Avast updated the sig file, and was suddenly disabled.

[Grumpfuttock]

After booting up my PC this evening, Avast 5.o.594 updated the virus sig., and then the tray icon showed a red cross and I was informed that all 7 providers are now permanently disabled . Opening Avast and clicking Fix does not restart them, shutting down and rebooting does not help Avast just starts up disabled. Has anyone else had this problem since the update, or is it me who has picked up something nasty that has disabled it. I have done a complete scan of the PC with Anti-Malware and Avast, but nothing was found. I have also checked that my firewall (Online Armor) isn't blocking anything but everything seems to be as usual. Should I try removing Avast 5 and re-installing or maybe doing a system restore ? I would be very grateful to hear if anyone else has had the same thing happen. 

[Gargamel360]

Maybe try a repair before that.
Go through the motions of uninstalling Avast! through Add/Remove programs, but choose the repair option instead.

Update #100828-1 here, no problems.

[Grumpfuttock]

Thanks for the very quick responds Gargamel360, I tried the repair, but the situation is the same.. I think I had better try uninstalling Avast and re-installing then if it still refuses to enable, then I guess I had better start thinking along the lines of some sort of malware in the system.

[Grumpfuttock]

Very strange... I went to the "About" section in Avast 5 and it told me that the program version was unknown, the Virus definitions version was also listed as unknown´, I clicked on update but a message came up informing me that updating was not possible as the program was disabled.
Reckoning on un-installing Avast using Revo uninstaller, I went to the Win 7 task manager and tried to stop Avast as it showed that it WAS STILL running.... stopping the process was refused !
I then decided to restore the system to yesterday before trying to do the uninstall. On rebooting, system restore informed me that the restore wasn't done able to be done due to an open antivirus program file and would revert to the state that it was before attempting the restore. However when the desktop appeared Avast 5 was running properly again with all shields activated, very weird !
I am guessing that something fouled up when the update was appled, as the task bar pop up telling me that Avast had been updated did not disappear as it usually does, I had to click it off. It was after that, that I noticed the red cross on the icon.
Anyway I am happy again 

[DavidR]

Revo shouldn't be used on security applications, use the add remove programs if the entry exists or a specialist uninstall tool from the makers of the security application; they will have a far greater knowledge of where its files/folders and registry entries are.

So I would suggest a clean reinstall:
- Download the latest version of avast, 5.0.594 http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download (assumes you are using the free version) and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again (if you didn't save your last download). Use that when you reinstall.

- Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, aswClear5.exe find it here and save it to your HDD (it has uninstall tools for both 4.8 and 5.0).

• 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 from safe mode, first for 4.8 if previously installed and then for 5.0, once complete reboot into normal mode.
• 3. install the latest version, reboot.

[Grumpfuttock]

Thank you for your advice David. I have downloaded the uninstall tool and saved it for when it is needed, if it will ever be needed, now that Avast is functioning perfectly again !

[DavidR]

You're welcome.

[SafeSurf]

Grumpfuttock,

A belated welcome to the forum. 

Now that your issue is resolved/fixed, please go back to the open post in this topic, click the modify button in that Post and change the title/subject, add [Resolved] to the beginning of the title so this thread can be closed. 

Feel free to come back any time you need help, to learn something new, or just to ask questions.  We are here 24/7 for your convenience.  Thank you.