I'm using Windows XP, IE6.

I recently upgraded from Ad-Aware 2007 Plus to Ad-Aware 2008 Plus under my current license. The first two installations failed. The only error message was the "The Installation Failed Due to an Error." There was no error code or message. On the third attempt, I successfully installed Ad-Aware 2008 Plus.

Now I'm having a random problem launching Ad-Aware 2008 Plus. Sometimes, it launches fine; other times it encounters an error message and needs to close. It may fail and then succeed twice in a row, and then fail again, all in a very short or longer time period.

One error message is generated by Lavasoft. The other is the standard Windows message. Both messages point to a problem with the file lavalicense.dll. This is the Lavasoft error message:

Click to view attachment

I would like to avoid uninstalling and reinstalling. I've already consumed a lot of time just getting the software installed.

Is there a way to fix the problem with the lavalicense.dll file?

Thanks.

Hi,

Is it possible that your machine may be infected with malware? Some malware programs prevent the ad-aware service from running. Please try and run a scan (when you can) or use another vendor's security software to check.

If the results come back clean, then I think a reinstall using Revo (a free 3rd party uninstaller) may be needed.

Casey

Casey, thanks for your reply.

I have had a virus, Trojan Win32-PWS. I noted this in response to another poster who also has this virus, which after deleting, comes back.

I have found that uninstalling and reinstalling frequently does not solve a problem and wastes a lot of time. I have done this in the past with previous versions of Ad-Aware to no avail. The problems ended up being in the Ad-Aware software, which your engineers finally fixed after many months.

I think we need to troubleshoot the virus, especially when other users seem to be detecting it only with Ad-Aware's extended virus scanner.

I launched Ad-Aware three times today without an error message. I'm not sure the virus is related to the error message problem because it's the lavalicense.dll file that is being flagged in the error message as the source of the problem. If there is a problem with this file, reinstallation may not solve the problem, just recreate it.

I may have two problems - one with lavalicense.dll, and the other with Trojan Win 32-PWS. I think the first thing to do is to know why only Ad-Aware is detecting this, is it a real threat, and if so, how do you get rid of it. I feel that should precede any reinstallation.

Finally, there is something wrong with Ad-Aware if you need to use a third-party uninstaller to get a clean uninstall of Ad-Aware 2008. That is just inexcusable. Why won't Ad-Aware's uninstaller do the same thing?

Thanks.

Hi again,

Firstly, I think we will proceed down the infection route. I would like you to read this topic: http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?showtopic=13639
and then post in the HiJackThis forum for help from a secuity adviser. Explain I have asked you to do this and maybe a brief summary of the problem.

If they do find malware and are successful in removing it and the problem, then that's great. If the problem still persists, then post back in here and we'll see about other steps,

Casey

P.S There's nothing wrong with the uninstaller, it's just that (as with a lot of programs) it leaves traces behind in case you reinstall (ie your license details) with Revo you delete these and ensure a completely clean installation.

Click to view attachment

Hi Casey,

I just ran Ad-Aware in safe mode and the virus was not detected - for now. I don't know if you realize that another poster is being helped for the same virus, but seems to be going down a different path for resolving the problem. Please check it. The virus problem should really be merged. Meanwhile, I'll post the problem where you specified.

I received another error message right after opening Ad-Aware, again pointing to lavalicense.dll. Perhaps it has more information that will help identify the problem. Here's the latest error message:

Click to view attachment

This is getting a bit confusing. Are you now saying that the virus, Win32-PWS, and the lavalicense.dll error messages are one problem?


Thanks,

- Barry

@c_b
FYI ...


The Error 6000 is relating to an older version of Ad-Aware. The issue is resolved in the current version.

Please, download the latest version of Ad-Aware from the Support Center or https://secure.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php and try to reinstall.

You can also perform a Web Update to install any recent software updates. Select the 'Web Update' menu in Ad-Aware. Click the 'Update' button to connect to the update server and download the updates. Restart Ad-Aware and Ad-Watch to activate the changes.

Hop this helps
and
happy holidays
Raziel

Hi again,

As you can see from the above post Raziel seems to think that this service issue as pointed out in your first post should be sorted with a reinstall. I know you said you didn't want to, but I do at this point recommend it.

It is possible that the virus may have caused damage to the old installation and this has affetced the new one. So a complete and clean reinstall may solve the problem.

I'm sorry that I can't say for definite and this is all a bit of guess work as there appear to be two different problems (which is unusual).

Casey

Casey and Raziel,

Thanks for your replies. Unfortunately, there's too much guess work in both these issues. Though the virus was not detected when I ran Ad-Aware (full scan, extended virus engine) in Safe Mode, we can't be sure it's gone. If I reinstall, and the virus is still there, then it will affect the new installation. So I think that Casey's previous suggestion to first post the virus issue is the way to go. The virus seems to be the first priority. Please remember that users have other things to do besides continually reinstalling Ad-Aware. My first two attempts at installing Ad-Aware 2008 a week ago failed.

Once I'm sure the virus is gone, and if I'm still having problems with opening Ad-Aware, then I think it would be appropriate to reinstall. Yesterday, I opened Ad-Aware 6 times. In 5/6 times, it opened normally without an error message. While this problem is inconvenient, it's not preventing the use of Ad-Aware. The virus, on the other hand, has a TAI rating of 10. If it is real, and still exists, it can send back passwords to the person(s) responsible for this. This is a much higher priority.

I checked the Norton database and can't find a virus that exactly matches this one. This makes sense because Norton with LiveUpdate does not detect this virus.

I will post an update on the progress or resolution of these issues.

Thanks for your prompt attention to my posts.

- Barry

I just searched for the virus. The issue is a problem for other users and is being discussed in both the "False Positive" and "Hijack This" forums. It doesn't seem very efficient to have so much duplication of effort. If you get a chance, please search for Win32-PWS-Mapping, and you'll find the other discussions. It doesn't make sense to have multiple users being helped by multiple people recommending different solutions for the same problem.

- Barry

Please take a look at the following discussion in the False Positives forum. It has relevance to my problem.

http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?s...mp;hl=win32-pws

barry2,

I'd really like you to post a HJT log, as each case can be subtly different. At least then we'd know what we were up against,

Regards,

Casey

Casey,

I have clean scans in both safe mode and regular mode. It appears that the virus is gone.

Ad-Aware presets the number of logs at 1. I didn't know that. So the scan with the virus was overwritten multiple times by new logs from scans showing no virus. I have upped the setting to have multiple logs.

Therefore, there is no log to post of a scan finding a virus.

Meanwhile, I need to reinstall Ad-Aware 2008 Plus because I'm still having problems opening Ad-Aware every time. which may be caused by the old pieces of licenses as indicated by the error messages.


Thanks,

barry2

ok, glad to hear you're all clear

let me know how it goes,

Casey