My AVAST! Free Antivirus: Program version 5.0.677 has stopped updating. I continue to see that my Virus definitions remain at version 101124-0, and I continue to see the message that the latest attempt to update was unsuccessful, precisely as has been reported by author bobbybrain in a post on 12-1-2010 on this forum. (http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=66800.0)
My Update Settings have the Automatic update setting valued for both Engine and Virus Definitions and for Program. I have tried using the Manual update option with the exact same result, which is, the start of the Progress Bar, and then after a period of from 7 to 13 seconds, the Progress Bar vanishes and an OK button appears. I get no error messages.
I have tried using the setting: My Computer is permanently connected to the internet option as checked and unchecked with no success. I have tried using the manual update option with my Windows XP Firewall deactivated and still have had no success. The Proxy Settings are set as Auto detect (use Internet Explorer settings).
I am running a Dell OptiPlex GX280 Desktop PC on the Windows XP Home Edition O/S version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600 and I connect to the internet using a Time Warner Road Runner high speed cable application. My browser is the MSIE 8.0. I have the default Windows XP Firewall in place and have not changed any of its settings. I have restarted (rebooted) my computer after each attempt at updating and after each change of settings without any help.
Thank you for any advice about a fix for this situation. My computer had been running normally and continues to do so now and the little avast orange ball in the system tray continues to spin whenever I receive any email and indicates that my system is secured. I have not installed any programs on my computer and do not play any games on it either. It is used exclusively for internet reading and publishing. There are no other antivirus programs on the computer. Have a great day!
Maybe I missed it but have you tried a repair of avast?
To do a repair of avast :
Control panel > Add/remove programs > click once on avast to select it > click on Change/Remove > scroll down the left pane and click on repair > click OK> follow directions
OK…first I tried the repair application
see: Error processing packages. Please use full update.
choices were: OK button or View log button
View log button opened to a substantial log file and an option to
either Copy to clipboard or to Close. I clicked on the Copy to clipboard button but nothing happened. Then I clicked on the OK button.
Next, I tried the Update option. I See a Downloading packages window open
but stop abruptly and then I see an avast.setup dialog box appear with the message: avast.setup has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
I looked at the data in the error report that was created and sent it to Microsoft. It was extremely lengthy.
Next, I opened the Change Application. I noted that all Shields were checked.
So, the only application left to try is the uninstall function.
I’ll post back with results of this action.
Do I understand correctly that uninstall is to be done with the computer disconnected from the internet?
And, assuming that the uninstall program successfully completes, do I understand that I then run the aswClear program?
And then, after aswClear completes, do I understand correctly that I then run a setup program to reinstall avast? I have the setup program for 5.0.4180 available on my Desktop.
Many thanks for trying to help me.
If you saved the set-up file you can “re-run” the set-up to repair the avast file. I had to once before and this worked for me. It might be worth a try.
No…you have an outdated setup file for Avast according to your last post. Here are the instructions for uninstalling and doing a clean install with the latest version of Avast:
Download the Avast Uninstall Utility, aswClear5.exe http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility and save it to your HDD (it has uninstall tools for both 4.0 and 5.0).
Disconnect from the Internet at this time.
Go to Control Panel and uninstall Avast through Add/Remove Programs if possible and reboot.
If Step 4 fails, boot into Safe Mode (hit F8 repeatedly) and run the Avast Uninstall Tool. Uninstall 5.0 and any other version at this time that you had on your machine with the Uninstaller Tool.
Hi! Well…I am back!
I used the Windows XP Control Panel to access the Avast Uninstall Option.
see: Uninstall finished- The product was successfully uninstalled.
Then I ran the Setup Program and see, Setup Finished. Installation is successfully completed.
So, I ran the update, and see: Engine and definitions: Already up to date (current version 101204-1. Current version (of Program) 5.0.418
The Update Settings were defaulted as: Automatic update- for Engine and Virus Definitions, and Ask when an update is available- for Program
Update Parameters- neither option was selected (the options were: I only connect using a dial up modem or My computer is permanently connected to the internet)
Update Options- all were checked (the options were: ask for reboot when needed, show notification box after automatic update, and show notification box if an error occurs)
Proxy Settings- defaulted to: Auto detect (use Internet Explorer settings)
The next day, I tested the Manual Update function from the System Tray.
I was able to get a successful update from version 5.0.418 to 5.0.677 from server II002.avast.com (208.111.128.6).
I was able to restart Windows and then register the updated version without a problem and I now see that Avast 5.0.677 and virus definitions version 101207-0 of avast! Free Antivirus are running.
I have watched carefully to see if the automatic update function is working as before and it is! So far!
So I am back to declare that I have a happy ending to my story! I never needed to use the aswClear utility and I never disconnected from the internet during the process.
So far, after 3 days, my PC is running normally except when I have tried to reply on this Board! While typing this reply the page keeps “jumping” around on me requiring a constant scrolling back to my line of type! Especially if I need to do any deleting of type. Very annoying!
e page keeps "jumping" around on me requiring a constant scrolling back to my line of type! Especially if I need to do any deleting of type. Very annoying!
Use a better browser to fix that. Try Firefox or Google Chrome. 8)
If you feel that your issue is now resolved/fixed, please go back to the first open post in this topic, click the modify button in that Post and change the title/subject, add [Resolved] to the beginning of the title so this thread can be closed.
Feel free to come back any time you need help, to learn something new, or just to ask questions. We are here 24/7 for your convenience. Thank you.
