self-defence causes error with msconfig

[fnukyguy]

Avast self-defence causes errors with msconfig in windows xp.

After doing changes in msconfig I suddenly got this message when trying to click Apply or Ok :
'an access denied error was returned while attempting to change a service. You may need to log on using an Administrator account to make the specified changes'.

I spent almost an hour trying to fix this error by removing all the new programs Ive installed in the last few days (but nothing worked). I then went into avast settings and disabled avast self-defence module. Voilla! The msconfig-problem was immediately resolved.


using Avast 4.8.1169 home edition, Windows XP sp2

[Lisandro]

Strange... are you trying to remove ashDisp.exe entry?
I can't see how avast self-defense module could protect (or block) other startup entries...

[DavidR]

Well the avast self-defence module only protects 'avast' files and not other applications.

You don't say what service it was you were trying to change ?
As Tech said the only avast element in the msconfig, startup section is ashDisp.exe and avast would stop you effecting changes for that.

[alanrf]

Yes but ...

If you go to MSConfig and click on Diagnostic Startup then avast self-defence blocks you from doing that (because that will not load the avast services). 

The error says nothing about avast self-defence just that access is denied and get an administrator to help you.

Many users are not going to immediately think "Aha! I need to turn off avast self-defence before I use MSConfig".

[DavidR]

Yes, but (2) we don't yet know what it was that was trying to do in the msconfig.

But I do agree that there should be a more meaningful message, if it is generated by the self defence rather than by windows. The same problem occurred when someone to modify the clean notes message and that message didn't mention avast self-defence.

[alanrf]

You mean I did not know what I was trying to do with MSConfig?

You can test what I was talking about for yourself.  It is Windows that generates the message not avast.

I am not at all happy with avast on the Notepad issue you have just raised.  I was going to let it pass but this is their issue.  They need to make sure that changing avast files can be performed in the GUI now and under the control of avast.  Telling users that they need to give permission to an update of that type initiated in an avast GUI is just plain sloppy.




 

[DavidR]

No, I meant we don't know what 'fnukyguy' was doing, we don't know exactly what it was he was doing.

Drifting off-topic.
Well they allow you to edit the avast for.ini with the cautionary pop-up from 'avast' (see image, so it is possible) and that is outside the GUI, direct edit from notepad.

I could do absolutely nothing until I acknowledged the message, not even use snagit screen capture, I had to use Ctrl+alt+PrintSrceen and then edit it.

[fnukyguy]

I got the same errormessage on all startup entries or services, even those who has nothing to do with Avast.
Basically, any change at all inside msconfig produced this error after clicking ok or apply. 
However, the changes were saved even though the message appeared. 

[Lisandro]

If you go to MSConfig and click on Diagnostic Startup then avast self-defence blocks you from doing that (because that will not load the avast services).

Living and learning...

Many users are not going to immediately think "Aha! I need to turn off avast self-defence before I use MSConfig".

Well... it's doing its job... any other tool, legit or not, that try to disable avast services should be blocked.

[DavidR]

avast has no control over the files other than avast, so I have ni idea what else is going on. What I do know is if it is an avast file it won't let go (other than for the avasy4.ini file, my image2) it wouldn't let be changed (my image1) and the only option was to exit abandoning the changes or saving it to a different file name.

I just had a play with the msconfig and it lets me change startup entries it even let me uncheck the ashDisp.exe entry and apply it. At this point you get an image (about restart, my image), I choose not to restart. I opened msconfig again and the change I had made to one non-avast startup entry was still as I changed it, but doing the same with ashDisp.exe had reverted to its previous state. Now during all that I never one got a permissions error or an avast self-defence alert, it just didn't let me change ashDisp.exe.

So I'm unsure what is going on in your system, but msconfig is acting as expected for me.

[alanrf]

I can see how an MS technician is going to react when they are trying to help a user diagnose a problem by using MSConfig. 

They are going to be advising users flat out to get avast off their system.

Booting into Safe Mode doesn't load the avast services or drivers - that does not need avast permission (yet).

[Lisandro]

I can see how an MS technician is going to react when they are trying to help a user diagnose a problem by using MSConfig.

Alan, other antivirus don't protect their files and avoid unauthorized termination of the services? I think it is a must have nowadays. I won't be worried, the first thing that the smart MS support guys says is always: turn off your antivirus... 

They are going to be advising users flat out to get avast off their system.

They say this anyway... regardless of the self-protection module...

Booting into Safe Mode doesn't load the avast services or drivers - that does not need avast permission (yet).

Well... I think it should let this way... Safe Mode is safe mode...

[alanrf]

By the way, like David I am finding there is only an issue for MSConfig when the changes made affect would affect avast services (and like David I noted that ashDisp is automagically re-enabled).

[alanrf]

Alan, other antivirus don't protect their files and avoid unauthorized termination of the services?

I normally do not test that aspect of other AV's I install to check out issues with email or browsing etc. 

If I get bored I will look and see if KAV blocks MSConfig.

[DavidR]

That's it for me folks, need my beauty sleep, 2:42 a.m here, night all.