was closed (maybe after it concluded) and the little red icon was no longer in the taskbar until reopened the program. I have no indication if it found anything or not. I would think the program would still show the splash screen at the end of the scan, showing its conclusion, but there was nothing there. That seemed odd but then again it may just work that way.

C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\AVAST4\ashDip.exe is the icon on system tray, if you manually execute it, clicking twice over it, won't the icon appear?

I did execute this in one of the steps mauserme suggested. I was ner able to open it and received an error when I tried. I figured the file was corrupt. At that point I decided it was time to uninstall (using the proper unistall utility from avast). I reinstalled avast and there were still no icons in the task bar. I tried to manually execute ashDip.exe and it didn't work. The only plausible explanation is that something is circumventing it. I finally uninstalled it and then went to the Trend Micro and BitDefender route. After BitDefender ran, I felt I needed to install "something" for protection (BitDefender free does not do realtime scanning) so I installed the EZ Armor program that my cable company provides free for cable users. I haven't done a scan with that yet and am unsure it will show anything if I do. I'd like to have avast back, but something has circumvented my system into not allowing it to run realtime. Even a boot-time scan using the Avast External Control program showed nothing, but that may be because avast had been rendered ineffective in dealing with it at that point. I may likely have something or not, but on't want to feformat and reinstall my OS, I have too much to pull off the computer first (which I'm working towards).

Just thought I'd give the most recent update. I appreciate the suggestions, thank you 

[mauserme]

unidyn,

Don't give up on this.

If Trend Micro, Bitdefener, and the avast! boot scan found nothing then I think you can relax about being infected, but I agree something is in conflict.  You can check Bitdefender' results by opening the program, click on the  Antivirus option on the left, then click the Quarantine tab at the top.  I suggested you run those scans more to set your mind at ease than because I thought there was a virus problem, so please don't rush into reformatting your drive. 

I could be wrong here but I think the problem is more with the display than the protection.  ie  I'm guessing avast was running but not telling you it was.  And I really don't see a strong indication of infection from what you've posted.  The reformat option should be used only as a last resort for an infection that can't be removed by other means, not to fix a program problem.

When you executed ashDisp.exe manually what error did you receive?  Do you get the same error now that you've reinstalled?  Can you post a screen shot?

I asked early on if you have any other antivirus programs installed and I understand you now have EZ Armor.  Besides EZ Armor (and Bitdefender) have you ever had any other anitvirus program on your machine.  eg Norton AV?  Sometimes leftovers from an old AV program can cause problems with a new one. 

When you installed EZ Armor did you uninstall avast! or are both still on your pc?

mauserme

[kirbalo]

I have the same problem, but I believe it's caused from a different issue.  I am in the process of updating my home, wife's, and kids computers from Norton Antivirus 2003 to Avast.  I also have put Avast on two new XP and one XP x64 installations, and all went perfect.  However, all of the computers that had Norton (I uninstalled first) won't install Avast properly.  Everything works fine, except, and after reading here, that AshDisp.exe won't load.  The installer doesn't put it into the "Run" key in the registry.  If I click on the .exe, the Taskbar icons load and I can utilize for that "boot run", but after I reboot, the icons don't re-appear, and I have to start all over.  I have removed every instance of anything related to "Norton" and "Symantec" in the registry.  Norton is notorious for leaving a lot of stuff behind after uninstalling...

I've tried to uninstall Avast, and re-install, but I can't get the installer to properly place ashdisp.exe into the "run" key...and thus a proper installation.

I can't believe that I'm the only one installing Avast after uninstalling Norton...

Any ideas?

[mauserme]

Hi kirbalo,

DavidR posted a link to some Norton removal utilities in this thread.

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=17123.0

If you try them let us know if they work.  This might be unidyn's solution too

[Lisandro]

Norton is notorious for leaving a lot of stuff behind after uninstalling...

Only the truth nothing more the truth...

I've tried to uninstall Avast, and re-install, but I can't get the installer to properly place ashdisp.exe into the "run" key...and thus a proper installation.

Did you try to manually create the registry key?

I can't believe that I'm the only one installing Avast after uninstalling Norton...

Of course you're not... we all survivals of Norton attack 

[Lisandro]

I was ner able to open it and received an error when I tried.

Maybe you can post a screenshot as asked before...

I figured the file was corrupt. At that point I decided it was time to uninstall (using the proper unistall utility from avast).

The proper uninstallation process is through Control Panel > Add/Remove programs and only after that using the avast tool.

Even a boot-time scan using the Avast External Control program showed nothing, but that may be because avast had been rendered ineffective in dealing with it at that point.

I don't think so, if avast runs and detects nothing it's working, nothing is circunventing it at that time...