My update notification came up as a red box today and told me it was unable to update the virus definitions. I opened the program and tried to update both the definitions and the program from there but all I get is:
“Last encountered error: The package is broken. Total time: 1 s” (for updating the virus definitions, updating the program says same thing except “2 s”)
It shows my last good virus definition as:
“Current version: 101005-0
Release date: 10/5/2010 3:49:34 AM
Number of definitions: 2,063,738”
The version of Avast! I’m currently using is 5.0.677
I cannot update either virus definitions or program. Any ideas?
OK, So I found an answer in another post that I didn’t see before posting this. Apparently I had to switch the proxy settings from “Auto detect (use Internet Explorer settings)”
to “Direct connection (no proxy)”
So now, the real question has become: Why did I have to change this to get updates?
I’ve used Avast! for a long time and never had to monkey with this. What happened that that required this change now? I’ve never used IE, just Firefox, but still never had to change the proxy settings. Any ideas?
(P.S. Thanx to David for answering this on another post)
Even though you don’t use IE it is integrated into the OS (so it needs to be kept up to date also) and that is where the proxy settings would be retained (and where the Auto Detect checks) if you had any. So if there any issues relating to IE then that could carry through to the failure of the auto detect proxy update check.
Sigh After I made the change I fired up the PC today and had the exact same problem. Had to switch it BACK to “Auto detect (use Internet Explorer settings)”…
Hmmmmm What’s up with this??
If you are having trouble with the no proxy, there has to be something else in the mix as that shouldn’t encounter any possible problem trying to get the proxy information from the IE settings (even though in the IE settings it would say No Proxy.
The package is broken error is I suspect over and above any proxy issue, so the flip flop back and forth to Auto detect and No proxy is a happy coincidence (so I would suggest leaving it on No proxy).
So what error are you getting ?
You don’t say what your firewall is in your signature and this is an essential piece of information when related to update issues ?
If it is the Vista firewall do you have the outbound protection enabled ?
I have the Windows Firewall set to “On” “Block all incoming connections” which is what it’s always been set to. Now, since I last posted Avast! has been auto-updating just fine. I set Avast! updates back to “Auto detect (use Internet Explorer settings)”, so essentially everything is running like it always did, just that strange “hic-up” in the system.
“Package Broken” is the only error I got when having this issue.
Do you think maybe it was a problem with my network connectivity? Or perhaps something more sinister? Boot-time scan finds nothing, neither does full Super-Anti-Spyware scans…
As of now everything is up-to-date and running fine with no infections found.
Unless you have outbound protection enabled in vista it shouldn’t have any impact.
If you haven’t already done this - 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 (after this it may be best to reboot).
By blocking all incoming connection’s is more than likly what is causing your problem’s, you must of at least made allowances for avast. The window’s firewall though configerable in vista and 7, it does tend to play up sometimes and cause numerus problem’s when not left at it’s default setting’s. If your wanting to play around with firewall setting’s i would suggest a third party one like online armour or privatefirewall.
If with that setting, it worked previously I doubt that is it if nothing has changed. If however, it was the cause, I wouldn’t have thought that the error would have been that the package is broken as that is more of an avast internal error. Though it won’t hurt to change it back to the default setting to test it.
However, most firewalls work in a way that incoming connections which were initiated from the system are generally allowed in unchecked.
I agree with you there david, as long as the op has the default setting’s there should be no problem. I was just unsure as to what the op ment by all incoming connections as there should be an allowed list for usual system operation’s and was thinking that the op might have blocked everything. But like you said ( if it worked before nothing should have changed ).
Meh, just fired up the PC and got another alert that Avast! failed to auto-update. I hit “Update Now?” and it was able to update without messing with any settings. I will try the uninstall/repair and get back to you guys in a few if to let you know if it worked.
Anyone have any new info on this bug? I noticed in the forums that it seems to be an issue with several people. I contacted some of my friends who use Avast! (At my recommendation) and they are getting the same issue as well ;?
So today I got the same thing: Couldn’t update. Had to update manually, which worked fine. Now a few hours later, I get the Avast! notice that my virus definitions have been automatically updated.
What in the HELL is going on??!!?? Has anyone made any headway in this? I see people are still having trouble with this issue.
I for one have resorted to manually updating whenever the auto-update doesn’t work. This isn’t correct, but is apparently the only option at this point . I have stopped recommending Avast! To my friends and clients, as this kind of persistent issue does little to inspire confidence.
Hopefully there will be some official discussion/resolution on this soon.
~Philo