I was hoping someone might offer some suggestions to fix an Avast/Outlook provider problem.
Everything was working fine. Then (stupidly, perhaps) I tried using the new AIRoboForm feature to import my Outlook contacts to use as RoboForm contacts. My system froze during this import attempt.
The next time I opened Outlook, I got a message that there had been a serious error involving one of the Avast files, and it prompted me to disable and then later re-enable the add-in. So I disabled the plug-in at the error prompt and proceeded to re-enable Avast using the Outlook plug-in manager. So, according to Outlook, the Avast plug-in is now enabled.
However, Avast tells me (even when Outlook is up and running) that the provider is waiting for a subsystem to start.
I tried using the Add/Remove Programs tool to “repair” the Avast installation. This didn’t help.
I then used the Add/Remove Programs tool to uninstall and then reinstall the Outlook provider component. This didn’t help either.
Finally, I completely uninstalled Avast, deleted all the files from its Program Files directory, cleaned my registry as best I could, and then reinstalled Avast. Still no luck.
Outlook still tells me that the Avast plug-in is enabled, but Avast no longer recognizes when Outlook is started.
CAN ANYONE HELP ME UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW OUTLOOK AND AVAST INTERACT???
- What files are used?
- What exactly happens when you install the Avast Outlook provider?
- What settings are changed?
- Are there scripts or configuration files somewhere that affect the interaction?
- How is Avast supposed to "know" when Outlook is running?
- How can you completely remove Outlook’s “knowledge” of Avast so that any corrupt files can be removed and replaced?
I appreciate any insights anyone has that might help me troubleshoot this. Thank you!
P.S., I’m using: XP, Outlook 2003 and Avast 4.1.412
