Avast starting up on Desktop and in system tray

[Rodney S]

I've recently built a new PC using WinXP Pro.

When I log on, even as Administrator, Avast! logs on as it should w/ the little ball in the system tray, but also with an app on my desktop (I've got the Spiderman skin). 

I'd like to keep Avast! starting up at the time of Windows Log On as it was set when I installed it, but I want all of its activity to be represented only in the system tray.  I want to keep my desktop clean. 

This has never happened when I install Avast! on my other home PCs. 

Can someone help me out here?

[DavidR]

It hasn't happened to me either, can you post a screen shot of what app you see on the desktop. Check Start, Run, type msconfig and look at the Startup Tab and see if there is anything other than ashDisp.exe starting.

[Rodney S]

Basically, Avast! is opening in the system tray, and also opening on my desktop with an interface not unlike this:


At the same time, Avast! has it's icon placed in my system tray.  With previous installations of AVAST!, I've not had the desktop interface open by default.  I've looked around at my settings, but can't figure out how to make the desktop interface open by default.  In the past, the only time I see that interface is when I manually open it.

The application on my desktop will not close when the update is complete.  I must manually close the window.  When I close it by clicking on the "X", then Avast! keeps it's presence nice and neat in the system tray. 

[DavidR]

Well this is the simple user interface (on-demand scanner) and to access it normally you have to right click on the avast icon and click Start avast! Antivirus. This in effect launches ashSimpl.exe, are there any startup entries for this file.

When you say "also opening on my desktop with an interface not unlike this" what are the differences, can you post an exact copy if it is difficult to explain. Seeing the Removable Media  and other settings displayed on your image is strange as that would normally require some user interaction.

I can't see how this would be coming up unless you had somehow managed (or tried ) to schedule a scan on startup.

[Rodney S]

I'm not at my home PC, so I can't get a screenshot right now.

However, the interface that opens up is currently the default AVAST! skin, and it has the same functionality as the interface that I posted.

I'll double check to make sure I don't have anything set to scan at start up.  I don't think I did, I believe I let it set its own defaults when I installed it.  The only change I made was to "merge" the one icon (I forget what it does) with the main Avast! icon, but I've always done that. 

[DavidR]

Well it certainly isn't acting in a defaut way, perhaps it would be best to uninstall, reboot, install, reboot.

It would probably be best to download the latest version of avast (if it was some time ago when you downloaded it) and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again. Use that when you reinstall.

[Lisandro]

Well it certainly isn't acting in a defaut way, perhaps it would be best to uninstall, reboot, install, reboot.

Just a sugestion uninstall, reboot, use Avast Uninstall for complete uninstallation (read http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_uninstall_util.html), reboot, install, reboot.