Missing file Aavm4h.dll-Need Help

[Tammy Bush]

Hello there,

I'm not a computer guru, but I had a hardware problem last week that was fixed by Microsoft, but now my Avast! software won't run.  I get an error message when I log into my files that reads "ashDisp.exe-Unable to locate component-This application has failed to start because Aavm4h.dll wasn't found.  Re-install this application may fix this problem."  I've tried to re-install and it doesn't fix the problem and I've tried to delete and can't figure out how to do that either.  I'm not sure if this is the right place for me to be posting this, but if some one could help me fix this software problem, I'd be most grateful.  Thanks.

Tammy

[Jtaylor83]

Did you try repairing avast?

Go to Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs > click on avast! > click on the change/remove button > click Repair.

[Tammy Bush]

When I click on the change/remove button nothing happens.  I'm currently on Windows XP and I've tried a lot of different things from the posts on this topic with no results.  HELP!!!  If I need to delete and re-install, please walk me through how to work in Safe Mode (I don't have much experience with this function).  Thanks for reply to my post.  Need help trying something else.

Tammy

[Lisandro]

SafeMode boot (repeatedly press F8 while booting).

[Tammy Bush]

I know how to get into Safe Mode, it's just that I don't know what to do once I'm in Safe Mode.  How do I find the files I need to delete???  If you could walk me through this part that would be great!

Tammy

[Lisandro]

This is, with a little more details, the general cleaning procedure.

1. Clean your temporary files. You can use CleanUp or CCleaner for that.

2. Schedule a boot time scanning with avast. Start avast! > Right click the skin > Schedule a boot-time scanning. Select for scanning archives. Boot. Other option is scanning in SafeMode (repeatedly press F8 while booting).
If avast does not detect it, you can try DrWeb CureIT! instead.

3. It will be good if you download, install, update and run SUPERantispyware, MBAM or SpywareTerminator.
If any infection is detected, better and safer is send the file to Quarantine than to simple delete them.
About legit antispyware applications or the bad ones see here.

4. If you still detecting any strange behavior or even you're sure you're not clean, maybe it will be good to test your machine with anti-rootkit applications. I suggest avast! antirootkit or Trend Micro RootkitBuster for XP/Vista. For XP only: Panda.

5. Also, if you still detecting strange behaviors or you want to be sure you're clean, maybe making a HijackThis log to post here or this analysis site. Or even submit the RunScanner log to to on-line analysis.

6. After you're clean, disable System Restore on Windows ME, XP or Vista. System Restore is not available in Windows 9x and 2k. After disabling you can enable it again.

7. Use the immunization of SpywareBlaster.

8. Finally, when you're clean, check for insecure applications with Secunia Software Inspector to update insecure applications and avoid reinfection.

After that, or, better, before step 2, you can repair your installation:
Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > avast! antivirus > Remove. Then choose Repair function in the popup window (Repair).

[Tammy Bush]

Okay, I'm still trying to delete Avast! so that I can re-install and like I said before the repair prompt does not come up when I click on the change/remore in the Add/Remove Program screen.  I'm not sure why all the other stuff was posted as far as cleaning my computer when all I want to do is delete the files so I can re-install.  BTW, I do have SUPERantispyware on my system that is running fine, but not sure if that protects me from viruses.  Can someone please help me (step by step) to delete the Avast.  Thank you.

Tammy

[DavidR]

You say you tried to re-install, I don't know if that included an add remove programs uninstall, but because the Repair failed there may be an issue with the uninstall too, in which case you have to run the uninstall utility from safe mode.

You obviously have a corrupt installation or the Repair function would at least be available from the change/remove on add remove programs.

First you have to have downloaded the avast uninstall utility.
Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, find it here and save it to your HDD.

1. Now uninstall (using add remove programs, if you can't do that start from the next step), reboot.

2. run the avast! Uninstall Utility (double click the file you downloaded), reboot.  If step 1 failed it may be necessary to run this from safe mode, once complete reboot into normal mode.

3. install the latest avast version, reboot.

SUPERantispyware is an anti-spyware and there is a certain amount of crossover in what it and avast can detect, but the free version of SUPERantispyware is an on-demand scanner only, so it could only provide limited protection, e.g. when you run the scans.

[Lisandro]

but not sure if that protects me from viruses.

No, it does not protect (not the free version).

Can someone please help me (step by step) to delete the Avast.  Thank you.

1. Uninstall avast from Control Panel first.
2. Boot.
3. Download the latest version of Avast Uninstall and use it for complete uninstallation.
4. Boot.
5. Install again the latest avast! version.
6. Boot.
7. Check and post the results.