I got a message like this out of no where maybe 20-30 minutes ago asking me to restart my computer, saying “You’re still being protected but Avast needs you to restart” or something. I should have taken a screenshot before doing so. There wasn’t a new program update, nor was there a repair initiated by me. I had the Avast UI open on the Settings->Update area when I got that message, but I didn’t initiate anything so I don’t see there being a connection there as it’s not the first time i’ve had it open on that section while idle.
I restarted and there’s no other information given by Avast to me. Ran a Smartscan after, ran a manual Windows Defender scan and will likely run an EEK scan just to be safe, but I have a feeling this isn’t malware related.
Has anyone experienced this before? I can’t remember Avast asking me to restart my computer for no apparent reason.
That’s good to know, and comforting to hear. I would imagine it’s not a regular occurrence as I don’t have any recent memory of it happening, and I’ve been using Avast for about 11 years. If it happens regularly, would that be cause for concern?
So I just saw that the Program version slightly changed before and after restarting after comparing screenshots (I knew those would come in handy eventually). The program version is the same (22.12.6044) but the build is slightly different. Pre-restart it was 22.12.7758.765, and post-restart it is now 22.12.7758.766.
I can’t say for sure if that was the cause of the restart, but there is that and probably worth noting.
Probably a bug fix, there have been a couple in the forums, though I don’t know which, bank mode issue is a possible that would warrant an out of sequence update/fix. Repairing may have required a restart, however that is speculation on my part.
Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the reason.
22.12.6044 (version 22.12.7758.766) and the bug is still there :-[
but maybe for another reason.
It wouldn’t be the first time that avast asked to restart after a micro update like yesterday’s.
You’ll have to ask Bob, who seems to be the only one who doesn’t have a problem even without ASB as his default browser. ;D
No but my system was shut down last night(at the time avast asked you to do so?), the micro update (765->766) was certainly done this morning at startup and therefore did not need to ask me to reboot.
This request may have been made by overseer which is a scheduled task (not set to the same time for all)
Ok it just asked me to restart again, and this time I took screenshots.
Why is it doing this? Is there something wrong with my installation? Is it asking anyone else to restart? I’m getting more than a little bit concerned here.
I don’t have the Avast browser installed, so Bank mode isn’t something I would need, unless it needs to update Avast completely in order for it to work. Also, I don’t have my application update to automatic, I have it on “Remind me when an update is available” which just gives a pop up saying there’s a new version available; it doesn’t (shouldn’t?) ask me to automatically restart.
I did do a restart (had to wait until my lunch hour as i’m working from home and use my computer for work), and noticed that the build did update to .767 (other numbers in the build version unchanged), but it didn’t update that it until after the restart, which I guess would make sense but I can’t remember if regular application updates do the same.
EDIT: I did a Change on Avast from Control Panel (thinking that would bring me to online repair), didn’t add or remove any components and did a restart which changed my build number to ending .768. Did an actual repair, restarted (which didn’t change the build number). Just to cover those bases to make sure nothing was broken. Hopefully I don’t get a request to restart again. I could uninstall and reinstall but I did that three days ago and have done it several times over the last couple of months, so I don’t know if that would have an effect. Also, shit’s just too time consuming.
The two are essentially integrated you can’t have secure banking mode without having the Avast Secure Browser.
The ASB and Avast integration as Misha mentioned in the quote I posted, required a manual program update check by the user. It isn’t an auto/emergency Avast program update in this instance.
Right, so since I don’t have Avast Secure Browser, my Avast asking me to restart twice in a 16-hour span must be unrelated to that Bank Mode fix, and that something else is up with it. Mine also was the auto/emergency update/restart that you talked about.
So, i’ll ask again: is what i’m experiencing happening to anyone else who is using Avast Free version 22.12? Because i’m no less concerned about this than I was earlier.
Sorry I really don’t know what is going on on your system, I’m not experiencing this and there doesn’t appear to be a high number of related posts (if it were a widespread issue like this).
Since the fix for the Banking mode issue mentioned is delivered via a manual program update, as opposed to an emergency update or fix in the Engine and Virus Definitions. So there shouldn’t constant notification of a need for a restart (unless you had for some reason done said manual update but not restarted.)
Whenever I manually check for a program update, i get nothing. Both restart requests happened without any action from me and updated the build number, as did the Change action from the Control Panel.
Hopefully the repair I did earlier fixed whatever issue I had. My laptop is in sleep mode now so tomorrow If I get asked to restart again, i’ll uninstall with the AvastClear tool and reinstall. If that still doesn’t fix it, i’ll throw my laptop out the window.
EDIT: I just noticed that the release date on the Application version (ending in .768) is December 19, 2022 at 5:29 pm ET, which is about an hour before I got the first restart pop-up. But that didn’t take place until after I restarted after the ‘change’ function from the Control Panel in the “Programs” area. Does everyone else have the same timestamp (I guess relative to your time zone) and build version, or at least those who have their Avast most up-to-date? (Attached again in this message)
I checked yesterday, following your 19:31 edit where you said you had the version (…768), I did a manual update as indicated by Misha (David’s post)… Avast didn’t ask me to restart, the version was still (…766).I didn’t voluntarily restart yesterday either.
However, this morning, after booting (and not rebooting as it is rather recommended with avast) the version was up to date in 768 (December 19, 2022 at 5:29 pm) and the bank mode is working again.
But to get back to your question, I don’t know why avast asked you to restart even though both times it seemed to be related to this kind of update 765->766->768 (I didn’t see the 767).
