It just seems strange that if the ashDisp.exe is disabled that the alert messages aren't displayed and you can't choose any action. So you are blissfully unaware you have a problem that might be virus related (or ashDisp.exe was killed if you didn't notice it missing from the systray) as you only see system or browser related errors.
I've just done another test with ashDisp.exe killed, using ashSimpl.exe to start the S.U.I., I select folder selection, I select my exclusions folder, standard scan no archives (having removed the program settings, exclusion) and run an on-demand scan, and the alert displays. Now why should it display for an on-demand scan and not for a resident scan when ashDisp.exe is killed. If it can display for one, why not for the other ?
I appreciate what Igor said about user displays, input, etc. But, ashSimpl.exe is also running under me as the user, so in theory it shouldn't display an alert either if all desktop alerts require ashDisp.exe to be running ?
I assume the anti-kill/self-protection feature proposed for version 5 will make this issue a thing of the past ?