Avast Update Throws "Unknown error"

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

when i run Avast update (i’m running 2014.9.0.2011, which i know is close to the latest version if not the latest), i get “Unknown error” on the “Last encountered error:” line. on the “Program:” line, i get “Already up to date (current version 2014.9.0.2011),” and i would ordinarily let this go, but when i look at the “Action Center” of the Win7 Control Panel, I get two red messages saying that “avast! Antivirus reports that it is out of date” (one for “Spyware and unwanted software protection,” and one for “Virus protection.” there is an “Update now” button on each item, but much as with Avast Update itself, nothing happens when i press the button.

is this really an error, or is it just an overlooked boundary condition? if it’s the latter, i would suggest changing code behind the “Last encountered error:” line so that when Avast Update runs without errors, the line stops reporting previous error conditions.

2

Repair avast!:

  1. Control Panel → Add/Remove programs → avast!
  2. Click on ‘Repair’.
  3. Follow instructions.
  4. Reboot.
3

tried it; didn’t work.

i did get a little more info, though. i ran “autorunsc.exe” (from Sysinternals (Microsoft)) and found that a prior Avast installation left some run-once keys behind:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
aswAhAScr.dll
“C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\aswRegSvr.exe” “C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AhAScr.dll”
File not found: C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\aswRegSvr.exe
aswasOutExt.dll
“C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\aswRegSvr.exe” “C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\asOutExt.dll”
File not found: C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\aswRegSvr.exe
aswasOutExt64.dll
“C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\aswRegSvr64.exe” “C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\asOutExt64.dll”
File not found: C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\aswRegSvr64.exe
20130923
C:\util\avastSoftware\avast\setup\emupdate\97651d94-d248-4ba0-9594-25199e1c6bf1.exe /check
File not found: C:\util\avastSoftware\avast\setup\emupdate\97651d94-d248-4ba0-9594-25199e1c6bf1.exe /check

That whole file tree has been cleaned out (expected), except for a couple of .ini files, so it’s not surprising that these were left over. i’m having other possible issues with the system, though, because the Microsoft site thinks i have a non-64bit version of Win7. i found that when i run either version of regedit (C:/Windows/System32/regedit.exe or C:/Windows/SysWOW64/regedit.exe), i can’t access the Wow6432Node key, because it isn’t there. i have to use tools from Cygwin to be able to see anything in the 64-bit hive.

before i go any further with Avast, i think i have to address Windows!

4

You seem to have the avast! 5 program files folder which is way out of date… + Alwii was the old program file name so…

I’d recommend a clean install to v9.0.2013

  1. Download Avastclear, Rejzors uninstall tool and the appropriate Avast program edition

Note: You need to be ONLINE during this install (online installer works in all cases whereas offline sometimes doesn’t)

http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_free_antivirus_setup_online.exe
http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_pro_antivirus_setup_online.exe
http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_internet_security_setup_online.exe
http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_premier_antivirus_setup_online.exe

Avastclear : http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avastclear.exe
Rejzors Uninstall tool: http://rejzor.wordpress.com/avast-cleanup-tool/

  1. Uninstall Avast by control panel [If you don’t have Avast in control Panel go to #4]
  2. Uninstall in safe mode using Avastclear.
  3. Run Rejzors Uninstall Utility in Normal Mode (removes traces avastclear doesn’t) - reboot.
    Check : Once uninstalled check in device manager>view>show hidden devices if there is anything related to avast with a yellow triangle… if so, uninstall it and reboot.
    Add : Remove all “Alwii” folders from Program folders etc
  4. Install the version you downloaded.
  5. Reboot.