Avast SecureLine Disconnected

Repa,
Have you ever had this in your task tray before, I have not? I've got 3 screen shots.....Look at the time and date in task tray on each pic...the first 2 are today & #3 is 2014.....

1.

2.

3.

Do you know what's going on? Please let me know..Thanks...

I don't have the slightest idea what is going on. Did you ever have Secure Line VPN? That big negative number indicates there may be something wrong in avast. Don't click renew, whatever you do. Did you take those screen shots in that order? Your computer looks screwed up. I would suggest you do a system restore back to yesterday or before you noticed this and see what things look like then. After the system restore, I would also run Ccleaner, malwarebytes, superantispyware and adwcleaner to make sure you haven't picked up something.

Repa wrote:

I don't have the slightest idea what is going on.
Did you ever have Secure Line VPN? NO, I thought it was something that is included in free Avast.

That big negative number indicates there may be something wrong in avast. If you mean that big 16750 days "Expiration" number, I thought it strange also.


Don't click renew, whatever you do. I already clicked it before I posted this thread...so I could see if they just wanted to try to get some of my money, & it looks to me like they just want money.....


Did you take those screen shots in that order? Yes, numbers #2 & #3 appeared after I clicked "Renew Now"

Your computer looks screwed up. I would suggest you do a system restore back to yesterday or before you noticed this and see what things look like then. After the system restore, I would also run Ccleaner, malwarebytes, superantispyware and adwcleaner to make sure you haven't picked up something.

At this point I really think Avast is trying to scare folks into buying software from them....the little Red Ball with White X & Light Bulb has now vanished from my Task Tray...After my reply now, are you still thinking might be a "bug"?

THANKS!

Well, your desktop display picture changed, Icons were different and in different places, and you had the wrong time and date. If you didn't do that yourself, I suggest you restore back to a time before this happened and run a check - do a quick scan with Malwarebytes and Superantispyware, not a full scan unless you find something.

Repa,
I'm just getting online now first time today...to late to do anything tonight...so I'll try a restore Saturday...It's been several years since I did a system restore...would you be able to coach me on how it's done with Avast nowadays.....I remember you saying something about Avast does not act properly or come back on...or some difficulty getting Avast to run after a system restore is done these days....this is primarily the reason I've shyed away from doing a Restore Back in a while...

Hope you can help?....
Thanks...

Do a restore like you normally do, then if the avast icon gets an X through it, click on it to open it and you will see a "Fix All" button. Click on it, give it a minute, and then restart your computer. When you come back to your desktop, the avast icon should look normal. If not, restart again.

Thank You

Repa,
I ran all my scans today, including Avast Boottime, they were all Clean, Nothing found on any of them....Do you still think a system restore will be necessary?......

what about that last screen shot where your desktop background and icon arrangement had changed and you had the wrong time and date? Is that still like that? If so, then yes, if not, then I guess you don't need to worry about it.

Repa,
1. I decided to Restore back to 10Nov15, but it failed.....here's the screen shot for your take on what happened.....

2.

3. I don't understand what happened...I hope you do?...

4. I'm thinking I'll try another Restore Point....Your recommendation?

Thanks....

That seems to happen a lot with Windows 7. If you aren't having any more problems, you can leave things as they are. Or, you can try restoring from save mode, try another restore point, or try running it from Windows Repair. To run from Windows Repair, restart your computer and hit the f8 key as you do when going into safe mode. On the same screen above where you would select safe mode is Repair your computer. Select that and follow the prompts. You will come to a screen where you can select Restore as an option. It usually works from here.

Repa,
1.  After posting above I tried another restore point, & it failed also...please take a look.....

2.  

3.  Unsure if it matters, but I did not UNDO the first Restore try, which was back to 10Nov, & the reason is that I noticed a couple of things that were changed back as they were before this all BEGAN...such as upon opening Avast the order in which the options there were back as before...I had always clicked the "Quick" scan option, & it was removed from this option list, & now is back after the first failed Restore attempt...So that's one reason I tried another Restore Point....there is another thing or 2 that I can't recall at this moment...

4.  From what I said above,  I probably need to try it in  Windows Repair, don't you think?
EDIT: Can I use the either of same restore points that failed?.......so I don't have to go back to October.....

Did you see post above this one?

1. Can I use the either of same restore points that failed?.......so I don't have to go back to October.....

2. Is it hard to get into system restore from Windows Repair?

System restore seldom seems to work properly from normal mode, and this has been going on for quite some time on both my computers. It does seem to work right most of the time from Window Repair. Restore is easy to get to in Repair mode - just follow the prompts and you will get a screen with repair options, System Restore being one of them. You can try the same Restore points there - usually, they will work properly.

1.  Repa, Just checking back , hoping for ur reply.....Thanks...

2.  I'm now thinking maybe something is going on based on what I told you.....

3.  I was thinking with the 2nd failure error having to do with the Registry was the reason I hurried back here so you could see the 2nd screen shot....was I incorrect thinking that?

4. EDIT:  I'm back after trying to use Key F8 to get to Windows Repair....I tried 5-6 times and computer just keeps restarting as usual, paying no attention to me clicking keyF8....At first I tried waiting til I see a flicker of light as I used to do on my last computer, then finally as soon as the screen turns black for the "restart" process....I hope you can instruct me on how I can get into Windows Repair...it looks hopeless to me.....hope I'm incorrect though......

5. EDIT:   Was I supposed to "UNDO" the first 2 failed Restore attempts?   I hope not because I did not.....

If everything seems to be working normally, there is no need to restore. You don't need to undo on a failed restore.

Have you never gone into safe mode on this computer?

If you still think you need to do a restore, try shutting down your computer. Wait 30 seconds and then push the power button. When the first screen starts to appear,  tap the F8 key RAPIDLY and repeatedly until the Windows Advanced Options Menu appears and then select the "Repair this computer" option and press the enter key. Make sure your Caps Lock on your keyboard is not on. After 2 or 3 attempts, if you still have trouble getting to the Windows Advanced Options Menu, try the F11 key and see what happens.

1.  Have you never gone into safe mode on this computer? NO

2.  If everything seems to be working normally, there is no need to restore.    A few things do not seem normal....like computer is very slow, & sometimes I can't navigate any place....one site when I type password in, the actual password comes up instead of the normal asterisks......could be more, but this is all I can come up with at the moment.....do you think this is grounds for trying a Restore?


3. Example: what if I get the win repair to do a restore & when desktop comes back up & Avast has the Red X thru it...& how would I notify you if after several restarts the Red X would still be thru the avast icon saying that I had no Avast protection.....wouldn't I be in a pickle...or you think I would be able to log on & get to you at geeks before I got infected by a virus???? you know my luck!
thanks

Try to do the restore as I have instructed in the Windows Repair mode. If you can't get to the Windows Advanced Options Menu using the f8 key to get there (or the f11 key as a last resort), I'll give you instructions on a way to get into safe mode without using the f8 key, and you can try doing a restore from safe mode to see if that will work. I think f8 isn't working for you because you aren't tapping it rapidly. Don't interrupt a rapid tapping of the f8 key until you see the Windows Advanced Options Menu.

Probably won't getter done tonite, but, when I do I'll get back to you.......
Thanks.....

Repa,
1.  f8 stilled failed to open it up, finally tried f11 key & got in first try....I was hurrying ...I was afraid it would go to some other screen if I took too long....hard to remember all of it....anyway it said you must leave "Recovery" for some reason, forgot what it said was reason....then I saw it said to automatically Start System Restore click Next & I did, & it went to a Blue Screen.....Never did see a Windows Repair mode anywhere so I guess I was in it & did not know it?....

2.  Got System Restore started & very shortly a popup said it failed...( I still don't know how to do a screen shot in Safe Mode).....basically it said "Failed while restoring the registry from the Restore Point.  An unspecified error occurred (Ox800703f9)..This is the exact same failure notice as recorded on Page 1 of this thread & the last Screen Shot at the bottom of page 1.  

3.  Do you think I should try again cause I'm not sure I was where I needed to be, but when I saw the System Restore I forgot all about the Repair computer, but, I think I did see something about "Repair", but I cannot tell you what all it said....but, since I began to run System Restore I assume that's all I can do, correct?
So, what do you think, forget it, or what??....

Unlike most computers, looks like your computer is set up to use f11 instead of f8. You can try a different restore point and don't be afraid to go back past the 2 you've already tried. Recovery and Repair modes must be the same thing on your computer. There should be a menu appear that gives you options to repair startup, restore, command prompt, etc. If all this fails, you could try to do a restore from safe mode. Take your time and don't get rattled. Your computer isn't going to blow up on you. To gain more confidence, you should start googling "how do I ...." just like you ask here, then read and absorb what to do so when you have to do it, you will be familiar with what is going to happen.

If you can't get system restore to work, I suggest you go to Start >Run, type cmd in the box and click ok. You will get a command prompt screen. At the flashing cursor, type the following exactly as I have it:

sfc /scannow

and press enter. This will take a while. It will look for corrupted and missing Windows files and replace them. Then try System Restore again. If you can't get it to work, I suggest you go through the gamit of anti-spyware programs and do full scans of each, plus run an Avast Boot-time scan to make sure you don't have something on your computer. Other than that, I don't know what else you can do. If your computer is running slow, go and do Tut #36. Just doing the defrag part alone with the Auslogics defragger using the "defrag and optimize" option will speed things up. This needs to be done once a week, and no less than once a month to keep your computer running smoothly.

Repa said: plus run an Avast Boot-time scan to make sure you don't have something on your computer... My last Boottime scan was on the 14 Nov and this was after I started this thread and nothing was found and I also ran all my other programs scans on that same day with no bad guys found...so I'm wondering if I'm just spinning my wheels and if I'm wasting my time doing all this??

What do you think?

I suggest that since Restore isn't working and your computer is running slow that you do the sfc /scannow to look for corrupt and missing Windows files and also do tut#36 to speed up your slow computer. Note that there is a space between sfc and /scannow. You probably also have a bunch of applications running at startup that don't need to be and they will slow down your computer. The only thing that needs to run at startup is Avast. The rest can be unchecked in Start > Run > type msconfig > click ok, select the Startup tab.

OK, Repa, I'll try unchecking applications running at startup now, & do the rest as soon as I can....

I'll let you how I progress....

Thanks

EDIT: I just went into startup & all boxes were already unchecked except for Avast & Ccleaner, I left Avast, but unchecked Ccleaner...is that correct?