Avast is Down, Update Not Working

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hi. Thanks in advance for any clarification you can provide.
Much the same problem as here as iggy67 describes here:
https://forum.avast.com/?topic=207283.0

Answers to Asyn’s questions: (Fwiw, This system and software set has run without incident for years.)

  • Which Avast…? (Free/Pro/IS/Premier) = free
  • Which version…? = 17.5.203
  • Avast was set to auto update definitions, but ask if new program version is available
  • OS…? (32/64 Bit…? - which SP/Build…?) = win xp sp3 32bit
  • Other security related software installed…? = Spywareblaster, Outpost Firewall
  • Which AV(s) did you use before Avast…? = Avira, long ago.

Since my original post I have read quite a bit about update issues. They don’t seem to be confined to any OS.
Also, I was afraid some sort of malware had hijacked the update process, glad to learn that’s probably not so.
It seems that the glitch lies in Avast’s update somehow.

The issue here:
Problem started about 16 aug 17.
Avast wanted to make several net connections that I had not seen before.
Allowed these, got a popup sort of like the one in iggy67’s post.
Shortly thereafter the program says “not protected”, and wants to force an update of the program.
The icon in the systray shows a red x, not protected.

A popup says trial period is over, but I was not using a trial version, was using an old free version with many days left on the registration.

A popup has a “Resolve All” button … this pops up a new window offering options.
There is a box that says “Automatically switches back after trial period.”
Question: What will it switch back to, please?

Popup says a reboot will be required. This system runs “shadowed”, so a reboot will discard changes.
So before allowing these changes I would very much like to know more about what will happen.

2

There is only one way to find out what will happen.

3

I can think of more than one.
Ideally, someone might post a helpful answer.
If someone ran into this problem with an unshadowed system and rebooted, they already know.
There are quite a few posts on here by members who had this issue.

Or, the developers might issue a new update setup to fix it.

For now, I will keep Avast update settings set to manual only and wait.
When the settings are all manual Avast doesn’t try to update.

4

AVAST INTERNET SECURITY - paid version

Messages:

“Avast is down”
“Something has gone wrong, and we’re unable to protect you.”
“Please try restarting your AVAST”

When I restart, repeatedly, i get this message:
“We’re having trouble restarting your Avast. If this issue
persists, please restart your PC, or contact our support”

Program Version: 17.5.2303 (build 17.5.3585.203)
Virus definition ver: 170818-8
NUmber of definitions: 6,021,567

Computer: Win 7 Svce Pack 1
Dell Optiplex Desktop
Intel Core 2 Duo CPU E7300 2.66Ghz
Ram 4.00 GB (3.24 GB usable
32 bit operating system

Note: I use Malwarebytes Premium, and I have taken to
sequentially disabling various of its own protection systems
(such as Web Protection, Exploit Protection, Malware Protection,
Ransomware Protection, Hardened Mode, etc) to see whether
any of these interfere. They do not seem to. Totally disabling and
unloading Malwarebytes did not make a difference either.

I used no other Viruscanner or Firewall on this system (except for the
default Microsoft Firewall which comes on when others are
de-activated.)

Other info: On other computers (not this one), I used
Norton (until taken over by Symantec, and it went very bad)
GoBack (until taken over by Symantec, and it went bad)
ZoneAlarm (great until it went from bad to worse to unusable)
AVG (until it somehow went bad as well)

(It makes you wonder whether all these companies eventually
fire the people that actually knew what they were doing, and
replaced them with brother-in-laws, sycophants, and such.
Because, why does this pattern exist?)

My request:

  1. Will the real, actual “support” for the paid version of Avast Internet Security please stand
    up and identify yourself, and provide an e-mail address where customers may contact you?!

  2. When will Avast provide a roll-back version of the paid A.I.S. that actually works, until someone is able to figure out what causes this?

5

http://support.avast.com/support/home
or
http://support.avast.com/support/tickets/new
Contact Sales: https://support.avast.com/support/tickets/new?form=1

6

Hi, bob3160.
Thanks for those links. If a fix doesn’t emerge soon I’ll try to set up an account and post a ticket.
I am using the free version, so don’t want to be a demanding freeloader… :slight_smile:
Also want to make light, not heat … life’s too short, eh?
But since this issue has wide effect and persists over time, I bet they fix it soon.

7

You mention lots of other security products you’ve tried but no longer use.
I wonder if all of them were properly removed or, if remnants still remain and now interfere with
your current setup.
How to Successfully Install Avast: http://goo.gl/VLXde

8

Here, the answer to that is that no remnants remain.
Good thing to check early on though. Thanks.

9

Yesterday a manual update worked normally from the user interface and also from the systray.
Today a manual update locked up the computer, had to restart with the power switch.

10

when the update was down on my side …i just repaired my Avast them it was able to update …even automatic updates just function well…so try to repair

11

OK, thanks Curtis, will try that.

12

ayt then give us fead back on this thread

13

Curtis, I’m afraid I must wait a while before trying that repair procedure.
The updater sometimes works fine from the systray and from the UI, so I’ll wait.

When I eventually do a repair I’ll post it here.