Avast4.8 stopped working with Win98SE

DiehardWin98 · 2015-10-26T23:47:06.000Z

fried-georg post:17:

I think not 200MB is the limit, but perhaps 200.000 Bytes, which is not the same. I noticed the problem at 10. Oct. 2015 and downloaded the vpsupd4.exe from this day. This 400.vps has a size of 206.315.935 Bytes or 196MB as shown in the properties.

@diehard: how big (in Bytes) is your 400.vps from 2. Oct. 2015?

The 10/2/15 400.vps is 200,018Kb as reported by Windows Explorer. I don’t know if in Win98 Explorer 1Kb=1000Bytes or 1Kb=1024Bytes.

Maybe the last day that Avast4.8 worked for Win98 was actually October 3rd or a few days later, but Oct 2nd is pretty close.

system · 2015-10-27T21:10:24.000Z

okay, at Win98 Avast has a problem with files bigger than about 200MB, but outlook handels much bigger files.

And under Win XP ( I installed AVAST 4.8 at a XP System for testing that) AVAST manage files bigger than 200MB und updates via newest vpsup4.exe or by online Updates. It’s a miracle…

system · 2015-10-29T12:55:35.000Z

Diehard Win98 post:12:

Sadly, my vpsupd4 was lost when the flash drive that held it got corrupted. I too don’t have another recent vpsupd4 that works with Win98

The best reliable download I can find was saved on 12 Sep 2015, it is at http://web.archive.org/web/20150912164350/http://files.avast.com/iavs4pro/vpsupd4.exe
The digital signature is intact. I have applied this to an old W98SE laptop, it does work. Not as new as yours from 2 Oct but perhaps better than several years old that others may be stuck with…

Diehard Win98 post:12:

I do have the 10/2/15 400.vps file on my Win98 build though: This is the actual virus database that the Avast4.8 scanner uses. It can be inserted directly using a few tricks.

Could you explain what the tricks are?

Diehard Win98 post:12:

I can’t e-mail it because it is larger than 25Mb. I need to find a FREE cloud-based service where I can upload the file and it will stay there indefinitely. Then anybody who needs it can have access. Suggestions anybody?

Maybe you can put it on a GoogleDrive and mark it for public sharing? Or perhaps check out https://www.box.com/pricing/personal/ , they allow upto 250MB file size, total 10GB for the free personal accounts. There is also https://www.dropbox.com which offers a free account with 2GB storage quota to start and allows single file uploads as large as 10GB through the web interface (at least if your account has a quota that large).

DiehardWin98 · 2015-10-29T15:54:44.000Z

fried-georg post:20:

okay, at Win98 Avast has a problem with files bigger than about 200MB, but outlook handels much bigger files.

And under Win XP ( I installed AVAST 4.8 at a XP System for testing that) AVAST manage files bigger than 200MB und updates via newest vpsup4.exe or by online Updates. It’s a miracle…

It is not surprising that Avast4.8 still works with WinXP. As I said in my very first post, Avast4.8 still works with Win2K. Win2K and WinXP are NT technology operating systems.

Win98 is a DOS operating system. WinME is also basically a DOS operating system. Avast4.8 stopped working for these two.

My guess is the difference between handling Outlook and handling the Avast virus database is that the OS has to deal with a larger chunk of the database at any instant. Then you get the ‘out of storage…’ error. Another guess is that it is related to heap size. It doesn’t matter the size of the Swapfile or how much Vache is reduced.

system · 2015-10-29T20:42:28.000Z

GreenEyedLady post:21:

The best reliable download I can find was saved on 12 Sep 2015, it is at http://web.archive.org/web/20150912164350/http://files.avast.com/iavs4pro/vpsupd4.exe

Much thanks for this link. This is much more up to date than the ones I have.

How did you find it? With Google I visited a lot of sites, but the newsest one I found, was from 2013.

system · 2015-10-29T20:52:55.000Z

Diehard Win98 post:22:

fried-georg post:20:

okay, at Win98 Avast has a problem with files bigger than about 200MB, but outlook handels much bigger files.

And under Win XP ( I installed AVAST 4.8 at a XP System for testing that) AVAST manage files bigger than 200MB und updates via newest vpsup4.exe or by online Updates. It’s a miracle…

It is not surprising that Avast4.8 still works with WinXP. As I said in my very first post, Avast4.8 still works with Win2K. Win2K and WinXP are NT technology operating systems.

Win98 is a DOS operating system. WinME is also basically a DOS operating system. Avast4.8 stopped working for these two.

My guess is the difference between handling Outlook and handling the Avast virus database is that the OS has to deal with a larger chunk of the database at any instant. Then you get the ‘out of storage…’ error. Another guess is that it is related to heap size. It doesn’t matter the size of the Swapfile or how much Vache is reduced.

Okay, that sounds to me I should live with an Avast, that cannot be updated or I have to live with ClamWin Antivirus.

For me my computer knowledge is not big enough to have an idea to fix the problem. And I guess Avast would not be interested to help.

DiehardWin98 · 2015-10-30T22:07:54.000Z

I kept wondering how ClamWin still works with Win98 while Avast4.8 stopped working.

I noticed ClamWin divides their virus database into two parts: Main.cvd (63Mb as of 10/29/15) and Daily.cld (102Mb). A .cvd file is a compressed version of a .cld file, so Main.cvd is actually larger. I suppose this is why ClamWin still works?

Users of ClamWin need to be aware that ClamWin was originally intended to be an e-mail scanner. Also be warned that a file that is quarantined is VERY hard to restore: Might be better to just get a notice to find out if you REALLY want to quarantine it. ClamWin has many false positives, so it is easy to quarantine a good file, then have a helluva time restoring it.

Clam Sentinel, the real-time add-on, is nicer about quarantines. It has a restore feature that does seem to work. But it probably only works for files quarantined while Sentinel is running. Restoring a quarantined file depends on having a good .log file. This is food for more research.

I think ClamWin portable can be loaded on a USB drive and used as an adjunct to Avast4.8 with the 10/2/15 or 9/11/15 database. Run Win98 with Avast4.8 and the outdated database, then periodically scan with ClamWin?

Just some thoughts for moving on after the demise of Avast4.8 …

Eddy · 2015-11-02T14:52:37.000Z

It is a pity that the vpsupd4.exe doesn't exist anymore.

http://files.avast.com/iavs4pro/vpsupd4.exe Date : 02-11-2015 Size : 201.4Mb

;D

system · 2015-11-02T18:48:42.000Z

Hi Eddy,

at your link you will get only the newest vps files, which are too big. Avast 4.8 cannot handle bigger than 200MB vps files under Win98, under Win XP it can.

And Diehard damaged his vpsupd4.exe from 2th Oct. 2015, which is the last known vps file working with Avast and Win98. The newer files don’t work, and therefore download from your link doesn’t make sense for Avast with Win98.

DiehardWin98 · 2015-11-05T21:15:00.000Z

I have verified that the 10/3/15 400.vps virus database (version 151003-1) does NOT work with Win98.

Also, I have found that 400.vps is a compressed file. So the 10/2/15 file (version 151002-2), the last that I found that worked, is actually probably 250Mb+. It seems that Avast4.8 holds the extracted 400.vps in RAM and in the Swapfile: I haven’t been able to find a file with a filename on the hard drive. I’m guessing this is where Win98 fails, trying to extract (expand) 400.vps

The link that GreenEyedLady left for the 9/11/15 vpsupd4 no longer works. The archived snapshot depends on the source’s permission to use it. Did Avast revoke the permission? When I traced back her link, I found vpsud4’s dating back to 2010. About one every 90 days.

system · 2015-11-09T18:45:53.000Z

I noticed too that the link from GreenEyedLady doesn’t work ansmore.

I am happy that I saved the vpsupd4.exe at my PC.

I sent a mail to the german Avast Support. I got an answer that no one has spent a thought to that problem because ony less people are still using Win98. But the guy wanted to tell it to the technicans from AVAST, but he didn’t had to much hope that there will be a solution. :-\

If I get any news about that I will inform you.

Eddy · 2015-11-09T19:16:20.000Z

We can talk all we want about the main fact is that both the OS and the avast version(s) had a limited time span.

You can’t expect to find unused and original parts for a chariot made by the Romans that are still in perfectly working order and come with warranty

Take your pick(s)…

Upgrade the system
Use a newer OS
Use a newer version of avast
Learn to live with the limitations
etc.

DiehardWin98 · 2015-11-09T19:21:28.000Z

fried-georg post:29:

I noticed too that the link from GreenEyedLady doesn’t work ansmore.

I am happy that I saved the vpsupd4.exe at my PC.

It looks like GreenEyedLady’s link to the 9/11/15 vpsupd4 simply timed-out. Here’s a workaround that I hope will endure: Go to https://web.archive.org/web/, then in the top box enter http://www.files.avast.com/iavs4pro/vpsupd4.exe (copy the link, don’t go to it). Then click browse history. You’ll see the gamut of archived vpsupd4 files.

system · 2015-11-10T09:01:39.000Z

Thanks @ Diehard, your Workaround works!

DiehardWin98 · 2015-11-11T16:15:45.000Z

There have been nearly 1500 views on this topic in its first month. So contrarians take note, there is still interest in Win98!

It is arguably NOT folly to run Win98 with an outdated Avast4.8 virus database. Newer viruses are targeting current operating systems: The files they infect likely don’t even exist in Win98. Members on the Microsoft MSFN forum in 2013 made a fairly strong case to run Win98 bare-ass (no anti-virus program). http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/162097-does-win9x-need-antivirus-anymore/. I know, you’re not 100% convinced, but sometimes you can’t have it all.

Scenario: Your Avast4.8 update with Win98 failed so you came here. Then you found the 9/11/15 vpsupd4 didn’t work. You can’t go back in time, the failed current update left virus database remnants. You’re stymied. But you still want real-time protection; some is better than none. Here’s how (not the way I did it, but rather the no-brainer method):

Before starting, read all the steps, download all the needed files. Set your Swapfile to be managed by the OS: It may expand up to 1.5Gb if you have <256Mb of RAM. Be aware that the Swapfile is slowing down the system: To speed things up, get a used/refurb 7200RPM 8Mb IDE hard drive, and/or put the Swapfile on a separate hard drive from the OS.

(1) Copy your license key. Uninstall Avast4.8
(2) Re-install Avast4.8.1368. If it fails, run AvastClear, re-install 4.8. You now have a 2009 virus database.
(3) The 4.8 re-install wants you to reboot, but instead shutdown. Disable your internet hardware connection.
(4) Boot-up. After everything initializes go to 4.8 program settings->updates (basic). Set virus and program updates to manual. Configure your 4.8 preferences. Re-enter your license key.
(5) Install the 9/11/15 vpsupd4. If you have a slow machine, consider installing a 2014 or earlier vpsupd4 from that 9/11/15 link instead (things will run faster if the database is smaller, the Swapfile won’t expand as much).
(6) Shutdown. Enable your internet connection.
(7) Boot-up. You will be running the 9/11/15 (or earlier) virus database forever, but it probably won’t matter. 4.8 only checks your license key when you update, so your license key will never expire.

If you’re still paranoid, go back to my previous post on using ClamWin Portable as an adjunct.
Unless/until someone finds a “magic” fix for 4.8, this is the best you can do in Win98.

system · 2015-12-17T06:36:39.000Z

Diehard Win98 post:16:

Fried, very astute

The .dat, .dll, and .bin files in the DATA folder also change, but not as often. The .db and .ini files I think are machine specific.

If you try to insert the 10/2/15 400.vps into a DATA folder that held a very old version you might have problems.

If/when I find that free cloud-based service that will hold my upload more than few days, I’ll include all the DATA folder files.

I wonder if this is what has really broken 4.8 on 98? The swap file size during a VPS update seems to reach about 1.5GB, very large, yet the limit for 98 is 2GB, so not yet at breaking point. Also, files up to 2GB are no problem (FAT32), even up to 4GB with the right patches, so ~200MB is nothing remarkable.

If 4.8 can handle these large VPS files under W2K+, then in theory, it should also be able to under W98, unless either different binaries are actually installed for the two OS (with different capabilities/limitations) or an updated dll (or such) breaks compatibility.

Joe.

DiehardWin98 · 2016-03-03T18:27:44.000Z

EPILOG: Sometime in mid-February 2016 Avast re-configured VPSUPD4. My guess is they deleted the low-threat virus definitions. As of 3/1/16, it has been trimmed-down to about 110Mb; it was this small back in early 2014. This makes it once again usable in Win98/ME. And, the smaller database will make the OS run faster than just before 10/3/15 when Avast48 balked. Doing an online update works as well, although if you haven’t updated for a while best to use VPSUPD4.

I was still using Avast48 on my Win2K build, and discovered by chance that the database size had dropped.

Given the rate that VPSUPD4 had been growing lately, it will be around 2019 or later before the database exceeds 200Mb and becomes unusable again for Win98/ME. Thank you Avast for the reprieve!

Pondus · 2016-03-03T18:36:21.000Z

Given the rate that VPSUPD4 had been growing lately, it will be around 2019 or later before the database exceeds 200Mb and becomes unusable again for Win98/ME.

If you still run Win98 in 2019 then i think you need to ................ ;D

system · 2016-03-06T17:01:24.000Z

Hello Diehard,

this is a really good news. Today I updated the virus database sucessfully and deinstalled Clamwin.

Thank you very much for your hint to the reduced version. I never would have seen this, because I use Avast only on my old Win98 machine. ;D

And many thanks to Avast for doing that

system · 2016-03-07T20:03:16.000Z

You might want to switch to Avast 7.0.1474 - it will work on Win98 with the latest definitions Ok.
(Tested on my Win98)

P.S. Did you ever actually had any virus on Win98 lately?
I had have once; and (in the best scenario - that is to say - in favor to the virus) - the virus loader could not load itself (due to the incompatibility with the Win98 system)
It was really a great laugh!

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