Reinstalled Avast again. Program has now turned on, anti virus updates done automatically & program is to date. Good luck to the OP’s with same issue. Glad it’s over at this end. 
OK, thanks for the feedback.
Congratulations, sandlwood.
I’ve just tried Add/Remove Programs> Avast> change/repair (as you did) and came up with the same result: ‘Error processing packages. Please use full update.’
OK, so update now brings up Engine and Database update Step 1/2 File download vps_32-b71-b70.vpx where the Overall Progress bar gets to about 5mm along, then hangs for 4mins 17secs. Clicking OK confirms connection enabled and update confirmed with time and date. Home page also confirms ‘Everything up to date’.
Clearly, this is wrong, for I’m still on 130802-2.
Considering this thread has been viewed in excess of 520 times, it would appear to be a major problem for Avast free users. Would it not be appropriate for Avast officially, to make available some kind of fix that doesn’t involve a complete uninstall/ reinstall?
See: Reply #5
Did you try that yet…!?
Hello Asyn,
If you mean ‘Download and run: http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/vpsupd.exe’ , then no, I haven’t run it yet but I’m wondering if that is more than likely to produce the same result as sandlwood got, considering the program itself thinks it’s up to date and the red warning slider no longer appears.
Please do so.
OK, Asyn,
I’ll give it a try and report back later … maybe considerably later, I regret to say …
NP, report back whenever you’ve time. 
Just to confirm this has not worked.
I downloaded and ran the VPS file from http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/vpsupd.exe but it resulted in a simple message:
‘VPS database is already up to date.’
So, no further forward and I’m very reluctant to commit to the often time-consuming, not to say hazardous process of uninstall/ re-install, even though no other AV program has ever been installed on this computer.
My feeling is that Avast issued something in an automatic update in early August 2013 that has caused this malfunction and I would like to think they would feel bound to put it right.
I don’t think so, else the forum would be full of complaints.
I don't think so, else the forum would be full of complaints.
Maybe so, Asyn, but it does seem strange that the program was working perfectly well until that time, but has consistently failed to update ever since, despite having had nothing whatsoever done to it by way of alteration or adjustment.
It simply will not accept virus database updating and resists all attempts to force it to do so, claiming that it is already up to date and everything is fine.
When haver you last rebooted your computer ???
Interesting, I’ve noticed Avast doesn’t update after I boot up on a few occasions over the last week or so, but it allows me to manually update.
When have you last rebooted your computer ???
This computer is re-booted daily, bob3160, sometimes twice depending on when I need to use it, and it’s then on for never less than two hours. The red slider warns of failure of latest update when first turned on but the Avast home page says the opposite, ‘Everything is up to date’.
Manual update won’t work on this one, Dumper, or more precisely it doesn’t get any further than attempting to download the vps_32-b71-b70.vpx file. The overall progress bar peeps out of the left corner, then gets no further than that for 4mins 17secs, at which point the page changes to claim the update is completed … it hasn’t, it has failed.
Hi,dont know if this helps but I had the same problem a few weeks ago after a adobe flash/shockwave player update.The update came bundled with norton security scan and once installed seem to dissable the avast updater.Once uninstalled the updater started working perfectly again.
No issues on my Windows XP System 32 bit.
Did the original post use AVG REMOVAL TOOL BEFORE USING AVAST?. AVG is deeply embedded in the windows xp system & Registry. You need to run avg removal tool first. In SAFE MODE ONLY
Try a run with adwcleaner & Malwarebytes free to remove spyware
@havildar
I was just wondering, check that Comodo isn’t blocking Avast update.
I was thinking much the same thing, Dumper … firewall blocking the virus database download … so I turned Comodo & Defense+ off completely (Firefox as well) and went straight for Avast (maintenance) and manual update. Unusual for Comodo to block something without endlessly whining about it and asking what to do next, but never mind.
No joy, though. It went through the same preparatory routine and started to download the database update … pretty rapidly this time, though, it must be said (13 secs), then claimed the download was complete … only it can’t be, for it tells me I’m still on 130802-2 released on 2/08/2013, while at the same time saying ‘Latest update received 17/08/2013’ and yes, the smiley face (a bit silly, that, I think), still confirms ‘Everything is up to date.’
Either I’m going nuts or this copy of Avast has, somehow, got corrupted and I’ll have to go for uninstall/ reinstall … a bit like scrapping your car because the windscreen wiper is broken … ‘I may be gone for some time’ …
Just to confirm … I’ve uninstalled/ re-installed Avast Free 8.0.1489 in Safe Mode as recommended and it appears now to be working as it should, except that pointing to the orange globe in notification area doesn’t confirm ‘Your system is secured,’ which it did before, but that may correct itself in due course.
Database update shows 130817-0 on 17/08/2013 … reassuring to see some consistency.
As expected, there was much complaining from Comodo but it appears to be happy now, as is Winpatrol Pro.
I’m hoping the auto-update function has been restored but that will have to wait until it activates itself.
Many thanks for all the help and apologies to sandlwood if I appear to have hijacked his thread.
try this:
Manual update of VPS - avast! Virus Definitions Update - Manual Download VPS Update (virus definitions, vpsupd.exe, approx 93.4 MB). - Save the file to your hard disk, locate where you saved it and double click it and that should carry out the virus definitions update.