avast loads but providers do not start automatically

[melmitts707]

I just built a new quad cord machine and installed avast instead of Norton. When the computer starts up or reboots, avast loads and shows on the taskbar. I have to click on the avast icon and choose Start On-Access Protection to start it. Is there a setting that I am missing to make it start automatically?

Thanks...

[DavidR]

How did you get rid of Norton it can be a pig to get rid of ?

If you did an add remove programs to uninstall you may ned to take another step.

A link worth looking at, which is a program removal tool that can remove the remnants of a number of different Norton Programs:
Removing your Norton program using SymNRT
Or ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/removal_tools/Norton_Removal_Tool.exe

[melmitts707]

This is a new computer. Quad core, SATA drives and DVD. All fresh! I installed the avast pro trial and a few days later I got the registration info... I did install the Outpost Firewall Pro trial and had to remove it for now because of a driver conflict. Don't know if that means anything or not...

[DavidR]

You didn't answer the most important question and the one likely to be responsible for avast not running.

Did you uninstall Norton before installing avast ?
If avast sees any signs of Norton it will disable elements of the program so as not to cause a possible conflict, which could lock up your system.

So you need to uninstall the Norton trial, followed I would suggest the Norton removal tool.

The Outpost Pro 2008 is due an update that will remove this conflict (one from their side), how long it will take them to get around to it is anyone's guess. If you want to try OP Pro, you can resolve this conflict by uninstalling the Network Shield, that is what OP Pro is having a whinge about. Windows add remove programs, avast! Antivirus, Change/Remove, Change, find the Network Shield entry and uncheck it and OK your way out. That should resolve the problem until OP Pro fixes the problem on there side, it would be worth a reboot before trying to re-install OP Pro.

This issue will however be unrelated to the non starting of the avast providers.

[melmitts707]

As I said, it is a new computer. Norton has never been installed on it. avast is the only antivirus program that has ever been installed on it. By the way, I am running Windows XP w/SP3.

[DavidR]

Sorry I didn't twig to the fact you built the new system yourself, and made an assumption and you know what happens when you do that. I assumed like many new systems it came pre-installed with a Norton trial version.

Does the avast ' a ' icon have a red circle with a bar over the top of it ?

There are a number of services, that should run automatically (and should be running), avast! Antivirus - ashServ.exe and avast! iAVS4 Control Service aswUpdSv.exe.

There are two that are set to Manual and should probably be running, avast! Mail Scanner (ashMaiSv.exe the Internet Mail provider if you had it selected to run) and avast! Web Scanner (ashWebSv.exe if you had the Web Shield enabled).

So after boot what are the states of these services ?
- What avast processes are running in Task Manager after boot, they begin with ash or asw, see image ?

[alanrf]

When you select a provider to start (or stop) you should see the option by avast to make the change "persist" or not.  If you want to start a provider and have it start automatically on the on the next system restart then you need to tell avast to "persist" the change.  Similarly if you stop a provider and tell avast to "persist" the change then it will not restart automatically on the next system restart.

Do you see this "persist" question appear when you start or stop a provider?

[melmitts707]

I can select Start On-Access Protection but it doesn't offer the 'persist' option. If I choose to stop a provider I get a 'persist' option. No such option if a pause/resume a provider. I guess I will uninstall avast and try to reinstall. If that doesn't work I guess purchasing avast is just another bad investment... I really do hate Norton but it works.

[alanrf]

Start on access protection is not what offers the persist screen, is is the starting or stopping of individual providers that produces the persist screen.

Please try to start each provider that you want and then tell it to persist that choice for each provider.

[melmitts707]

Thank you to all who responded. I finally figured what menu options I needed to follow to get the 'persist' prompt and all seems to be working now. Again, thanks for the help...

Now, I will go start a new thread for those who want to follow seeking recommendations for a firewall that works well with avast.