Latest update (17.5.2302) systray icon missing [UPDATE]

[JLJ-o-matic]

[UPDATE: as I had feared, Avast services refused to load at all this morning, and as I write this it has been removed again, and I'll be switching to another product unless/until this glitch is found/fixed. If any developers are reading this, it may be related to multiple user accounts and/or admin vs standard accounts on a single machine, because things appeared to work normally under the Admin account, all the problems affected the standard account under which I run at all times except when installing software. Also please see my second post below.]

Windows 7 x64 Home Premium - Avast Free 17.2.2302 (build 17.2.3559.0)

After updating from whatever the last version was, I encountered the embarrassing "UI failed to start" error, so I uninstalled using AvastClear, rebooted and reinstalled. Happened again, uninstalled again, re-downloaded both the full and stub installers just in case, reinstalled. Happened again. Third time was the charm.

BUT I have no Avast systray icon. The sevices all seem to be running, and the icon appears and behaves normally once I click the desktop shortcut, but that ain't right. I have checked every setting in Avast, I have checked my systray customizations, I have used CCleaner to delete the tray notification cache and I have repaired and rebooted more times than I care to think about -- nada nothing nohow, I am iconless. I've even tried turning it off and on again.

This is not only a PITA but something that leaves me with an uncertain feeling Avast may not be working properly in all other respects -- though it claims to be. Searched the forum here, saw nothing, and now I'm at a loss. Would LOVE not to have to un/re/install a fourth time in one day.

Any ideas appreciated; further details as requested.

THX

[Asyn]

Repair Avast:
1. Control Panel -> Add/Remove programs -> Avast
2. Click on 'Repair'.
3. Follow instructions.
4. Reboot.

[Cast]

Have you tried a few reboots? Mine kept saying it needed to be updated still even after I had rebooted twice. Booted it today and everything appeared normal.

[JLJ-o-matic]

I'll tell you what would help me, since I know Avast refuses to make prior version installers available: a friend has v 17.4.2294 installed under the same OS as mine --that was the last version that worked for me.  There is a very large (450MB+) subfolder titled SETUP in her main program folder -- it contains an instance of instup.exe -- if I copy that entire folder, will I be able to install that version on my machine? Seems the likeliest place for the files used in a repair but I don't want to risk any more problems. ? THX

[mchain]

TBH, a defensive strategy against situations such as this one will pay dividends in the long run:  https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

If already in place, recovery is simple and can be done in less than twenty minutes. 

So, if you want to try your own strategy, or if it fails or goes wrong despite everything, easy to recover back to where you were.

Where you were was running just fine on the previous installation, and now the new one isn't working satisfactorily.

[JLJ-o-matic]

TBH, a defensive strategy against situations such as this one will pay dividends in the long run:  https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

Thanks - I already use Acronis True Image to manage regular system drive backups. Alls I wanna do is revert to Avast 17.4.2994 so I don't have to give up on this product entirely. It's a strange decision, corporate-relations-wise, not allowing reversion / previous installer downloads when problems occur -- I assume they think it will save users from themselves, but in fact it's saving users from the inevitable problems that occur across a gadzillion different Windows setups.

Avast is basically driving me to the competition, and that will include no longer being able to recommend it to others. Oh well. C'est la guerre.

[DavidR]

I'll tell you what would help me, since I know Avast refuses to make prior version installers available: a friend has v 17.4.2294 installed under the same OS as mine --that was the last version that worked for me.  There is a very large (450MB+) subfolder titled SETUP in her main program folder -- it contains an instance of instup.exe -- if I copy that entire folder, will I be able to install that version on my machine? Seems the likeliest place for the files used in a repair but I don't want to risk any more problems. ? THX

To answer this question, unfortunately it is a NO, the setup folders contents are more about validation against corruption and to be able to repair a broken installation. It isn't the complete installetion.

The instup.exe file is used to check for updates generally this is going to be VPS updates, but it can be used for other things. However, the crucial factor that it does this on-line and it would download the latest version of avast as that is all that would be on the avast update servers.

For program updates (I have mine set to Ask or Manual), I almost always do a drive image before the program update, so going back isn't going to effect other programs/OS that may have been updated recently. I also save my current program settings and download the Full off-line installation file (even if I use the avastUI to update the program) and keep that for a while.

Whilst this may seem onerous, I do this for all major program updates and before doing a windows update.