Did you try hovering over the red shield to see the pop up? Or double click on it to bring up some information.

Either way you might also check the status of any other safety programs you have and do a full scan with the anti virus and anti malware to feel sure. Is the firewall still active?

some of the fake antivirus infections mimic that shield I would run an updated malwarebytes scan just to be on the safe side and know you did not perhaps get one of those nasties.

I updated both Avast and Malwarebytes. Ran a scan on both and still have that red shield. I did install the lates version of Avast so I don't know what is going on. thanks in advance, ps, I also restarted my computer, P.K.

when you right click the shield what are the options and what does it tell you?

Or another possibility:

I think if it were a fake Anti Virus it would have already scanned the PC and tried directing the user to a site to buy something. Check the settings below:

Remove Windows Security Center Icon from Taskbar Red X Shield

1. Control Panel
2. Security
3. Windows Security Center
4. Click Change the way Security Center alerts me
5. Select Don't notify me and don't display the icon

pkspigs,
Do you have Vista on your machine? Mine did this a while back when I updated my Avast.
What you need to do is this:
1:)Go to control panel.

2:)Click on Security Center.

3:)Click on the item that is red.(mine was the Malware protection bar)Avast protects you from Malware, so you don't need it to be checked by your windows security.

4:)Your "user account control" window will pop-up. Click on the link that says "show me available options" just under where it says "Windows did not find antivirus software on this computer".

5:)Another Windows Security Center window will pop up. Click on the top option that states "I have an antivirus program that I'll monitor myself".

6:)The next window will be another "user account control" window. Click on continue.

The shield icon should disappear.
Please let us know if this worked!

bbbluz

The red shield info says my Avast may be out of date. I just re-i nstalled it, so this may be where the problem is. But i updated it. when I reinstalled I installed the latest version. Don't yet know where the problem is. PK

Is your computer day/date/time set correctly ?

Is this thread referring to the same computer as this thread?

don't think I make myself very clear to you computer whizes. I had a problem before Christmas, where as I was sent to the Landown (sp) forums. I was getting the help I needed until I could not log onto the internet anymore and there were various other problems. I have HAD an external hard drive connected for about 6 months, where everything was backed up. I took my computer in, and they told me I had a bad hard drive, so I had it replaced and also I TOOK my external hard drive in also. Now I don't understand why MS Office was not on the new hard drive, I called them and they said that is common. also I did not understand where my music went unless I FORGOT to back it up, but I did back up Windows Media Player, where I thought all my music was safe. Now we are at the problem with the Red Shield for Windows Security,the date and time on the computer was wrong and I fixed that. I will just leave this here, and thanks for the help. PK

"The red shield info says my Avast may be out of date." Is Avast updating properly?

I ask because if you have had Avast installed for over a year you need to re-register to get updates. Perhaps you overlooked that?

You say you had the external drive connected for 6 months. If there is no fan in the external drive container that is unwise as the heat build up will kill the hard drive quicker than through normal useage. I plug mine in when I need to transfer data and remove it afterwards and mine is self powered and has a fan.

I still think you need to get that old hard drive back, it is yours bought and paid for, it may not be damaged seeing you had so much trouble with malware. The music might be still on that drive unless you personally deleted it after you thought you had saved it to the external drive. Also you do not want it sold as is to someone who might try accessing your data.

Thanks for the tip on my external hard drive. Avast had just been reinstalled two days ago. I also brought my old hard drive home with me. They did not keep it. By the way, I DID find my music on "F" drive. I was doing an Ad Aware scan and was watching it where I saw it scanning the music. I saw where it was located, (not where it was to begin with). It was located in a backup folder in my husband's documents, who knew. I am trying to get them all reinstalled on windows Media Player, but only half of them went there, but the Avast problem has been solved since I corrected the date on the computer and restarted it. Thanks for all your advice in helping a complete novice with my problems, Happy New Year, and we DO appreciate you all for your willingness to help us. PK

Good for you! Thanks for posting back with your results.

If you right click on Start then click Explore you can see the contents of any drive including the external if it is connected and the DVD/CD player if a disk is in the drawer. You can then move the data from one folder to another, create new folders, even move from one drive to the other. I find it a very useful tool.

I am very pleased your music showed up and even more pleased you have the old hard drive. That is very important I think.

There was a report a couple of years ago where a Florida man had a new hard drive installed but was not given the old drive despite asking for it. Six months later he got an email from an honest person in Chicago who had bought the hard drive at a flea market, he returned the drive to the original owner. Things do not always turn out so well.