"Engine cannot start" trouble shooting

  • moved from our support SupportSuite here, maybe others might be interrested too:


I have downloaded the software from the apple site. I am getting a
message that says the “Engine cannot Launch” and then a tab to
“Terminate”. I moved the application to the trash and reinstalled and
the same thing has happened. The version of Avast is 2.74 and I’m
using a Mac OS X version 10.5.

Please, open Terminal Utility, and issue this command:
/Applications/avast!.app/Contents/Resources/com.avast.MacAvast.MAD

  • copy/paste results here

then, issue:
/Applications/avast!.app/Contents/Resources/com.avast.MacAvast.MAD -v -d ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.avast.MacAvast/ -t 3333

  • copy/paste results here

if ok, try:
telnet localhost 3333

  • copy/paste results here

Regards,pc

More than 10 users complained about this flaw, but until now, nobody has sent the report. Strange…

pc

Hello,
I’ve issued the commands described above with the following results:

mkisiu:~ mkisiu$ /Applications/avast!.app/Contents/Resources/com.avast.MacAvast.MAD

ERROR-013: No listening interface specified.
mkisiu:~ mkisiu$ /Applications/avast!.app/Contents/Resources/com.avast.MacAvast.MAD -v -d ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.avast.MacAvast/ -t 3333

ERROR-012: Cannot locate 400.vps file in the specified data path.

…and just in case:

mkisiu:~ mkisiu$ telnet localhost 3333
Trying ::1…
telnet: connect to address ::1: Connection refused
Trying ::1…
telnet: connect to address ::1: Connection refused
Trying 127.0.0.1…
telnet: connect to address 127.0.0.1: Connection refused
telnet: Unable to connect to remote host

Cheers
Maciek

Thanks a lot, dude! you’re the first from cca 20 users that complained about this flaw who gave us report. Now, we know what went wrong - the file 400.vps failed to install to your “~/Library/Application Support/com.avast.MacAvast” directory.

Please, copy the desired 400.vps file from: /Applications/avast!.app/Contents/Resources/400.vps to the ~/Library/Application Support/com.avast.MacAvast . After that, try to start Avast! and the application should start to work. Please, confirm.

Regards,
PC

hi mate,
thanks a lot for your time and support. I’ve proceed in line with your instructions and now it is working.

Thanks again & regards
Maciek

I have also run into this problem after downloading from your site to my MacBook. Upon trying to run your software, I get the same “Engine cannot launch” message with the “Terminate” window. After reading this string, I followed the request for the entries into Terminal with the following results:

Last login: Mon Feb 18 17:36:37 on console
24-113-145-236:~ rongraham$ /Applications/avast!.app/Contents/Resources/com.avast.MacAvast.MAD

ERROR-013: No listening interface specified.
24-113-145-236:~ rongraham$ /Applications/avast!.app/Contents/Resources/com.avast.MacAvast.MAD -v -d ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.avast.MacAvast/ -t 3333
ERROR-012: Cannot locate 400.vps file in the specified data path.
24-113-145-236:~ rongraham$ telnet localhost 3333
Trying ::1…
telnet: connect to address ::1: Connection refused
Trying ::1…
telnet: connect to address ::1: Connection refused
Trying 127.0.0.1…
telnet: connect to address 127.0.0.1: Connection refused
telnet: Unable to connect to remote host

I began to try the fix listed in the next-to-last post, but am unable to find a directory called “avast” under the “Applications” directory, or ti find the 400.vps file at all on my hard drive. I had tried to install this software before, ran into the same problem and then sent the file to trash. I have not tried deleting and then reinstalling the software since this recent download.

Ca you help?

Sorry, I’m new to Mac and I understand where I’m supposed to copy the 400.vbs file from, but don’t understand where I’m supposed to copy it to.

Hi,
there is no directory called “avast” but “avast!.app”. Just try to type (in the terminal window) cd /Applications/avast and then press the tab key. The directory name should be inserted automatically.

Cheers
Maciek

Hi,
to pattersd:
the destination folder is located inside your home directory structure (this is the “~” sign), so the whole path looks like:
/Users/“your username here”/Library/Application Support/com.avast.MacAvast
The easy way to type the correct path is to type ~(or /Users/“your username here”)/Library/Application and then press the tab key. On the screen you will see something like that: /Application\ Support/

to summarize, the destination folder looks like (in the terminal window):
~/Library/Application\ Support/com.avast.MacAvast/

cheers
Maciek

To Maciek. Got it. Many thanks for your help. Avast is now working.

Hello,

I tried the 3 suggested commands in Terminal, but I still get the “Engine cannot start” message when I start Avast!. My Terminal window displays:

Last login: Wed Mar 19 10:58:03 on ttys000
HOGESCHO-F89C0F:~ riccardo$ /Applications/avast!.app/Contents/Resources/com.avast.MacAvast.MAD

ERROR-013: No listening interface specified.
HOGESCHO-F89C0F:~ riccardo$ /Applications/avast!.app/Contents/Resources/com.avast.MacAvast.MAD -v -d ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.avast.MacAvast/ -t 3333Version of daemon: 0.0.68
Datapath to 400.vps: ‘/Users/riccardo/Library/Application Support/com.avast.MacAvast/’
Workspace directory: ‘/tmp/avast4
License file: ‘’
Packers set: 0x1FFFFFFF
Scan flags: 0x01800000
Recurse depth: 32
Connection timeout: 5s
VPS version: 071209-0 09.12.2007
VPS reload: on request
Scanlog file: ‘none’, mask 0x00000003
Running mode: foreground
Listening interfaces: tcp:any:3333
Engine ready, listening on sockets
telnet localhost 3333

thanks - randreol

Hi again,

I was able to fix this problem by manually deleting the Avast! application and the com.avast.MacAvast folder and then reinstalling the application (reloading the licence file)

thanks - randreol