Although Ad-Watch "General Settings" are set to not "Load Ad-Watch at start up" it still insists on loading after either a cold start or reboot. This behavior seems to have started after upgrading to Ad-Aware 2007 version 7.0.2.5. Any suggestions on disabling this action as I'd like it to be my decision which programs run at startup Many Thanks.

Hi Magic MIDI,

There are two options - one would be to navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware 2007\ and deleting the file called "settings.aaw". That will remove all of your saved settings.

Then re-open AAW 2007, re-select and save your desired options and a new settings file will be recreated.

Alternatively, there is the old MS route - click on "Start > Run" and type in msconfig - from the Start Up tab on the right, de-select (un-tick) Ad Watch2007 in the list. Click on apply and close, then re-boot.

When your system restarts, you will get a "nag" message that you have changed the start-up files - tick/check the "Do not show this message again" box, otherwise it will reappear every time that you boot-up.

Regards,

Spike

PS: Of the two options, I would try the AAW one first.

Hi spike-nz

Thank you for your help on this.
There is also a file named Settings.aw, that Windows XP classifies as an Answer Wizard File in the
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware 2007\ directory.
Do I need to do anything with this file?

There is also a Settings.ini file with the following content:
[StartUp]
Update=1
StartAdWatch=1
StartAdAware=1
ScanOption=0
Again, do I need to do anything with this file, or is this a legacy file from Ad-Aware SE Professional?

Sorry to trouble you again, but being a musician I'm not the luckiest of people with computers and if this can go wrong it will

Hi Magic MIDI,

No, ignore those other ones - perhaps I should have been a little clearer in my first post

Delete only the settings.aaw file. That is the one where your preferences have been saved.

Make sure that Ad-Aware is closed before you begin - also it would pay to shutdown Ad-Watch.

Right-click on the Ad-Watch Icon Click to view attachment in the system tray (bottom right of your screen, next to the clock) and select "Close Ad-Watch" and then confirm.

Once you have re-created your new settings file (with the "Load Ad-Watch at start up" de-selected) you should then re-start Ad-Watch and re-select/save your preferences there also.

Please post back with how you get on.

Regards,

Spike

Hi Spike

All has gone to plan: Ad-Watch no longer starts up on boot up, and a new settings.aaw file has been created. Thanks for your help with this.

I must just say though that it does seem a bit odd that having chosen to set Ad-Aware to load at startup I cannot then simply reverse this decision later by unchecking the option again in the General Settings tab

Hi Magic MIDI,


That is what should and does normally happen - however in some cases, the settings file for some reason becomes corrupted and saved changes don't "take".

Good to see that you have Ad-Watch behaving as you want it to now,

Regards,

Spike