Auotmatic Updates No Longer Automatic

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1 
 I've noticed that since I had to "downgrade" (by using Windows System Restore - see my original post here-> http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=142936.msg1042449#msg1042449 ) back to 9.0.2008 (.2011 literally killed my internet access, especially to any SSL [https] websites ), I no longer get any automatic virus definition updates automatically, even though I double-checked and it is set the way it has always been for "Automatic Updates" as well as "Enable Streaming Updates" under SETTINGS.  

 Now, in order to get the newest virus definitions, I must manually right-click the AVAST tray icon, choose UPDATE> ENGINE & VIRUS DEFINITIONS, then click the upper right UPDATE button.  I've been doing this several times a day to make certain I don't miss any of these updates.

 It always worked fine before updating the program to .2011 - as always, it would auto update and I'd get the pop-up notice and voice telling me that my virus definitions have been updated.  I just realized today that I hadn't seen nor heard anything regarding the updates in the last 6 days since having to downgrade back to .2008  ... 

 Anyone else have the same issue? Any thoughts or assistance would be appreciated! Starting to really miss that voice, too!  ;)

TIA!! :smiley:

(running: Windows 7 Home Premium with Service Pack 1)

2

Repair avast!:

  1. Control Panel → Add/Remove programs → avast!
  2. Click on ‘Repair’.
  3. Follow instructions.
  4. Reboot.
3

Using system restore can have unforeseen consequences, frequently it messes up avast.

The repair suggested should normally resolve the out of sync situation of what version is reported and what is actually installed.

4

Thank you for the help, but unfortunately following your steps to repair Avast did not resolve the problem. Still not getting automatic updates - I did the repair at 3:30am (East Coast time), and saw now almost 8 hours later nothing had updated, so I just checked for any updates manually and sure enough, the definitions updated from 140105-1 to 140106-0 (which show it was released about 90 minutes ago at 9:41:02am).
Is there something else I can do, or just wait for the next Program update after .2011 and hopefully that will run on my system and fix the problem? Thanks again.

5

I think that you are looking at the next logical step to do a clean install:

  • Download the latest version of avast, 9.0.2011 http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_free_antivirus_setup.exe and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again (if you didn’t save your last download). Use that when you reinstall.

  • Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, avastclear.exe find it here and save it to your HDD.

    1. Now uninstall avast! - using add remove programs, if you can’t do that start from the next step, reboot.- 2. run the avast! Uninstall Utility, it will request it be run from safe mode (and will handle the boot into safe mode), once complete reboot into normal mode.- 3. install the latest version, reboot.

Note: save the copy of avastclear.exe so it can be reused as some users are reporting that after running it, it is self-deleting.

6

By default, Avast Free checks for updates every 4 hours. Since you checked only 90 minutes after the VPS release, it is quite possible that you triggered the manual update between the automatic update checks. That would preclude the automatic update from ever triggering.

7 
Thanks again for the quick reply....

BUT ... it was program version 9.0.2011 that got me into this mess in the first place, and the reason why I had to downgrade back to version 9.0..2008 using Windows System Restore.   

 If I do the clean install, can I then get the version I'm using right now which is .2008?  

If so, where can I download that .2008 version? 

If not, I'd really rather not do the clean install, and would rather wait ( I realize I then limit myself to having to manually download virus definitions).  Just was wondering if when the next program update AFTER .2011 comes out, and I update to that newer and hopefully less glitchy version, if it will fix the virus definitions automatic update problem I'm having for the past 6 days.

I guess if it doesn’t, then I can always do the clean install then? I just don’t want to put .2011 back on my system after all the problems I had with it.

8

Personally I would still go for the clean install of the latest version, which has resolved problems relating to an update from an earlier version.

That choice however is yours if you have the installation file for .2008.

9

Gopher John:

Correct me if I’m mistaken, but in looking at the “Last Update Received” date and time stamp, it had showed 3:30am (ET) - that was around the time I did the Avast Repair and manually checked myself for updates, and yet almost 8 hours later when I checked, that time stamp was exactly the same.

 I took this to mean that even though I left my system on while sleeping after completing the Avast repair, that NO auto updates were attempted by the Avast software.   The time stamp did not update until I manually updated the virus definitions after 11:00am (ET).

Or am I reading it wrong or looking in the wrong area? If I understand your reply Gopher John, my Avast then should have tried checking for updates at least 1 time within those 8 hours.

10

When my laptop is in sleep mode, no streaming updates nor VPS updates occur. Even if you were using your computer, Avast only checks every 4 hours by default. If the previous automatic check had occurred just before the 9:41:02am release of the VPS, then the next check would not have yet occurred when you manually updated. There is no way to tell if automatic updates are working if you are manually updating before the automatic check would normally occur.

The Avast Repair you did may well have worked. You just haven’t given it time to see.