Avast update won't download (4 Sept 2009) [... fixed]

Since early this morning (4 Sept 2009) Avast hasn’t succeeded in downloading any updates. This is the current free-for-home-use version.

Automatic attempts have all failed, with the program reporting a Remote Procedure Call error and subsequently refusing to work. This error was remedied by restarting Windows (XP SP3).

When I attempted to manually update, Avast tried to download not an incremental update, but the full .vpu file of about 28 MB, usually with three attempts. But every time, it reported that the file was corrupted and urged me to attempt the update again. After three such tries, I restarted Windows, but the RPC error was reported and, this time, the on-access scanner refused to run, even with additional restarts.

I then tried uninstalling and reinstalling the entire Avast program (v4.8.1351, 17 Aug 2009). That operates, but it still won’t update, and obviously the database is severely out of date. (My VRDB was, of course, also lost.)

I have had no reports of incoming virii, trojans, etc., for 10 days. The firewall (Comodo) is operating normally. Nothing whatsoever has changed in my computer (1.5 GB RAM, 320 MB HD) or connection (2.0 mbps DSL) configurations since yesterday.

Avast simply would update on 3 Sept, and will not update, repeatedly reporting file corruption, on 4 Sept.

Any ideas? For example, is the update server reporting an incorrect MD5 checksum? Should I simply wait until another update is available, presumably tomorrow?

~ Greybird (Los Angeles)

Can you try to repair your installation?
Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > avast! antivirus > Remove. Then choose Repair function in the popup window (Repair).

Maybe it will help if you remove avast entries into the Comodo program settings, boot, allow avast to connect again.

Thanks for replying. I should have mentioned that this was the first fix I tried, but it wouldn’t let me “Repair.” It said that I should get a full update instead. Whether from the Add/Remove screen or from the systray icon, though, it wouldn’t work.

I’m at a loss as to why it was trying to download a full update of 28 MB in the first place, rather than an incremental update. (When going from 3 Sept to 4 Sept, that is. I can see why it might need to get a full update file if it were covering nearly three weeks at once.)

Maybe it will help if you remove avast entries into the Comodo program settings, boot, allow avast to connect again.

Thanks for suggesting this, but it made no difference. The updating functioned perfectly yesterday (3 Sept) with those Comodo settings. Besides, a firewall doesn’t corrupt files — though it sometimes won’t let them come through at all.

Firstly I would not use Comodo:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=46737.0

Secondly there was a program update of avast! to Build: Aug2009 (4.8.1351) and Comodo has to be re-trained for this update.

Thanks for replying. I don’t at all like the incessant offering of such toolbars, either, and I use none of them.

But I’m not using the current version of Comodo Everything Including the Net.Kitchen Sink. Just their earlier firewall-only product, v3.0.25.378 (I should have noted that).

Secondly there was a program update of avast! to Build: Aug2009 (4.8.1351) and Comodo has to be re-trained for this update.

I’m using that build of Avast. I don’t believe that Comodo has to be “re-trained,” as the combination was operating perfectly from 17 Aug to 3 Sept.

If you mean, by “re-trained,” removing the firewall and program-defense rules as Tech suggested above, I’ve now done that, and it’s made no difference — Avast still tries to download the 28 MB file three times, and then reports a corrupted download.

Can you please send the file \setup\setup.log (ideally zip’ed) to my email address?

We’re indeed seeing some problems with this update (with our server monitoring tools) and would be grateful if you could help us find out more about it.

Thanks much
Vlk

File zipped and sent! (SetupLog090904.zip, 11 KB)

It begins with my re-installation of the current build. Followed by two attempts to download vps-9090400.vpu which I aborted (after it started doing so a second time each).

And then one attempt where I let it run its course, for three times and 85 MB, ending with: “Invalid file signature. Setup will terminate. The file probably has been corrupted during the transfer. Try to download it again.”

This last may result, as it did before, in my getting an RPC error with the On-Access Scanner refusing to run at all, upon my rebooting Windows.

We're indeed seeing some problems with this update (on our server monitoring tools) and would be grateful to find out more about it.

Good, then I’m not entirely imagining things in this L.A. heat! Thanks for your help.

Didn’t get anything so far… :-
Did you send to vlk at avast dot com?

Thanks much
Vlk

Got it now! :slight_smile: Thanks again.

Very strange indeed.
Can you please try downloading this file (via your browser)
http://download681.avast.com/iavs4x/vps-9090400.vpu

What file size does it show?
What I’m seeing from the log is that even after 3 retries, the size of this download on your system seems to be 28,084,249 bytes; but the correct size is in fact 28,547,104 bytes. Any idea who/what may be stripping the trailing 462,855 bytes of the file? ???

Cheers
Vlk

I’m getting it as the correct 28,547,104 bytes. The MD5 hash, if that helps, is:

G:\vps-9090400.vpu F4A6BED218A019060296D9B4C12FA598

The size on disk, reflecting clusters, is 28,549,120 bytes, which is only about 2 KB of difference.

What I'm seeing from the log is that even after 3 retries, the size of this download on your system seems to be 28,084,249 bytes; but the correct size is in fact 28,547,104 bytes. Any idea who/what may be stripping the trailing 462,855 bytes of the file?

No idea from this end. (And by now it’s about 18 retries sigh) That’s more to lose than any net.anomaly I know about could have caused.

Is there any way I can use this (presumably correct) file to do the update locally? Or should I just wait until tomorrow to try the next update?

Alright, all should be OK now.
Can you please retry the update?

It was a problem on our side, sorry for that… :-\

Installed perfectly! At least you now have notes on what happened.

Thanks for your and everyone’s help. I love having an AV program that I can swear by, rather than at, as I have with others! And I may get the Pro edition soon.

While updating from 110116-1 avast update is giving the same error as stated in this thread. I send VLK the setup.log file via e-mail just in case.

P.S. : My pc is free from malware. I am using comodo firewall and avast antivirus as the security software. And I am regularly scanning with malwarebytes and spybot S&D.

Best Regards