Avast free 6.0 won’t update automatically
When I manually try to update Avast free it sits at the update screen forever with no messages of any kind, just stuck at “initializing, please wait”.

win xp sp3
Had same issue with ver 5.0, so I upgraded to 6.0
Same issue
Added to Windows firewall, Same issue

any thoughts?

have you tried avast repair and reboot ?

For a repair of avast. Windows, Add Remove programs, select ‘avast! Anti-Virus,’ click the Change/Remove button from the pop-up window, scroll down to Repair, click next and follow.

I tried repair again, still no joy.

what AV did you have before you installed avast! ?
have you run a removal tool to clear all leftovers after the uninstall ?

Uninstallers for Security Software - run and reboot
http://thewebatom.net/uninstallers/security-software/

have you tried a new clean avast install ?
http://www.avast.com/en-no/uninstall-utility

I did do an uninstall, then rebooted and downloaded the latest version and installed. I did not try the security uninstallers, but will give it a shot.

Had AVG before

Once you have run the removal tool for avg from the link that Pondus has supplied and rebooted you may still need to perform another repair of avast and reboot again in case avast has become corrupted, you also dont need to place any exclusions in the windows firewall for avast so if there are still exclusions in place for avast in the windows firewall they can be deleted.

used uninstallers, same thing, no update.

it does the same thing with both the program update and the definition update

I should also add that it has excellent internet access and the other 3 computers in my house can update

Skip the “Add/Remove programs”.

1_ Boot into Windows Safe Mode.
2_ Run the removal tool for AVG again.
3_ Reboot into Windows Safe Mode (do NOT skip the reboot).
4_ Run the removal tool for Avast, selecting the folder for Avast 6.
5_ Reboot into Windows Safe Mode (do NOT skip the reboot).
6_ Run the removal tool for Avast, selecting the folder for Avast 5 if the folder is still there. If the folder for Avast 5 is not there anymore, run the removal tool for Avast anyway (selecting Avast 5 but with no specific folder).
7_ Reboot into Windows Normal Mode.
8_ Delete any/all firewall rules related to security tools (Avast or any other security tool in the firewall rules).
9_ Install Avast anew, and reboot immediately the installation finishes.
10_ Let Avast connect and the firewall should ask you to rebuild the rules.
11_ Reboot once more time so to confirm it is working and report back for any possible inconvenient you had.