Problem installing Avast Home on a new Vista Home Premium machine

[awjenning]

I am having problems installing Avast Home on a new Dell Inspiron 1420 running Windows Vista Home Premium. The machine came with Norton Internet Suite preinstalled. After a huge amount of frustration I was finally successful at removing Norton. My early attempts at removal of Norton via Add/Remove programs and the Norton Removal Tool removed the software but left enough remnants that it still appeared in Windows Protection Center under the Malware Protection section. Use of the Norton Removal Tool and CClean (both invoked via "Run as Administrator") finally removed all the crumbs and left me with a clean system.

After Norton removal I ran the Avast Setup. The setup window showed that it was installing VPC, I got a message box saying "Installation Failed". I Ok'ed that message box and the setup window showed it was installing Services. This too popped a message box saying "Installation Failed". The installation then continued for a few seconds and then the setup window showed a successful install (very strange after two failures during the process!) .

At this point the Avast spinning "A" icon and the VRDB "I" icon were in my system tray. It looked like everything was okay but I didn't trust it because of the earlier failures. I went to add/remove programs and selected Avast's repair option. This time the setup made it through the VPC installation but it failed after the setup window showed "Service". I ran this a few more times and noticed that the failure seems to occur after another small window pops up. The other window is only there for a split second so I can't read it but it appears to be a file copy feedback window.

I have tried the repair several times in safe mode (with and without networking). It still fails at the same point every time. As mentioned previously, the Avast spinning "A" icon and the VRDB "I" icon are in my system tray. The following processes are running

ashDisp.exe
ashMaiSv.exe
ashServ.exe
ashWebSv.exe

Everything seems okay but I don't trust it. I really want to use Avast on this machine so I hope someone can help. I have attached the setup log containing entries from the initial install and subsequent repair attempts.

Thanks,
   Tony

[Lisandro]

The machine came with Norton Internet Suite preinstalled.
Left enough remnants that it still appeared in Windows Protection Center under the Malware Protection section. Use of the Norton Removal Tool and CClean (both invoked via "Run as Administrator") finally removed all the crumbs and left me with a clean system.

I've did the same on Vista Business and it worked. Three days ago...

After Norton removal I ran the Avast Setup. The setup window showed that it was installing VPC, I got a message box saying "Installation Failed".

Can you rephrase? What is VPC?

At this point the Avast spinning "A" icon and the VRDB "I" icon were in my system tray. It looked like everything was okay but I didn't trust it because of the earlier failures. I went to add/remove programs and selected Avast's repair option.

You've followed the correct way to repair...

The Avast spinning "A" icon and the VRDB "I" icon are in my system tray.
The following processes are running
ashDisp.exe
ashMaiSv.exe
ashServ.exe
ashWebSv.exe

Everything seems okay but I don't trust it.

To see if avast! is scanning emails, check one of these points:

1) Is the avast icon (the special one of email scanning) be shown in the system tray?

2) Is your email header with the lines X-Antivirus: avast! (VPS XXXXXX-X, XX/XX/2007), Inbound message and X-Antivirus-Status: Clean? (Right click the message, choose Properties and Details)

3) Are clean notes added at the bottom of the email? (Internet Mail provider settings)

You can test the security of your email system here: http://www.gfi.com/emailsecuritytest/

To see the Standard Shield and other protection:
1) Is the 'a' blue icon swirling?
2) Right click the icon once and see what are the 'last scanned files'...
3) Use eicar virus test.

[Lisandro]

From your logs:

19:00:56 min/sys  Service avast! Antivirus NOT updated, error code: 0x00000424

What about closing all programs (specially this VPC...) before installing avast?

[DavidR]

I think awjenning may mean VPS installation and not VPC, which would make more sense in an avast install scenario. I too haven't heard of VPC in relation to avast.

From awjenning's list of Task Manager processes, the aswUpdSv.exe (avast update service) process isn't running, unless that is an omission as it doesn't start with ash like the others. So yes it appears that there is a problem with avast.

Try manually starting the avast Update service, Windows, Start, Run, type services.msc, this will allow you to check the services interface and start aswUpdSv.exe it should start Automatically. If you can get this running, try the avast repair again.

[awjenning]

Thanks for your replies.

-Yes I meant VPS not "VPC".
-All programs were closed during the install and subsequent repair attempts.
-aswUpdSrv is indeed running. I did not note it because it did not begin with the ash prefix. Updating via right click | updating | iAVS update works.
-the repair still fails are previously described
-scan count is 2334 and increasing
-Avast caught all 4 of the eicar virus test files
- I have not done the email test because the machine user does not use any pop mail client. Only web mail.

Thanks again,
   Tony

[DavidR]

Everything appears to be working and I'm at a loss as to why the problem is there.

I guess the main cause of this, is I have no vista experience, and where you mention running the SymNRT and CCleaner via "Run as Administrator" I just wonder if this might be a permissions or UAC issue. I don't know if like XP you can install avast from a non-restricted account or 'the administrator' account if this is possible.

Sorry I can't be of more practical help.

[awjenning]

David,

Thanks for your reply. I am running on an account which is in the local adminsitrators group . In Vista, by default, even when running under an admin account you run in a mode with decreased permissions to vital resources. If you try to use any application that may effect system settings it will prompt to confirm that you really want to run that application. I guess it is assuring that a virus is not attempting to run the application without your knowledge. Even if you confirm that you want to run the application some of them will run in a reduced security mode. The way to assure you run the application with full authority is to right click the application icon and select "Run as Administrator". I know its goofy but thats the way it is. I'm never sure when it is necessary and when it's not either.

Tony

[DavidR]

Have you tried disabling UAC and then trying to install avast ?

It really is weird because if these were a common issue with Vista I'm sure we would have seen many topics like this.

This and some other foibles are one of the reasons I'm staying clear of Vista, that and I think it is a rip of (certainly in the UK) for what it is.

[Lisandro]

awjenning, I've installed avast on Vista few days ago... no problems, even after removing the Norton shareware that the machines comes with.
Your log seems ok.
I'm puzzled right now... what is your real problem? Isn't it just a feeling that something is wrong when, in fact, everything is running ok?
Did you make the tests I've posted before?

[awjenning]

Tech,

My concern comes from the fact that the repair still fails while installing "service".  I guess everything is okay because all 4 processes are running.

I did the tests you suggested.

-scan count is increasing
-Avast caught all 4 of the eicar virus test files.
-I have not done the email test because the machine user does not use any pop mail client. Only web mail.

The fact that the it passed the eicar test for all 4 test files make me feel better. I just wish I could get a successful repair .

Thanks,
   Tony

[Lisandro]

My concern comes from the fact that the repair still fails while installing "service".

Right click avast setup and choose to run as Administrator.
Post the results (failure to update service or not).

[DavidR]

What about the force install command line option Tech, I can't recall the command ?

[Lisandro]

What about the force install command line option Tech, I can't recall the command ?

setupeng.exe /forceinstall

The .exe file would have other names in other languages.

[DavidR]

That's the one, I wonder if that would get past this issue.

[Lisandro]

That's the one, I wonder if that would get past this issue.

Well, I'm not that experienced on Vista... starting now. I'm impressed so far.
avast installed like a charm (even after removing unconditionally Symantec shareware products on this machine).