XP64 bit user

[madhatta]

Right i have a small query hopefully all will be easy.

I have a desktop running xp 64 bit edition with avast home on and my wife has a laptop running standard xp sp2.

The difference in the way the 2 avasts run aren't too disimilar until u look at the resident scanner. 

Now we both have V4.7, mine i got close to its release date when 64 bit was sort of supported but only limited functions, my wife much sooner.

Now whenever she turns on her computer the small avast logo comes up in her process tray bottom right of the screen and virus database is updated automatically.

When I turn on my computer.. no icon appears and virus database is not updated automatically.

To update my databse i have to do it by searching for updates manually whilst in the program even thoough my resident scanner is set to on and high and automatic updates are selected.

As far as i am aware even though me resident scanner says it is active i believe it not to be for those reasons.

Looking at the website it now states that avast is 64bit operating system fully compatable whereas that statement was never made on first release. 

Will i need to delete my avast and download it and install it again to regain full functionality or is there a patch that i can overwrite a file with?  Or is it just that altough it will detect viruses during scans but full functionality can't be achieved on xp64 bit operating system?

thanks in advance for any advice...... if any

[DavidR]

Firstly it wouldn't matter when you installed 4.7, so long as you have kept it up to date.

avast does support XP64 and Vista64 for that matter.

The fact that your icon is missing is not because you have XP64 and the most common cause is another security application with an over aggressive start-up protection which could kill the ashDisp.exe (icon and interface to the on-access providers, etc.).

I don't know how these suggestions below differ, if at all in XP64, but I'm sure you can find the equivalent in XP64.
avast! icon missing - As a temporary measure until this is resolved 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).  Right click on the file and select Send To, Desktop (create shortcut). You will need to run this after each boot until the problem is resolved.

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 or OnGuard), PrevX, WinPatrol, ProcessGuard, etc. ?
Some of thes applications won't have a 64bit version, but they are really only to jog your memory as to what security applications you may have.

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 (see c:\avaststartup.reg if help needed)

[madhatta]

Thanks for the help.   

I am running only SB at the moment on the system.  Added the link you gave to my start up folder and all is working as i wanted Cheers.

I don't have any firewall installed yet can't find one that works on 64 bit.  I know ZA doesn't support 64bit so couldn't have been that stopping it beforehand.  Must have been SB or something else that deleted the program from the startup folder initially

[DavidR]

No problem, glad I could help.

By SB I'm assuming SpywareBlaster ?

I don't know much about firewalls for 64bit OS but it took less than ten seconds with my friend google, http://www.google.com/search?q=64+bit+firewall, I hope there is something useful there.

Welcome to the forums.