Automatic updating not so automatic

system · 2006-10-26T18:47:00.000Z

I have a broadband connection and periodically I receive definitions updates as evidenced by the small blue box that appears in the lower right of my screen. But occasionally, and only because I have learned to do so, I right-click the Avast icon in my system tray, select “Updating >> Program Update” and Avast downloads and installs some sort of update as evidenced by the green “progress bars” that appear in a window in the center of my screen.

If I truly have Avast set to update whenever updates are available (which I think I do), why is it necessary for me to seek out these program updates myself?? What might they include that they are not automatically offered??

Lisandro · 2006-10-26T19:10:18.000Z

Proteus post:1:

I have a broadband connection and periodically I receive definitions updates as evidenced by the small blue box that appears in the lower right of my screen.

In fact, the update icon is not this one but a red/green arrows.

Proteus post:1:

But occasionally, and only because I have learned to do so, I right-click the Avast icon in my system tray, select “Updating >> Program Update” and Avast downloads and installs some sort of update as evidenced by the green “progress bars” that appear in a window in the center of my screen.

Automatic updates run on Silent Mode.
Manual updates can show the updating progress if you set so.

Proteus post:1:

If I truly have Avast set to update whenever updates are available (which I think I do), why is it necessary for me to seek out these program updates myself?? What might they include that they are not automatically offered??

Everything is automatically offered. The program updates are released but to avoid excessive load on the servers the auto update check happens randomically every 7 days and it’s not checking every time you connect to the Internet as with the iAVS checks. Every avast installation has a unique, randomly generated GUID (“general unique identifier”) associated with it (it is generated during installation). This ID is random, but fixed. They use this value to determine when the updater pops up on YOUR machine, i.e., the program already knows that the update is there, but it won’t tell you until it’s your turn.

For the virus definitons updates, avast checks if there is an available connection each 40 seconds. If there isn’t, wait more 40 seconds to check. Checking does not take more than one second and, of course, does not use the Internet band. If there is a connection, check for an update. If there is not any new file to download, wait 4 hours to start checking again. If there is an available update, start it and install it. Again, wait 4 hours to check the next time. Some of this settings could be configurated different, I posted the default values of the avast4.ini file.

DavidR · 2006-10-26T19:14:04.000Z

Program updates are on a different cycle to normal VPS updates. When a program update is available the update is spread over a period 7 days to balance the server load. You could be lucky and get it at the start or later in the cycle. But, there haven’t been any program updates for some time. So I suggest you check what you have on the Program Settings, Update (Basic) for the program update, Automatic, Ask or Manual.

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