Husband disabled, now I can't turn back on

[Bethany]

I just downloaded the Avast home version, failed to tell my husband and he some how turned off the program. 
The resident scanner now says its "disabled" and after MUCH searching I cannot figure out how to turn it back on. 
Please advise!  Thank you!

PS When I slide the resident scanner bar from the "disabled" to "standard" setting it doesn't stay there no matter how many times I tried.

[Spyros]

If you see the blue "a"ball in the lower right corner of your screen, right-click on it and select "On access protection control". Choose the providers you need and press "start" for them.

[Lisandro]

We will need more information to be able to help you:

1. Which Operations System are you using? Is it up to date?
2. Do you use a firewall? Which one?
3. Do you have any other antivirus installed in your system?
4. Any other security programs that could interfere?

[Bethany]

My husband disabled the program.  I asked him.  He didn't know what it was and somehow shut the program down.  I don't know what he did...I was gone when he did it.  The blue ball is gone...that is when I noticed something wasn't right.  I just installed the 4.7 home version and I have windows xp. It was working just fine yesterday with the windows firewall I have.  No other securitys systms that would interfere. 
Please read the additional info I added to my first message.
Hubby turned it it off and I just need to know how to turn it back on.

[Lisandro]

Hubby turned it it off and I just need to know how to turn it back on.

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?

[Bethany]

Okay my husband is not some computer genious.  Most likely he just X'ed out whatever popped up on the screen.  Tech I tried the repair per your advise and it didn't seem to make any difference.  So i have to re-down load the software...theres no a way to simply turn it back on without the blue ball? 

[Lisandro]

Theres no a way to simply turn it back on without the blue ball? 

Is there is, just run: C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashdisp.exe and you'll see the 'a' blue ball again.
You can make a link to ashdisp.exe in your startup folder

[Bethany]

Tech I appreciate your willingness to help ...now please tell me in simple terms, step by step how to do that you suggested in your last post.
Also when the blue ball reappears...details on what to do then.
THANKS MUCH!!

[Lisandro]

Theres no a way to simply turn it back on without the blue ball? 

Click Start button on the bottom left of the screen.
Choose 'Run' option at right.
On the window, write down:
"C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashdisp.exe"
Click ok and run it. Will the 'a' blue icon appear?

If so, right click it, choose the last bottom option to start the providers and click 'Yes' to persist the changes.

[Bethany]

YEAH... the blue ball is back per your instructions!
The blue ball with the "a" on it has a little clock by it I assume meaning its turned off.  By the way to the left of the blue ball icon is a blue ball with an "i" on it. 
Anyhooo...I right clicked on the blue ball with an "a".
The last option is "Start on Acess Protection".
When I click on that, nothing happens and the little clock is still showing   

[Bethany]

I tried restarting my pc.
The Avast icon disappeared and I had to do the run process to get them back. 
Re-right clicked on the bottom start-on option and still nothing.
What is the "provider" info that I'm suppose to fill it if I ever get to that point? 

[Lisandro]

The blue ball with the "a" on it has a little clock by it I assume meaning its turned of

Yes. It's a red cross...

By the way to the left of the blue ball icon is a blue ball with an "i" on it.

The VRDB icon (http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=14356.msg121337#msg121337).

Anyhooo...I right clicked on the blue ball with an "a".
The last option is "Start on Acess Protection".
When I click on that, nothing happens and the little clock is still showing    

Please:
1. Uninstall avast from Control Panel first.
2. Boot.
3. Use Avast Uninstall for complete uninstallation.
4. Boot.
5. Install again.
6. Boot.

[Bethany]

UGH!
Re. un-installing and reinstalling...is there going to be any problems with
re- downloading the software for a second time for the same email address and computer?

[DavidR]

You would have to create a desktop shortcut (right click on the ashDisp.exe file, select Send To (Desktop Shortcut) and double click this each time you boot because running it is only a temporary solution.

You didn't answer Tech's question about other security software as this is a classic for removing the avast icon. What other security based software do you have that might block new startup entries, e.g. Spybot S&D (TeaTimer), AdAware (AdWatch), SpySweeper, Spyware Doctor (StartUpGuard), PrevX, WinPatrol, ProcessGuard, etc. ?

Check the option in the Appearance tab of Program Settings. Or Make a link to ashdisp.exe in your startup folder.
Or Add the path to ashDisp.exe into a value named avast! in the Windows Registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

<snip>
So i have to re-down load the software...theres no a way to simply turn it back on without the blue ball? 

You don't have to re-download the software if you still have a copy of the setup file on your system and you don't need to re-register if you still have the email with your registration key.   During the time we have been trying to enable your icon, it may well have been much quicker to uninstall, reboot, install, reboot as Tech suggested earlier and probably much less complex.

[Bethany]

I have to go to work...will be back tomorrow.  I unistalled Avast.  Maybe thats not what he meant??  I did answer Techs question about security on my pc...re read my replies.  Thanks guys!