Author Topic: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray  (Read 22572 times)

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Offline alanrf

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Re: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray
« Reply #15 on: September 10, 2007, 04:09:37 AM »
I regret posting my previous comment ... the direction is becoming too personal and that is not what this forum is for.

My basic point is that if you want help in this forum you need to interact in a positive way with those trying to assist you.  If you do not want help then withdraw from the thread - do not be dismissive and try to demonstrate a superiority of knowledge or question the motives of persons providing much support here.  It does not make you look good and more importantly nobody is getting helped and an important issue is not being moved forward.

       

nobodyz

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Re: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray
« Reply #16 on: September 10, 2007, 04:32:11 AM »
I regret posting my previous comment ... the direction is becoming too personal and that is not what this forum is for.

My basic point is that if you want help in this forum you need to interact in a positive way with those trying to assist you.  If you do not want help then withdraw from the thread - do not be dismissive and try to demonstrate a superiority of knowledge or question the motives of persons providing much support here.  It does not make you look good and more importantly nobody is getting helped and an important issue is not being moved forward.

       

Thanks. I'm happy to drop the direction that was going in. Please don't do that again. :'( Doesn't
feel very welcoming. I'm new here. Glad to know this isn't going to be how things go ususally.
And btw, as a computer tech, I know how absolutely insane things begin to feel with repeated
posts about the same thing....it gets redundant. Perhaps a forum for the tech people to vent
would help? (if, of course, you don't already have that)

I did not intend any kind of "dissmissive" comment in any kind of personal way.
I am still waiting for an answer to a simple question: how do I make AdAware AdWatch not block the
Avast icon in the systray.

This question has been repeatedly avoided, and not answered. I have been trying to clarify as
to whether or not there is any knowledge about how to make different security programs
specifically, programs other than Avast, what you support here stop blocking that icon.

I have not seen any knowledge of how to do it with the one program I mentioned, so I was just
trying to see if it was worth it to even list other security programs.

And....this is very important: I have stated, repeatedly, there is no need to answer me
further, as I am okay with the shortcut in startup solution. If there is a more permanent solution,
then of course, I'd rather use that.

How am I not "interact[ing] in a positive way with those trying to assist you.  If you do not want help then withdraw from the thread - do not be dismissive and try to demonstrate a superiority of knowledge or question the motives of persons providing much support here. " ?

And I did not realize there was any kind of "superiority of knowledge" going on in my posts. The only thing
I can think of is when I said "I already know how to move a shortcut into my startup folder. I said I am using that already." How is that superior? I used the knowledge imparted by the people here to do that neat little trick
to temporarily solve the problem. Just wanted to be sure the guy helping me knew I got that already.

Please point out to me where I'm coming off to you as "superior" ... it is not intended.

The tenor of my posts have been to clarify and to get a specific answer. Which was never addressed.
That's frustrating to a poster, but I'm not becoming personal about it. At least as far as I can tell, I'm not.
Please point out to me where I am, in your opinion, so I can look at them and edit if necessary.

By the by, do you know anything about the settings on AdAware AdWatch, and if so, do you know how to
make that particular program stop blocking the Avast Icon? (I have already made the corrections to
Windows Defender so it isn't blocking it anymore, as per instructions to someone else in another thread.)

Just let me know, please, if you aren't aware of the specific settings. I don't expect people who
support Avast to know every security program out there. I'd just like a direct answer: yes or no.

And please, never say that my thanks are "clearly unfelt thanks". That's really not fair.

Thank you, alanrf, for your attention to this.

CharleyO

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Re: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray
« Reply #17 on: September 10, 2007, 04:50:29 AM »
***

Thank you, Alanrf, for your exquisite insight and wisdom as to my
character.

I am a computer technician, btw.  ;)
And, I want to add that with the way you have posted here (when others are trying to help with a question you asked), I think it might be difficult for you.

You should to remember that we get people asking questions who are somewhat less skilled in the operation of a computer not to mention anything about computer security. When you began posting, we have no idea who you are nor what you know/don't know. So, most of the time ... especially with posters whom are new to us ... we start off with simple questions requiring simple answers so that we can begin to understand the posters and their problems. We ask about all their security programs because some of them do not work well together and because we have no idea what any poster has on their computers.

You, a "computer technician" and knowledgable user, first degrade the help offered before telling us something that let's us know approximately how much you might know. Had David known your profession, I am sure he would not have mentioned moving the shortcut to a start up folder.

What is the real reason you are here? Do you have any type of connection with Lavasoft?


***

Offline alanrf

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Re: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray
« Reply #18 on: September 10, 2007, 05:21:54 AM »
C'mon now .. I have already said that I regret posting a personal comment earlier.  I will let your defensive comments stand unchallenged by me.  Let's try to concentrate on the technical issues. 

I wrote this before the latest post by CharleyO.  I ask CharleyO and all of us in the forum to take a deep breath ... relax and reduce the stress level in this thread and try work together on the main technical issue raised here.

The problem of undefined products either preventing the registry startup entries of avast (or removing them ... since I think they get there but then the product offers to undo that) had been going on for somewhat more than a year now as I recall.

To be fair to the avast team (something for which I am not entirely well known) I am not sure how they can defend themselves from the depredations of other products.  How do you in Windows prevent another product removing your startup entries?  The whole process relies on an understanding by the user of the system that is, all to frequently, not well placed.

We live in an era of fear, almost everyone is now trained to fear their own shadows.  If a piece of software on your system asks you if you should allow a change to the registry for startup programs how is the average user (and I do not mean you - you are a technically able) supposed to respond?  I bet most average users now says "no".  Please notice that I said when asked ... what about those products that do not ask but work on some supposed overall user setting that means "do not allow new startup entries"? 

You may recall that I suggested earlier in this thread to DavidR, one of the outstanding supporters of and help sources in this forum, that it would be worthwhile to develop a list of "known offenders" which prevent/remove avast startup entries and that can be provided for checking in cases like yours.

So, no I do not have the precise technical answer for your concern, nor does DavidR. That notwithstanding, informed discussion with valuable input from knowledgeable users such as you are - willing to share information about their experience - is the best way we will identify root causes and help the avast team and the wider community of avast users.       
« Last Edit: September 10, 2007, 05:26:37 AM by alanrf »

nobodyz

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Re: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray
« Reply #19 on: September 10, 2007, 05:33:01 AM »

Awesome! Thank you alanrf! I agree a list of "known offenders" would be helpful.

You may recall that I suggested earlier in this thread to DavidR, one of the outstanding supporters of and help sources in this forum, that it would be worthwhile to develop a list of "known offenders" which prevent/remove avast startup entries and that can be provided for checking in cases like yours.

So, no I do not have the precise technical answer for your concern, nor does DavidR. That notwithstanding, informed discussion with valuable input from knowledgeable users such as you are - willing to share information about their experience - is the best way we will identify root causes and help the avast team and the wider community of avast users.      

To add to this discussion (apologies for repeating myself)
1) I have already gone into Windows Defender and changed the settings as instructed by another
post on this topic.
2) Since we don't yet have a definitive answer (thanks to alanrf's direct answer) for the AdAware AdWatch program, I have done nothing with that.
3) You made a point about how most programs ASK first if you want to block a startup item: that
made me think. I can change my settings in AdWatch by un-ticking "Automatic", restart my computer
without the ashDisp.exe shortcut in my startup folder, and troubleshoot to see if there is a specific
startup that AdAware AdWatch wants to block that has to do with Avast!

Will post results if there is anything noteworthy.

nobodyz

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Re: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray
« Reply #20 on: September 10, 2007, 06:46:38 AM »

Okay, I have run a couple of different troubleshooting steps, and in order to have some information here about it, I have logged each step as I did it. What I did, unfortunately, did NOT return the resident Avast icon to the systray. Perhaps the following can be used as what doesn't work.


Attempting to make the following happen:

Avast Resident protection [Quoting from the program's beginner panel explaination].
"You don't have to execute it (it activates automatically when you start your computer) and if everything is OK, you won't even notice it is running. Its presence in the system is indicated by a small icon with the avast! symbol (lowercase 'a' in a ball) in the notification area (next to the clock). The second avast! icon, related to VRDB functions (see the help for more information), is also displayed here - as a lowercase 'i' in a ball. These two icons can be co-joined into one should the user feel the need to do so."

Before doing the following troubleshooting steps, I did this:
1) Opened Windows Defender
2) Clicked "Tools" on top area of program
3) Clicked "Options"
4) Scrolled down to "Real-time protection options" and un-ticked
"Use real-time protection"
--I did this as a way to ensure that Windows Defender was not blocking the avast icon in the systray.

THEN, to troubleshoot Ad-Watch, I did the following:

5) Right click Ad-Watch monitoring icon in systray
6) Click "Restore Ad-Watch"
7) Un-tick "Automatic"
8) Open Ad-Watch Settings
9) Un-tick "Lock start-up section"
10) Move ashDisp.exe shortcut from Startup folder to desktop.
11) Re-boot computer

Result: no Avast Icon in systray.

Next try is to completely shut down Ad-Watch.
12) Right click Ad-Watch monitoring icon in systray
13) Click "Restore Ad-Watch"
14) Un-tick "Load Ad-Watch on Windows start up"
15) Re-boot computer

Result: Ad-Watch did not load, as expected, but still no Avast Icon in systray.

16) Launched Avast

Result: Still no Avast Icon in systray.

Windows Task Manager reports ...
ashMaiSv.exe
ashServ.exe
ashSimpl.exe (cuz I launched Avast in step 16)
ashWebSv.exe
AswUpdSv.exe

... these as all running. ashDisp.exe is not in Windows Task Mgr.

Next step:
17) Clicked on ashDisp.exe on desktop

Result: ashDisp.exe is running in systray and is also showing in Task Manager.

Ad-Watch is not loaded.

Next step:
18) Loading Ad-Watch

Shows up as "Ad-Watch.exe" in Windows Task Manager.

Next step:
19) Registry Mechanic: ran and watched Startup Programs and Temp Files / Shortcuts entries (those were the only entries it found) to see if it was removing ashDisp.exe. I verified each one by right clicking and reading the full path and file it was looking to remove. There were no entries having to do with Avast that Registry Mechanic wanted to remove. Just to be sure, I re-booted the computer after using Registry Mechanic's "repair" button. (I have it set to give me a system restore point before every change so if something disappears I can get it back)

Result: Startup folder entry of ashDisp.exe successfully launched the Avast icon in systray. So, no change. Also, no double icon (thinking if it launched it in addition to startup folder entry, I'd most likely have 2 icons or 3 there.) So Registry Mechanic neither seems to remove it nor restore it.


Conclusion: The specific steps I took, both un-ticking the  "Automatic", "Lock start-up section", and "Load Ad-Watch on Windows start up" within Ad-Watch did not restore the automatic ashDisp.exe. Neither has turning off Windows Defender real-time protection.

I next restored all of the above to the way they were before I took these steps, as well as putting the ashDisp.exe shortcut BACK into the startup folder and re-enabling Windows Defender real-time protecton.

Sorry this didn't pan out, but at least it's a record of some attempts to stop the two programs that watch my startups.

NOTE: My thinking about what watches start ups and what doesn't:
HijackThis doesn't watch startups. Neither does Spybot: Search & Destroy when the teatimer is not running (and I don't use teatimer). Spyware Blaster appears to block unwanted activity in browsers, so that wouldn't be the cause.


   So, for me, the only programs I'm concerned with are Ad-Watch and Windows Defender. So far, I haven't found anything that indicates either of these programs is stopping ashDisp.exe from loading. There are a plethoria of settings in Ad-Watch. If anyone is well versed in all it's settings and has other ideas, I'm more than happy to try them out.


Offline alanrf

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Re: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray
« Reply #21 on: September 10, 2007, 07:08:19 AM »
It has been a while since I used Windows Defender.  It ran into some internal errors a while back so I un-installed it, but I never experienced it being responsible for preventing the avast start-up registry entries.

Thanks for being prepared to think about and apply problem analysis ... may I express a concern?  I am fairly certain that avast will only attempt to create its startup registry entries during a full installation.  It is possible that a "repair" of avast may cover this too but I think it is most certain in the simple install.

I am not familiar with Ad-Watch (I keep on mis-reading it for Ad-Aware ... which I do use).  I will see if I can find it and check its effects on my avast installation.     

 

Offline alanrf

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Re: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray
« Reply #22 on: September 10, 2007, 07:29:15 AM »
Stupid me!  Ad-Watch is a paid part of Ad-Aware.

I shall ponder anew.

Offline DavidR

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Re: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray
« Reply #23 on: September 10, 2007, 02:51:18 PM »
I wrote: "you needn't answer this post unless my conclusion above* is incorrect."

You answered, but said nothing about my conclusion being incorrect. Hope you're
not wasting precious time with this just out of curiosity. You really needn't.

I didn't respond to that point because I don't have AdAware's ADWatch and your assumption was correct, but I did respond because other things that you wrote. It would be crazy simply not to post because of any pre-requisite to posting.

I already know how to move a shortcut into my startup folder. I said I am using that already.

Because of your comment didn't clearly state which shortcut you were going to use, one which requires activation every time or the startup folder shortcut, so I clarified it.

Why should I give you a list of security programs you can't give me directions on how to work with them to avoid this problem?
You haven't even been able to tell me what to do with AdAware AdWatch. *shrug*

You just curious?  ???

Primarily because you came here seeking help about missing avast icons and the primary cause of this is other security programs removing them.

The fact that I don't know how to check this in adwatch is neither here nor there, when I do know it has startup monitoring that can block new startup entries. You then have to do the investigation of a program function which you do have *shrug*. I can't possibly know about every security application or have it installed on my system, I'm just an avast user like yourself, all I'm doing is pointing you in a direction.

Curiosity has nothing to do with it, trying to help has.

But now I do feel like I'm wasting my time in having to justify questions and answers, so I shan't waste any more.
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GaryCharles

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Re: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray
« Reply #24 on: September 27, 2007, 05:34:39 AM »
Has any one had the problem of only one of the icons not appearing in the tray?  The icon that allows for the making of the VRDB [not the small letter 'a'], while the avast icon is appearing.  It has not appeared since the program was installed, and I haven't combined them either.  Is there then a way to initiate this process without the icon?  I could not find anything on that either . . .  Thanks.  Gary Charles

Offline oldman

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Re: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray
« Reply #25 on: September 27, 2007, 06:19:38 AM »
Can you check to see if they are merged? If they are, when you right click the "a" icon, you will have a heading called unmerge. You can look in the ini file and see if merge is on or off.  see here http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=1647.15  The default location is
C:\Program Files\ALWIL Software\avast4\Data).

A repair may resolve it if the above check out. From control panel,  add/remove highlight avast, add/remove button, scroll down to repair. You must be on line to do this.

GaryCharles

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Re: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray
« Reply #26 on: September 27, 2007, 06:29:43 AM »
I didn't see a heading called unmerge, but I will look again when I get back to my computer at home, and I'm taking a copy of the sheet that you linked to with me so I can go a long by that.  I had tried to uninstall and  reinstall a couple of times, but that also didn't help.  I tried it with Zone Alarm turned on and turned off, so . . .

Thanks a lot for the help!!

Offline oldman

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Re: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray
« Reply #27 on: September 27, 2007, 10:16:51 AM »
No problem and welcome to the forum.

The lines in the ini file that you may have to edit or add are

[VRDB]
MergeIcons=0
Disabled=0
ShowTaskbarIcon=1

Just scroll down in the ini to the vrb section and compare. If one or more of the lines aren't there, add them to the vrb section. Use the link as a guide to what 1 and 0 represent.

Please post back your results either way. Thanks.

GaryCharles

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Re: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray
« Reply #28 on: September 27, 2007, 01:10:41 PM »
I haven't gotten to this last recommendation yet, but in answer to the first one, kind of sort of, since the VRDB file is pre-set for running while the screen saver is on, you just have to wait for it if the small i icon isn't there, I found out while waiting.  I did reset the 'ShowTaskbarIcon' to opposite of what they were, I think to zero [I'm not on my computer again, so I think that's what I did], but the MergeIcon and disabled tags were not there, and I haven't restarted the computer yet, so I'm not what it's going to give me back yet, and so I'll put these new lines in too before I restart, and then we'll see . . .  But at least the VRDB kicked in all my itself!  Thanks again, and I'll let you know soon!!  Gary

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Restoring my Avast icons to the system tray
« Reply #29 on: September 29, 2007, 10:04:17 PM »
I did reset the 'ShowTaskbarIcon' to opposite of what they were
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