I am having trouble updating my free home version. I keep getting the message “connection terminated - retrying”, and it goes back to zero. Right now, the cumulative amount to download is about 1,100,000 bytes, and the connection terminates before it gets much past 300,000.
I am on the worlds slowest dial-up connection. I have tried to update at 3am, 5am, when the ISP is least busy, but that doesnt seem to make much difference.
I am using windows xp on a 2.4 ghz IBM thinkpad T30 notebook.
When I tried to repair avast, I got a message saying “error processing packages. please use full update.” but I have no idea what they are talking about.
It would be nice if the downloads would work like windows xp updates do, saving what is already downloaded in a temporary file, and adding to them each time user is online.
Is there anything I can do to rectify this situation?
Hello kd4abe: Welcome to the forum. I have read in other posts that some people have had similar issue. I am not on dial up so have no real help to offer other then the real fine evangelists on this forum have good experience in just this matter.
Please be patient and I 'm sure you will receive direction quite quickly.
Sorry I could not be of any real help.
Please check the following to check the settings:
Open Avast GUI > Settings > Updates >
A. Engine and Virus Definitions:
Automatic Update (default)
For “Manual” or “Ask When Update Available ” > Settings > Status Bar > Check either of the last boxes
Have you tried changing this to Manual or Ask When Update Available?
B. Update Parameters: all boxes unchecked (default)
If you use dial-up, you will want to use #2 above to “I only connect to the Internet using dial-up modem.”
C. Proxy Settings:
Auto Detect using IE Settings (default)
Use “Specify Proxy Server” if you use a proxy, complete the information below it for the proxy server > click “OK.” - Use this for dial-up
I’m sure DavidR, another Evang. will have more input for settings if these do not work for you since we both have experience with dial-up. Let us know if this works for you or not. He will be on the forum in several hours. Thank you.
A. I already have “Ask when update available” checked, and I checked somewhere to have it delayed until other system stuff is thru running. No help. I havent tried manual yet - will try it today and let you know.
B. I already have " …only…dial-up modem…" checked.
C. I dont think I’m using a proxy server (whatever that is).
Thanx agn fer ur help - its nice to have something like this when software doesnt act right. I’ll post results of trying Manual later today.
Is there any way to get back to my own topic on here without going around the mulberry bush for half an hour? I only get 45 hours a month for my $9.95.
We are on your topic, however the more information you can supply in your initial post will cut down on the number of questions we need to ask. We are sorry for any inconvenience this presents. I also have dial-up, so I can empathize with you.
@ CharleyO, I have sent a PM to DavidR to see if he has more input.
@ kd4abe
Unfortunately I don’t have any cast iron suggestions, even when on dial-up it was never that bad (connection speed average 49,2kbps, download speed equated to 1mb = 3-4 minutes) and my updates were fine, even the program updates which were larger. I don’t thing that delaying the update check will do much for you (as the manual update check doesn’t seem to make it either), that is more to do with systems which are slow in booting, rather than a very slow connection.
The virus definitions updates are measured in KBs (generally less than 80KB) and not MBs so saving what was downloaded already shouldn’t be an issue. If you are capable of getting windows updates at your connection speed the avast ones should be a breeze, so there is something else going on.
That is as you say the worlds worst dial-up if you are at times only getting 1.8kbps, so I don’t know if the termination isn’t something to do with timeout due to inactivity. I don’t believe avasts download servers have an inactivity timeout delay, were they would try another one of the avast servers.
The one thing for sure the errors effectively mean you should reinstall and that is going to be no easy task on that dial-up. So you would have to find a friend or local library, etc. with a broadband connection and download the latest version of avast (you don’t say what that is ?) and save to a usb flash drive or CD/DVD and transfer to your system and reinstall avast.
Is the modem dropping the connection due to timeout? It’s been a while since I’ve been on dial-up, but I remember changing a DUN setting to prevent Windows from terminating the connection. See http://help.expedient.com/dialup/disconnects.shtml#idle. Although it mentions Expedient’s servers timing out, the Windows DUN settings are outlined there.
Perhaps your ISP is doing something similar to Expedient, and the DUN settings aren’t the problem. However, verifying these settings may help.
If you have to download the full update from http://www.avast.com/download-update (heaven forbid), you could use a download manager that supports resume. Many download managers also have an option to ping a server in order to keep a connection alive.
IT FINALLY UPDATED! - I happened to wake up at 2:30 am last night, and I thought, “what the heck, I’ll try to update avast!” So about 2:40 am, I got on the world’s slowest connection and initiated a manual update. Then I promptly fell asleep, but about a half hour later, I snored myself awake (like Dagwood), and lo and behold, it had updated.
I think this rotten excuse for an ISP is the problem. Although it’s the world’s worst, though, it is also the world’s cheapest. (And so is my regular phone service. Cheaper phone service than anyone I know gets.) And for 99.9% of my internet activity, it is completely adequate. I usually only tend to my eBay sales, and a few googles for info, and buying parts, etc.
Satellite would be nice, but I have trees to the south of my house, and I am living on an extremely limited disability income, so sixty bucks a month would be hard to scratch up.
Anyways, I want to thank you all for all the info and prompt responses. I’m still going to check out that last suggestion someone came up with, but I think the solution to my problem will be to update at 3am.
I really like this forum. MERRY CHRISTMAS and a Happy Hangover to all. And THANKS!
Well, Here I go again - for the past several nights I have tried to update at 3 am, to no avail. I get about 300k plus, and it just stops, waits a minute or two, then I get the connection terminated message.
I, to suspect it is something my ISP is doing. At certain times of the day, like 9am on weekdays, for example, I get bumped off the net if I don’t continually surf. I think they are using some kinda software that disconnects users who havent transmitted in the last minute or two.
I have a flash drive, and a friend has broadband, so I will try to download the latest version and reinstall.
Also, my isp’s net manager says I may have too many devices on my in-house user line, or too many “splitters” between my computer and the phone company’s termination box on the back of the house. That may be causing my slow downloading. Today I hope to disconnect everything but the computer and see if that helps. My satellite TV is hooked to the phone line, and may be interrupting my downloads. It used to dial on top of me when I was talking on the phone, but I haven’t noticed that happening lately. Does this “ring a bell” with anyone? Thanx.
