Hi forum members,
ON XP I get a message, cannot connect to 74.55.74.78 (74.55.74:80) nor to download918.avast.com (74.86.96.164: 80), the firewall allows, but cannot get server connect. Why?
polonus
Hello Damian!
Does your license key Ok?
Polonus, as usual, post the last 300-350 lines of avast log: C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\log\Setup.log 
It’s the avast home page and it’s connecting fine on my system.
Damian,
Check all your host files etc. something is probably blocking it on your end.
Howdy bob3160,
It were wrong settings in ZA for the avast updater, I have changed the setting and all is OK.
Could have been a recent install PSI or Interclue that changed it. I keep an eye on it,
polonus
Well this sounds like a case of firewall amnesia (or corruption of permissions, etc.), despite allowing avast.setup the setting don’t work, ZA was a frequent offender and my Outpost firewall (previous version) suffered it also.
I always say if something is blocked yet the firewall program control, etc. shows it should be allowed, delete the entry for it and force the firewall to ask permission again when you do a manual update. This usually rectifies this problem.
Wow, I did not think Polonus uses ZA ;D
Not like him to use a sieve to protect against leaks ;D
Hi DavidR,
I have been using Comodo, but that was using so much resources, and what is lean enough to use in stead of ZA?
polonus
Well my firewall isn’t too heavy on resources as I don’t let non-firewall elements run, but it is a paid option. PC Tools I believe isn’t too heavy, though I have no idea what it is like I don’t use it but many on the forums do and I beileve it does better than ZA but not as good as comodo in firewall leak tests.
See A Forum discussion on free firewalls http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=30808.0
See http://www.matousec.com/projects/firewall-challenge/results.php.