My Windows Security Centre tells me that avast! antivirus 4.7.1001 [VPS 000738-2] reports it might be out of date. sure enough when i turn my pc on, i get a message from avast saying VPS is out-of-date. but whenever i click program update it gives me this
Information about current update:
Total time: 8 s
Program: Already up to date
(current version 4.7.1001)
Vps: Already up to date
(current version 000738-2)
Please make sure that your system date and time is correct (day, month and year - check carefully). For most of us it is (right now) Saturday 5 May, 2007.
The issue is not just an avast issue - indeed not particularly an avast issue - it is reported by the Windows Security Center/Centre so not something that avast can prevent.
On windows XP systems there is the W32Time service to take care of this. The default, as I recall, is to perform the synchronization of the clock one per week but there is a tweak to make it more frequent, like once a day - though I have to note it may be a bit overloaded since it often fails to connect according to my system logs.
There may still be free versions of a program I use emanating from the UK called Tardis (the name of the time traveling machine of Dr.Who of the BBC television series) which can also be used to perform the system clock synchronization on a regular basis from a number of reference sources. Probably there are other options out there to be found too.
Possible? Yes. Good? I’m not so sure… If there is a problem in my computer, I need its time and date checked and not a server one. Maybe avast could compare the time and date between the computer and the time server and alert the user.
I agree with Alan, that this is a function of the Operating system to ensure the time is correct. However, having said that, I have that function disabled on my system, preferring to do it myself periodically.
But, the time sync should be talking in adjusting seconds or minutes and neither of which would account for the type of discrepancy to cause WSC to say it is out of date, typically 7 days. Mostly this is either a CMOS battery problem or someone has used the clock to check a date in the future or past and forgotten to set it back.
I also check the clock frequently, hover the mouse over it and you will see the date as well as the time, this can pre-empt any potential sync problem.
Another thing, I don’t really want avast to acquire another function that would either it first checks for a connection (ping) or actually establish a connection (god forbid, no auto connections {dial-up}). We have numerous posts in the forums complaining that avast is connecting to the internet and this would add to it.
You would also have to build in a number to atomic clocks check in turn, to cater for unable to connect or sync. Next if the users sees that the colck/date is incorrect then avast would be a candidate for possible blame.
Sorry, but as I said I feel this is an OS or user function.
I use a little program called about time that can be used as a stand alone application to be launched by the user, as a dial-up user I have a real hatred to any program that tries to automatically connect to the internet.
thanks for the quick response. yep, it was a date issue. i dont remember ever changing it though! sorry for being so daft. thanks again though! working like a charm