I'm having the same problem: uninstalled and reinstalled several times, but AE shuts down before it even finishes starting. It doesn't show up in my Services, though the process does appear in the Task Manager for about 20 seconds. Windows Firewall is disabled, not running any other anti-virus software, ran Revo even and cleared the registry, but still no luck. Does anyone have any idea how to fix this? I'm running Windows XP SP3.

Hi
was another AAW product installed before ?
Maybe your system is infected - install 'HijackThis'*, run a scan and copy/paste the log in your next reply.
Another thing ...
think about a new firewall - the most are better than the Windows fw.
CU
Raziel

Yes, I had Ad-Aware 2008 and ran AAE like normal the first time; have since tried to uninstall manually all different kinds of ways with no success.

Here is the log from HijackThis:

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 9:58:31 PM, on 4/17/2009
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16791)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\S24EvMon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZCfgSvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\cisvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\RegSrvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\RoamMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Switching\User\RoamSvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Apoint\Apoint.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\pctspk.exe
C:\Program Files\Dell\QuickSet\quickset.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\DSentry.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\hpztsb09.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Anastasia Soohoo-Hui\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint\Apntex.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\cidaemon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\cidaemon.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.dellnet.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.comcast.net/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL,(Default) = about:blank
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer = :0
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Java™ Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: JQSIEStartDetectorImpl - {E7E6F031-17CE-4C07-BC86-EABFE594F69C} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\ie\jqs_plugin.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Apoint] C:\Program Files\Apoint\Apoint.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PCTVOICE] pctspk.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Dell QuickSet] C:\Program Files\Dell\QuickSet\quickset.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PRONoMgr.exe] C:\Program Files\Intel\NCS\PROSet\PRONoMgr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DVDSentry] C:\WINDOWS\System32\DSentry.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HPDJ Taskbar Utility] C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\hpztsb09.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Software Update] "C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ISUSPM] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\UpdateService\ISUSPM.exe" -scheduler
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Ad-Watch] C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\AAWTray.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [updateMgr] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\AdobeUpdateManager.exe" AcRdB7_0_8 -reboot 1
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Google Update] "C:\Documents and Settings\Anastasia Soohoo-Hui\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe" /c
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - (no file)
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O15 - Trusted Zone: *.akamai.net
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://*.turbotax.com
O15 - Trusted Zone: *.yimg.com
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/...b?1129741003004
O16 - DPF: {74C861A1-D548-4916-BC8A-FDE92EDFF62C} - http://mediaplayer.walmart.com/installer/install.cab
O16 - DPF: {A8F2B9BD-A6A0-486A-9744-18920D898429} (ScorchPlugin Class) - http://www.sibelius.com/download/software/...tiveXPlugin.cab
O16 - DPF: {DF780F87-FF2B-4DF8-92D0-73DB16A1543A} - http://www.popcap.com/games/popcaploader_v6.cab
O16 - DPF: {ED28050F-D713-43BA-A376-DCC5C35407D5} - http://entimg.msn.com/client/msnmusax2918.cab
O16 - DPF: {F6ACF75C-C32C-447B-9BEF-46B766368D29} (Creative Software AutoUpdate Support Package) - http://www.creative.com/su2/CTL_V02002/ocx/15030/CTPID.cab
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: Adapter Switching (IntelRoam) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\Switching\User\RoamSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Java Quick Starter (JavaQuickStarterService) - Sun Microsystems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
O23 - Service: Intel NCS NetService (NetSvc) - Intel® Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\NCS\Sync\NetSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe
O23 - Service: RegSrvc - Intel Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\System32\RegSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: RoamMgr - Intel Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\System32\RoamMgr.exe
O23 - Service: Spectrum24 Event Monitor (S24EventMonitor) - Intel Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\System32\S24EvMon.exe
O23 - Service: ScriptBlocking Service (SBService) - Unknown owner - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\SYMANT~1\SCRIPT~1\SBServ.exe (file missing)

--
End of file - 7093 bytes

install 'Windows Installer CleanUp Utility' 'W.I.C.U.'*
run it and delete all AAW references
navigate to Documents & Settings /All Users /Application Data/Lavasoft and delete the entire Ad-Aware 2008 folder
reboot

your log shows a symantec product - SBService ; is it still complete installed ?