boot up error updating

hi,
i am a new user of avast 4.1 home edition and for a few days everything has been fine, then for no reason every time i reboot or switch on the computer i get a message pop up saying error updating, click here for more information. so i click where the link is on the pop up error message and then the error mesaage just goes away and i do not see any more info about the error. i am worried because if the program is not running correctly my computer may be vunerable to virus. i am using win me and a amd xp 1600 if that is any help? i also use zone alarm. can anybody here offer any help?

What are the errors exactly? Can you update avast! manually?
What version of avast! and VPS are currently installed in your system?
Did you try the ‘Repair’ function on the Add/Remove Programs applet from the Control Panel? 8)

luv,

Since your error message is dealing with Update function, your computer although not fully protected, apparently is ok for now.
Do you show the A icon in the tray?

Right click on it and go to On Access Protection.
Check each of the 5 modules by clicking on the module icons that appear on the left side of the screen. Each should be running (if you do not use Microsoft Outlook/Express, then the Outlook module will not be running).

If the modules are running, then Avast is protecting the computer from viri, but maybe not all until updated.

Do you have Avast Home or Pro?

Have you given Avast access to the internet by setting Zone Alarm properly? Zone Alarm will normally detect and ask you for permissions regarding 3 Avast processes:
ashserv.exe
ashmaisv.exe
avast.setup

Give all 3 access.

Let me know how things go.

techie