If a user disabled the Link Scanner or Automatic Update utility the icon presentation would be as you described.

DA

Same thing on my three machines. I posted the same problem above. Sorry, didn't see this post. I need AV to be running. I'll have to shop quickly. Can't have my computers without AV. I'm at work.

Jane

I did a check on various sites regarding this concern. It appears some other users are having problems too, but not everyone. At times a reboot is suggested to remediate if you haven't tried one.

Apparently the last update required up to two reboots on some systems. My Vista system required none. AVG as of now has not reponded to the concern, unless I missed it as I am at work and only did a cursory check.

DA

A major update was just issued which could be causing some of the problems. This is the info on that update.

[App Update] AVG Free Program Update - 8.0.135 - SP1

Program update AVG 8.0.135 - SP1 - July 2, 2008

Improvements & fixes

* Remake of internal communication to eliminate undesired program status appearance (hibernation, sleep mode, cold restart, ...).
* Display of the system tray icon representing running scan (that can be paused or stopped from the context menu).
* Added option to ignore the status of a component via context menu in the AVG main interface: the system tray icon then reports OK status even if a component is in error status.
* System restore point is created before launching a program update.
* Improved EML file processing including scanning of user mailboxes.
* RAM requirements optimization.
* New design of the system tray pop-up window, and more information provided.
* Improved statistics of detected objects in Email Scanner and resident Shield.
* To eliminate AVG collisions with OS, only minimum drivers are installed in safe mode; then it is possible to launch on-demand scanning from the command line only, and a new GUI dialog has been added to ease the scan configuration.
* Added option of restoring a file from the Virus Vault to the original folder even if the folder has been removed.
* Added option of deleting the Resident Shield and Email Scanner history.
* Improved stability and design of GUI.
* Improved detection of former Lotus Notes/MS Exchange plugins installations during AVG setup.
* Fixed crash during the update process.
* Fixed problems with detection of some external USB DVD/CD drives.
* Fixed problem with inactive components after update.
* Fixed possible corruption of transferred data when the Web Shield is enabled.
* Fixed a possible crash caused by the Web Shield.
* Fixed problem with switching to small font size in Microsoft Internet Explorer after closing AVG User Interface.
* Fixed repetitive backup of scanned files by Vista incremental backup service.
* Improved parsing of Google advertising URLs.

»free.avg.com/ww.94087 free.avg.com/ww.94087

here is the link to the free forums you can check there.
Forums

That's the one. My recollection is it was about 8MB in size.

For those who are not sure as to whether their AVG version has been updated, right-click on the AVG icon located on the Taskbar/Notification Area by the clock. Double click on the interface entry appearing on the drop down menu. The version will be included with other information on the lower left of the appearing window. As was previously reported 8.0.135 is current.

DA

Wow, what a headache. Just got home and got it on my home machine. Took time on the office machine had to restart a few times. Home machine also needed 2 restarts. Kept getting stuck.

Anyway, back to normal,

Jane

Thank you for your help everyone. I see I'm not the only one with this problem. When I got back on the computer tonight, the strange icon was gone. I restarted anyway, then came back here to reply. I started to reply and the (!)-icon popped up again, and a message told me to restart (?). So... I did that, again. So far so good.

Hopefully, things are back to normal; and will stay that way!

Thanks again for all of your advice. : )

Perhaps there was a legitimate concern with the 8.0.135 update download. Besides a Link Scanner update, AVG released a new application update today, July 4, creating a new version 8.0.138. I can't remember seeing two updates for any application in such a short time unless there was a concern with the original.

The download is so new I cannot find anything on the Grisoft website or Google right now except for the download itself.

DA

You may be right. My version is still 8.0.135. So do you think we are going to have to uninstall and re-install the newest version (8.0.138), or will AVG do that automatically for us through an update, I wonder?

Mine came through the update. As I was researching the matter yesterday I saw where AVG recommends all updates be done through the application's update utility rather than from the website. Apparently there position is like that of Microsoft with its Windows Update utility.

Through the utility a user only installs the portion of any update a user's system requires. From the website the user installs the entire update.

The v8.0.138 update through the utiltiy was as I recall 198kb. The update available from the website was over 17MB.

DA

I just updated from the Update Manager and have version 8.0.138. The update that brought me to 8.0.135 was really long and I had to try it a second time after the 'connection to the server was lost'. I don't use Link Scanner. Actually I did at first, but didn't care for it so uninstalled and reinstalled without it. Maybe that's why I didn't have as much trouble as some here did. Only 1 restart.

Pam

My AVG updated to 8.0.138, automatically through update manager, at 9:04 EDT this am., no restart need everything went smoothly- I didn't even know it had updated until I checked after reading the above posts.
(The other) Pam

Between this morning when I posted and now, I was automatically updated to the 8.0.138. Actually, my scheduling time keeps changing with no intervention from me... hmm. Oh well, it looks like everything is right with the universe again. ; )

You guys are such a huge help.

For those who aren't thrilled with Link Scanner or those who may just want to see how well AVG operates without it, it is not necessary to delete and reinstall.

Double click on the icon appearing in the Notification Area/System Tray>In the appearing interface double click on the Link Scanner component>Uncheck the Enable the AVG Search-Shield (need web browser restart)>Click Save changes.

I do not remember if a restart is required. I am sure AVG will advise if necessary.

DA

I was thinking of deleting the Link Scanner (thinking it would be a pita), but I haven't seen anything that would indicate it's even doing anything (and it is shown on the "Security Components and Status Overview" page, with a check mark indicating that it is active). I'm not sure if I'm missing something... What type of activity should I look for? Shouldn't it be scanning my links? It's not, I don't think. lol

For the two minutes that I had it enabled it seems to me the following is correct.

With the Link Scanner enabled do a simple Google of any topic you wish. To the very right of the appearing hyperlinks you should see results of the Link Scanner.

DA

I use the mcafee site advisor add on which comes for firefox and IE and I like it a lot, it does the same thing as the link scanner and it does not slow the search or cause pc slow downs that people are reporting is happening to some with the linkscanner active.

Thanks, raven, for the mcafee site advisor add on tip. I just downloaded it and am very pleased with it. :) I'm entering my google search for it. The first two links show the sites for Firefox and IE users.

Here is a link that might be useful: McAfee site advisor add on

you are welcome, I think it is a great idea to use especially for searches because you just never know what kind of site you might be clicking on, I know never to click on the red ones!

This is one of the reasons I switched from AVG - high maintenance.

DA, Thanks for the instructions. I googled something and didn't see any Link Scanner results next to the hyperlinks... And, my Link Scanner is 'active'.

Also, I clicked on some different links than usual today, and nothing happened as far as warnings go, either. Guess my Link Scanner is on holiday. : D