I've read others suggestions and nothing seems to work. I downloaded 2008, got to uninstall, and it won't go beyond trying to stop services. It says verify that you have sufficient privileges to stop system services. I'm trying to uninstall it because when i try to run it I get an error saying "system error:1814 has occurred. Could not log in to service. "
How do i get rid of this corrupt? program so i can download a new version??

I think this thread may help you: Resolved: Ad-Aware 2008 High CPU issue or system error 1814, with latest update http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?showtopic=24348

I tried to go and stop the file and there is no such file there? What next.

I had exactly the same problem. It started when I clicked on my desktop icon to start Adaware, then got impatient because it was taking a long time to open, so clicked on it again. It then hung. I couldn't log into it, as it kept asking me if another user was using it. I couldn't de-install it. It kept saying the programm was running and I didn't have the right privelages to stop it. Basically I was getting the same error message as you. I followed the advice of the guy on this thread and went to rRUN and typed in - service.msc. I'm no techie geek. I've never heard of services.msc and have no idea what it does. I know very little about computers, but I ignored his advice to you, (as you had said you couldn't find the file in question anyway). What I did then was to highlight adaware in the list created by "service.msc". I clicked on STOP, to stop the application. I then had a look around the options and selected "Action". Then "properties" on the pull down menu. Then on the "startup type" option I selected - disabled. Then - apply. Bear in mind I didn't really know what I was doing, but it seemed to make sense to stop the program, then stop it from restarting automatically everytime I tried to restart my computer. Cos that was the fundemental problem. I couldn't remove the programme cos every time I restarted my PC it started up automatically, and windows said it was running and in use by another user. Catch 22.

I then switched off my PC. Switched it back on again and simply went to control panel, remove programs, and removed adaware. problem solved. You are than free to download it again and re-install it.

But remember, be patient and don't click on the desktop icon whilst it is already in the process of intialising/starting up.

Hope this helps. it should work, as I was getting exactly the same error messages as you.
cheers
Awdbugga

Oops, just spotted a typo - it should have read - I went to RUN and typed in services(plural).msc, not service.msc
Awdbugga

Let's see if I can help here; I don't want to make the confusion worse, but if you have never opened Hidden Files*** on your C-Drive, that could be the problem. If this helps, great; if not, then wait for official help; and if it gets removed by officials, I'll understand.

Mod.Edit/add./Raziel
To show 'Hidden files':
XP
1. Open Windows Explorer
2. Click on the ‘Tools’ menu item
3. Click on ‘Folder Options’ item
4. Click on ‘View’
5. Uncheck ‘Hide extensions for known file types’
6. Hidden Files and Folders, check Show hidden files and folders

Vista
# Close all programs so that you are at your desktop.
# Click on the Start button. This is the small round button with the Windows flag in the lower left corner.
# Click on the Control Panel menu option.
# When the control panel opens you can either be in Classic View or Control Panel Home view:
If you are in the Classic View do the following:
1. Double-click on the Folder Options icon.
2. Click on the View tab.
3. Go to step 5.

If you are in the Control Panel Home view do the following:
1. Click on the Appearance and Personalization link.
2. Click on Show Hidden Files or Folders.
3. Go to step 5.
# Under the Hidden files and folders section select the radio button labeled Show hidden files and folders.
# Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide extensions for known file types.
# Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide protected operating system files. Once this is done, your Folder Options screen should look similar to the following image.

End of addendum



I presume you're running Windows XP; you didn't say. If Vista, this many not apply. But for XP, the directions were: First you need to delete the broken definitions file.
Location: (2000, XP) - C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Lavasoft \Ad-Aware\core.aawdef Steps by step with pics, and I hope I get this right...

On each one of the pics I am using "Thumbnail" view, which can be changed by clicking the icon indicated...




Open C-Drive...




Open Documents and Settings...




Open All Users...




Open Application Data...



Open Lavasoft....




Open Ad-Aware...




There it is...

Hi. The removal of the file core.aawdef worked for me. I had been wrestling with the problem of getting error 1814, and then 1920 while trying to uninstall from the add/remove portion of the control panel. I tried the services.msc route, but the stop, start, pause, restart options were all greyed out, and not available to me. I tried all of these in regular and safe mode. I couldn't start, remove, repair. Out of desperation, I even tried to just simply delete the entire folder from within Windows Explorer, and just live with the remnants that would result in the registry. Even that gave me some error message, and I could not proceed.
Now that Adaware 2008 free works again(after removal of core.aawdef), I wonder if my next step shouldn't be to just uninstall the entire program, download again, and start from scratch, or if it would be ok to just update the definitions. As it stands right now, under update status, the current version is "not available". I seem to recall that it was something like 0146.0021 before all of this trouble started. I might add that I've been using Adaware free since it was 2007, and arrived at 2008 via a software update, and the definition was version 0080, or something like that.
Thanks.