Hmmm… Remove the actual version and install by this links of the 1st post. http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=69305.0
Didn’t find such problem on my update procedure [avast! 5.1.884 Pr => avast 5.1.889]…
It took me a couple of attempt’s to get it to work but it did eventually, first attempt i got the error then staight away i tried again and it worked ???
If you do decide to download the new copy there is no need to delet your existing, just install over the top.
I had the same error trying to update 5.1.884 to 5.1.889, trying several times for about an hour. Finally, I downloaded the 5.1.889 installer from http://download833.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_free_eng.exe and did an overinstall in a Administrator account. I now have Avast Free 5.1.889 installed, all shields are working(except Mail Shield which I’ve disabled some while ago). Did a Quick Scan, and then a Boot Scan.
Before all this, the definitions updated to 110113-0. Now with 5.1.889, I get the same “Last encountered error: The system cannot find the file specified.” when I manually check for VPS updates.
I’m wondering if some of the Avast servers are misconfigured.
Please send me the setup.log file from the \setup directory.
Thanks
Vlk
PS I think it’s related to the update from a beta build (or is anyone here experiencing the same problem when upgrading from a release build? - i.e. 5.1.864 or 5.0.677). There are some files that have same names in both beta and release builds, and this may cause some confusion to the updater. If my hypothesis is correct, it will correct itself with the next virus defs update, due in a few hours.
I just tried again with my current version, 5.1.864, it came up at 2s as server.def. Cannot find the file. I am downloading 5.1.889 and will install over 5.1.864. Installing worked well, but could not update, or say up to date.
Error message as follows:
Last encountered error: The system Cannot find the file specified.
Total time: 7s
servers.def.vpx was found
servers.def was not found
Looks like this is at the server end of the connection
@ pcguy
Try a repair of avast. Add Remove programs, select ‘avast! Anti-Virus,’ click the Change/Remove button and scroll down to Repair, click next and follow. This has in the past resolved this out of sync issue between reported and actual VPS version. You may need to reboot after the repair.
Jwall, you hit the nail on the head. Even after two repairs of avast 5.1.889, I got the same error. When VPS 110113-1 became available, Avast was aware of the update, but wouldn’t update.
In Avast Settings | Updates under Proxy Settings, I had Direct Connection checkmarked. On changing it to Auto detect (use Internet Explorer settings), avast updated the VPS. With Auto Detect Proxy, avast now tells me that I am running the latest program and VPS version. There are no proxy settings in Internet Explorer at all, and direct connection (no proxy) has worked in all previous versions of Avast, including v4.x.
If at any time you had a proxy determined in the Internet Explorer settings, then direct connection may well fail, usually it is the reverse where the Auto detect fails and changing to Direct connection (no proxy) is the solution ;D
I’ve never had a proxy in Internet Explorer settings. Only with this 5.1.889 update did Direct Connection setting cause problems with Avast, and it started occurring during the GUI update from 5.1.884 PR. :-\ ???
I think it somewhat strange if it worked with 5.1.884 I would have though it would work with 5.1.889.
I’m on XP Pro and on win7 starter (clean install of 5.1.864 and UI update to 5.1.889) and both work. I did the beta testing on my XP Pro system and that was set to direct connection and the updates worked right up to 5.1.863 (just before 5.1.964).
Unfortunately after the beta testing I did a clean reinstall on my XP Pro system and that is set to Auto detect, so I didn’t notice any problem in 5.1.864 nor when I did a program update from the UI to the 5.1.889 build as it was still set to the default Auto detect.
A quick test changing to Direct connection (no proxy) resulted in the error, see image, I don’t know what file it can’t find as that would seem unrelated to the proxy settings as it doesn’t even seem to get that far.
So anyone that had previously set their proxy setting to Direct connection if they didn’t do a clean install of 5.1.889 (and possibly 5.1.864 or PR builds) could well fall foul of this apparent problem with the Direct connection option.
So my feeling there is something wrong in the actual update processing if Direct connection is selected, why it reports a missing file (unless that file is the one in image2, but that is located on the setup folder, image3), rather than unable to connect (which I would have expected) is something for the developers to chase down.
I agree. And, I’d rather have Avast set to Direct Connection. It isn’t a deal breaker, and it can be fixed during an update of greater urgency. No need for a new release just for this, as long as people know the workaround.
Well setting to direct connection is likely to cause some issues also, as some people do use a proxy to connect (and updates would also fail) and that should be reflected in the IE connection settings. So in theory the Auto detect should be the safest option.
I decided to download the full install executable in the first message of the forum instead of sending anyone my logs (makes me shiver).
Install went well, no issues upon reboot. However I decided to click on the “Update Program” button as a test, post install, and it told me the program was up to date and downloaded the latest virus definitions as well. Since one button obviously does the job, why have two?
Something peculiar though, I got the same error after the install when clicking the “Update Engine and Virus Definitions” button, which seemed to work fine prior to the install, namely:
“Last encountered error: The system cannot find the file specified.”
“Total time 2s”
Of course following the advice in this thread about changing to “auto detect” under “proxy settings” seems to have fixed the problem. Not only have I never used IE but I’ve uninstalled it as much as MS has allowed me to.
It could be me, I used to own an Amiga 1000, but it seems as though some people make things more complicated than it needs to be. I find myself wondering why any company such as MS could ever achieve such a monopoly in the first place.
Thanks for the help!
Happy New Year or what ever you may currently be celebrating in your neck of the woods (life).
I also checked my settings in Proxy Settings, when it is set to Direct Connect it will not connect and I get the same error message.
When it is set to Auto-Detect using IE it tells me I am up to date. That may have been my problem in the first place, something changed that setting somehow.
:-\ ???