Can't access Avast! program directory anymore

[Oceanwaves]

Oceanwaves, THANKS!

You're welcome 

This explains it. The problem is, under Win2K, it looks like the built-in user/group names are localized (i.e. instead of "NT-AUTHORITY" the German version of Windows uses "NT-AUTORITÄT"). In Windows XP, this seems to be "fixed" (Windows recognizes the English names as well).

Looks like poor translation by Microsoft  Translating internal names isn't a very good idea.

So, it seems that the problem only occurs when ALL of the following conditions are true:

1. you are using Windows 2000
2. you are using non-English version of Windows
3. you installed avast in a folder different from the default (namely, to a folder that only had Everyone/FullControl access right, and nothing else).


Fortunately, the fix seems to be easy for us (not recognize accounts/groups by names).
However, since this seems to be a problem limited to quite a low number of users (see conditions above) I'm not sure if we will release a fix immediately... We'll talk about this.

That's disappointing  . I have to change the access rights every day (after Avast! updates its database).

I'm not going to switch to XP as long as Win2k is supported by MS and I will not switch to an English version for obvious reason. And Avast! is not installed to the default folder because I only have Win2k on C: and all data and applications on D:.

Oceanwaves

[mikla]

Oceanwaves, THANKS!

This explains it. The problem is, under Win2K, it looks like the built-in user/group names are localized (i.e. instead of "NT-AUTHORITY" the German version of Windows uses "NT-AUTORITÄT"). In Windows XP, this seems to be "fixed" (Windows recognizes the English names as well).

So, it seems that the problem only occurs when ALL of the following conditions are true:

1. you are using Windows 2000
2. you are using non-English version of Windows
3. you installed avast in a folder different from the default (namely, to a folder that only had Everyone/FullControl access right, and nothing else).


Fortunately, the fix seems to be easy for us (not recognize accounts/groups by names).
However, since this seems to be a problem limited to quite a low number of users (see conditions above) I'm not sure if we will release a fix immediately... We'll talk about this.


Thanks
Vlk

Hi!

I'm using Hungarian Win2000 SP4 and I also have to add Everybody with full access every day to the folder to be able to run avast.

The command that you requested gives me the following result after readding Everybody (=Mindenki):
C:\Documents and Settings\Rendszergazda>cacls "D:\Program files\Alwil Software\Avast4"
D:\Program files\Alwil Software\Avast4 Mindenki:(OI)(CI)F
                                       NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)F
                                       Mindenki:F
                                       Mindenki:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
                                       Mindenki:(OI)(CI)(IO)F

I have administrator rights on the machine and I also prefer to put only Windows into C: and everything else on D:... Oceanwaves is not the only one...

Desperately waiting for a quick solution!!!

Thanks, Mikla

[wonder75]

To what folder do i need to install avast to to fix this?

I tried
C:\Program Files\Alwil\Avast4

but the problem is still there.

My Windows standard "Program Files" folder is on D:
Does this error depend on the location of the WIndows "Programs" folder or is my path

C:\Program Files\Alwil\Avast4

the wrong one?

[DavidR]

The normal avast default folder is C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4 so you could try that. Although because of the way you have the the windows Program Files folder on a different drive, I'm not sure if this wouldn't also be classed as a custom folder, but worth a try.

[Vlk]

The work around is to add the following security entry to the FOLDER where you're installing avast (i.e. the parent folder of the avast folder):


Everyone/Read -- inheritable

(or, alternatively, Users/Read -- inheritable).


Thanks
Vlk

[wonder75]

Hey thanks, works now.

Great,
won75

[PinkPumpkin]

Hi,

I have the same problem!

Win2k SP4 on danish

I added Everyone to the security tab and I can start it but the service doesn't start:-/

Event log says it can't start becourse avast! Standard Shield Support is missing some files!

Is there a way to register this shield support like actSkin4.ocx and what file are we then talking about?

Thanks

p.s. You wrote you aren't gonna make a fix right away? I think you disqualify yourself if you don't!

[DavidR]

Try a repair of avast. Add Remove programs, select 'avast! Anti-Virus,' click the Change/Remove button and scroll down to Repair, click next and follow. You need to be on-line to do this.

About the "usigetskin failed" issue, if the avast! repair does not solve it:
You will have to register ACTSKIN4.OCX
Follow the instructions:

Select START -> RUN...
Enter the following command:
If you have Windows NT or 2000:
C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\REGSVR32.EXE ACTSKIN4.OCX

[PinkPumpkin]

Hi,

Yes thanks I have tried that but it's not the "failed" thing  I'm after!

The service aren't running cos the file for avast! Standard Shield Support is missing:-/

Can I manually register this one too?

Thanks

[Lisandro]

The service aren't running cos the file for avast! Standard Shield Support is missing:-/

The installation is messed...

1. Uninstall avast from Control Panel first.
2. Boot
3. Use Avast Uninstall for complete uninstallation (read http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_uninstall_util.html)
4. Boot
5. Install again by this command on the folder you've donwload and save the install file: setupeng.exe /forceinstall
    Where setupeng.exe is the name of the executable

[PinkPumpkin]

This is going totally wrong

Can't uninstall from Control Panel (gives error)

Used the Avast Uninstall and rebooted

Installed again with the /forceinstall parameter

After reboot no startupscan, no avast icon, no access to program folder (only SYSTEM has access), no aswmon2.sys file anywhere :'(

[Lisandro]

PinkPumpkin, this is very strange.
Are you sure you're trying to install the last version of avast that you download from avast site?
Are you installing in the default folder?

[PinkPumpkin]

Hi,

I'm downloading from: http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html so it should be the newest!

I'm installing in the default folder that it say but on a danish Win2k it's C:\Programmer\ and not C:\Program Files!

[Gswiss]

I had the same problem under W2k-sp4 but only when I opened Outlook 2000 (a crappy program which I only use for apointments) in French. At that point, the EVERYONE parameter would disappear from the Security tab and the Avast Directory would become inaccessible except for the Properties parameter.

Avast is on a different partition than Windows.

For the past 2 days, things appear to work fine, so maybe things were fixed in the meantime.

[Gswiss]

Correction - problem still around whenever I open Outlook 2000. Only case.