Shell extension missing

[REDACTED]

I've been using avast for years, and I rarely need to scan individual files, but on rare occasions I do - and each time I have noticed that avast does not appear to offer a right-click context menu (from windows explorer). How inconvenient, I thought.
After years of that, today I could finally be bothered to actually look into the matter --- and as it turns out I was wrong. Avast DOES have that functionality. IN THEORY.
It just never ever showed up for me, as far as I recall.

I have attached some screenshots (regedit and avast settings; also my current right-click context menu for the .zip file I wanted to scan).
Maybe this will help you shed some light on the issue. Let me know what other info I can provide.


Steps taken so far:
"Clean" uninstall of avast (i.e. Windows reboot in safe mode and using avastclear.exe)
then reinstall
- no effect


My System
OS: Windows 7 Pro x64
Avast version: (FREE) 17.5.2303 (build 17.5.3585.203)

Thanks in advance.

//edit: I just noticed something else interesting in this context:
The "Scan" option shows up when I right-click a file in the "open file" dialogue of other programs (such as winamp, Trados Studio, ...) what the..?
//edit#2: while I'm here, the captcha in this forum is terrible. 4 attempts minimum each time.

[Asyn]

//edit#2: while I'm here, the captcha in this forum is terrible. 4 attempts minimum each time.

Only needed for your first 3 posts. (Spam protection)

[bob3160]

Which file were you trying to scan that didn't show the Avast contest memu scan

[REDACTED]

Which file were you trying to scan that didn't show the Avast contest memu scan

In this case it was a .zip, but the "Scan" item does not show up for ANY file type i've tried.
Not when I do it in a Windows Explorer window, that is.

As I've added above, it DOES show up if I open up certain applications that have their own "open file" menu. I've added a couple more screenshots to illustrate this point. It works in Winamp 5.x and Microsoft Word 2007 and 2016; it does NOT work in Potplayer.

Could this have something to do with x64 Windows? I've had some issues with getting OLD programs (that were coded in Win XP days for example) to properly show up in Windows x64 context menus due to lack of support. Avast really shouldn't be in that category.....

[pk]

f.btz, I noticed "C:\Program Files\AVASTreinstall" folder path in your second screenshot -- is this path correct?

[REDACTED]

Yes. When I clean-reinstalled avast to try to fix this problem, I also used a different path, just in case.

[bob3160]

A clean install of Avast would probably solve the problem.
Installing into folders other than the default can sometimes cause problems.
If you do a clean install, don't forget to point avastclear to the correct folder.
Clean Install of Avast:
https://goo.gl/4Ptzkf
If you need additional help with the Clean Install, watch this:
https://youtu.be/p-h3myRD51A

[REDACTED]

A clean install of Avast would probably solve the problem.
Installing into folders other than the default can sometimes cause problems.
If you do a clean install, don't forget to point avastclear to the correct folder.
Clean Install of Avast:
https://goo.gl/4Ptzkf
If you need additional help with the Clean Install, watch this:
https://youtu.be/p-h3myRD51A

see above:

Steps taken so far:
"Clean" uninstall of avast (i.e. Windows reboot in safe mode and using avastclear.exe)
then reinstall
- no effect

I should point out, the previous installation was to the default folder. I only went custom folder on this reinstall.

[bob3160]

The advice would have been the same except I would have asked you to try a repair first and then
a clean install if the repair didn't work.

Repair Avast:
Control Panel> Program and Features (Add/remove program)>Select Avast> Select Repair. Reboot when completed
https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB204

[Eddy]

Remove avast completely before installing it again.
And yes this involves manually deleting folders/files/registry entries.

[bob3160]

Remove avast completely before installing it again.
And yes this involves manually deleting folders/files/registry entries.

Strange, I've done hundreds of clean installs. Using the Avast tool designed for that task has always been enugh
to complete the task.

[Eddy]

Although your method often is working, I've seen several systems where it was not enough.
Not to mention there will be many leftovers after using your method.

[bob3160]

Although your method often is working, I've seen several systems where it was not enough.
Not to mention there will be many leftovers after using your method.

Safer to have leftovers than to have someone remove the wrong registry entries and crash their system.
If you're an expert, you can remove Avast without it's removal tool. There are very few experts.