Where's my little Avast tray icon???

[Potty]

When I restarted my computer the little Avast tray icon didnt show up. ashServ.exe, aswUpdsv.exe, and ashWebSv.exe are all running, but the little icon is not there. I didn't mess with any settings! What's the dealio?

[Lisandro]

Do you use any other antivirus in your computer?
Any startup item controler (like WinPatrol, TeaTimer, Ad-watch, ProcessGuard, PrevX, etc.)?

You must have (add) the path to ashDisp.exe into
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
(as the value named avast!).

You can add a link to ashdisp.exe into the startup items...

[DavidR]

As a temporary measure you can create a desktop shortcut for this file C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashDisp.exe (the avast icon and interface to the providers).

As Tech said if something is blocking the creation of startup entries it may also block your trying to add it also.

[TAP]

Run a file called "ashDisp.exe" located in C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ to see if it helps.

[Potty]

Running ashDisp.exe brought it back. I do not have any other anti-viruses or startup item controller.

[DavidR]

Running ashDisp.exe brought it back. I do not have any other anti-viruses or startup item controller.

That will be fine until you reboot and it will be gone again, that is why I suggested the desktop shortcut as you are likely to need it after reboots.

You could 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.
If that doesn't work (I doubt it would) try, uninstall, reboot, install, reboot.
It would probably be best to download the latest version of avast and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again. Use that when you reinstall.

[jedakay]

Just found this thread while browsing through the forum and it seems I may have a problem concerning ashdisp.exe although I thought everything was running fine.  When I click on the icon with or without all the avast startup options loaded in the startup group in MS CONFIG I get the message "A required .DLL file, ASWCMNOS.DLL, was not found", albeit the file is shown in C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4!  What does this icon do and why might I be getting the error message?  Using the latest version of HOME EDITION with all the updates.

[DavidR]

The icons rotates giving an indication when files are scanned and avast is working. It is also the link to the On-Access scanners. It also allows you access to the right click context menu so you can adjust program settings, run on-demand scans, etc.

What other security based software do you have that might block new startup entries, e.g. Spybot S&D (TeaTimer), AdAware (AdWatch), PrevX, WinPatrol, ProcessGuard, etc. ?

As a temporary measure you can create a desktop shortcut for this file C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashDisp.exe (the avast icon and interface to the providers).

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.
If that doesn't work try, uninstall, reboot, install, reboot.

[jedakay]

Thanks for quick reply, other than Avast I use Spybot and Spyware Blaster.  Perhaps I did not make myself clear, my rotating icon is there in the tray and working, checking e-mail and doing updates when I make sure the three available avast items are checked in my 'startup group' which are 'ashServ.exe, ashmaisv.exe, ASHWEBSV.EXE' respectively; hope that's everything needed, I don't use Outlook or Outlook Express (Thunderbird instead) or Instant Messaging.  However, when I found this thread and after reading it, I wanted to try if that works for me, even copied a ashdisp.exe to the desktop but clicking on it there or back in its original folder will only produce aforementioned error message and as I said, the supposedly missing .dll file is present!

[Lisandro]

Even copied a ashdisp.exe to the desktop but clicking on it there or back in its original folder will only produce aforementioned error message and as I said, the supposedly missing .dll file is present!

ashdisp.exe is supposed to be run by the original folder only...

Do you use any other antivirus in your computer?
Did you try to repair your installation? Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > avast! antivirus > Remove. Then choose Repair function in the popup window (Repair). You must be connected to the internet while repairing.

If this does not help, can you uninstall / boot / install / boot again?

[jedakay]

Ok, did the repair and when I click on ashdisp.exe I no longer get the error message but in fact nothing happens wether there are any avast items in my startup group loaded or not.  I don't run any other anti virus programs and I guess an uninstall, reboot, install is next but I just want to make sure I understand correctly; with nothing loaded in my startup group, clicking on ashdisp.exe would make the avast icon appear in my system tray and load what's needed for avast in the startup group, is that correct?

[Lisandro]

Clicking on ashdisp.exe would make the avast icon appear in my system tray and load what's needed for avast in the startup group, is that correct?

In theory...
If you click ctrl+alt+del, do you see: ashserv.exe, ashwebsv.exe, ashmaisv.exe, aswupdsv.exe processes running?

[jedakay]

Just clicked on ashdisp.exe without any avast items loaded in startup group, nothing happened and none of those processes are running in 'Close Program' box; of course loading the avast items in the startup group will show those processes to be running.  Once more,  I just want to make sure I understand correctly; with nothing loaded in my startup group, clicking on ashdisp.exe would make the avast icon appear in my system tray and load what's needed for avast in the startup group, is that correct? 

[DavidR]

You say the avast icon is rotating, etc. but does it appear after boot without you clicking on the shortcut of actual file ?

You shouldn't need to click on either a desktop shortcut or the actual ashDisp.exe to start it. Something is blocking it and it may be Spybot if you have the Resident protection Teatimer enabled, ensure that you have that disabled. Reboot and see if the avast icon is there and ashDisp.exe should also be listed in the Task Manager processes.

We only suggest the shortcut or clicking the actual file as a temporary measure so you have its functionality until you resolve why the icon isn't there after boot.