Avast Pro not starting

[berryorr]

I am running Windows XP, Avast Pro.

The icon in the lower right screen has an 'X' on it, and gives warning "avast! Antivirus: warning, your system is unsecured". When I right click and open Avast! User interface, program says Unsecured, Fix Now, and below that, Service stopped, Start service.
If I run a quick scan, when it finishes the summary says secured... but the icon still has orange 'x' and warning "avast! Antivirus: warning, your system is unsecured".
What's up?  Why no autostart?

Thanks,  Berry

[Pondus]

you did remove your previous used AV before you installed avast ?

Try avast! repair

For a repair of avast. Windows, Add Remove programs, select 'avast! Anti-Virus,' click the Change/Remove button from the pop-up window, scroll down to Repair, click next and follow.

[ady4um]

I am running Windows XP, Avast Pro.

The icon in the lower right screen has an 'X' on it, and gives warning "avast! Antivirus: warning, your system is unsecured". When I right click and open Avast! User interface, program says Unsecured, Fix Now, and below that, Service stopped, Start service.
If I run a quick scan, when it finishes the summary says secured... but the icon still has orange 'x' and warning "avast! Antivirus: warning, your system is unsecured".
What's up?  Why no autostart?

Thanks,  Berry

Is Windows Security Center saying that your system is secured?

Reboot.

Are all Avast shields active? If not, then activate them, and reboot.

After rebooting, is Avast updating the antivirus database?

[berryorr]

 My previous AV was Avast free.
I tried the repair option.
Windows security center says AV is running and secure.
All shields are active, once I run a quick scan.

Everything seems to work once I force a quick scan, except the Icon still says "avast! Antivirus: warning, your system is unsecured".

Seems like it should start automatically-
                     update automatically-
                     and Icon should say so...

[ady4um]

I think berryorr is mixing 2 concepts.

Set the scans aside for a moment.

Open Avast main GUI in Summary -> Current status. Does it says "secured" or "UNsecured". Is Avast service "started" or not?

Fix both those issues and restart your system (if in doubts, ask here).

Wait a couple of minutes after booting (until the HDD led is only lightly "blinking", most of the time "off"). Check the same "Current Status- Summary" situation and report back. There are more reasons for the "Unsecured" status of Windows Security Center, and I'll give you more instructions if necessary.

Forget about the "scans" for a moment, those are a different thing. Please report back.

[berryorr]

OK. Restarted computer. waited 20 minutes until all 'housekeeping' stopped.
Checked Avast main GUI- summary-current status. Says Unsecured.
Below that Avast service stopped.
Clicked both buttons to fix issue.
Restarted computer.
Same situation once restart over.

[berryorr]

Have completed process three times.
After each reboot, after system has settled down-
Still UNsecured, service stopped.

[ady4um]

From the several "layers" that should work correctly for the "Sign" to say "Secured", the Avast service is the first one.

You need to open the Windows "Services", look for Avast Service and configure the "Startup" type as "automatic", save and reboot.

This may be not enough, but it is the first step. Once you reboot (and wait), check again the "current status" of Avast. The "service" should be running ("on") this time (since you set it as "automatic startup"), even if it still says "UNsecured".

If the service is not "on" after that (or for some reason you can't change it to "auto"), you may need to set it as "automatic" using Windows Safe Mode and then reboot.

Please report back so to continue.

[EDIT_UPDATE]
BTW, how to get to services in XP? Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services -> look for Avast service.
[/EDIT_UPDATE]