Never able to update since version 5.0.545 except in Windows Add/Remove Panel

Ever since I installed the last version of Avast with the newer interface (5.0.545) I have found it necessary to go into the Windows Program Add/Remove Panel to upate the software. If I try to upate from the actual Avast software interface, Avast eventually tells me it cannot contact to the server.

Also I would like to say that your software needs adjustable controls regarding updating priority. One could wait forever for it to complete… It is as if the software would never dare try to operate if any other program is running on your system. This is a real nuisance.

I have seen this same problem on several different computers. There always seem to be updating problems with version 5.0.545 that were not present in the previous version.

Otherwise I am quite happy with the software.

Systems in which I have seen these problems were Windows XP (various editions) and WIndows 7.
The different systems have utilized either Comodo or Ashampoo Firewalls, and I do not think the firewalls are having anything to do with this problem.

Could you please send me the file C:\program files\alwil software\avast5\setup\setup.log?

Thanks much
Vlk

A moment ago I finished sending you log files from the 3 machines which were experiencing this problem.

Oh yes, wonder of wonders, one of those machines managed to connect to the net to update through the regaular Avast user interface to update today. It was the first time that it was able to do so since you released version 5.0.545. I wonder if it will ever be able to do it again.

dionisiog, are you using Ashampoo Firewall?

Thanks
Vlk

I sent logs for 3 different machines which I help with. Two of these (1, with Home XP; 1, with Windows 7) use Comodo Internet Security Suite with the anti-virus deactivated or simply not installed.

One other machine uses Ashampoo Firewall.

All of these machines share the same problem with updating. I have only seen them connect from the regular user interface to register the software on the web. This may sound incredible, but I have only managed to get one of them to update using the regular user interface once (Yesterday.) Other than that, for all three installations, The users of those computers have found it necessary to update using the Add/Remove Panel in whatever version of Windows in which they were installed.

The error message from the user interface is always, “error, unable to connect to server” (or something very close to that :slight_smile: )

It’s very strange, but the updating process from the Add/Remove panel is usually sure-fire and fast, except sometimes Avast will take a long siesta (35 minutes !!!) while waiting for any other program operating to close on my system before it finishes updating with the downloaded files.

SO yes… One machine uses Ashampoo Firewall, but the other two use Comodo FIrewall (Comodo Internet Security).

Also, you may note that there are various other security programs installed on the different machines, but this problem seems to happen with them installed, not installed, or installed and inactive.

I have also tried completely removing Avast on all machines and then reinstalling the software freshly. The latest attempt to do this was during the past few days. This is not appear to have any affect on the problem mentioned. The fresh installation was accomplished using a freshly downloaded version of Avast Free Antivirus.

There is only one facter that these installations might have in common from my point of view. When I install my own software on any machine I tend to install it in a folder at location C:\Custom\System\etc\etc instead of C:\Program\etc\etc.

I came back to add this detail. Another thing in common is that these machines are also generally using dialup connections.

An update.

I don’t know if you have changed anything on your end with your servers, but I have been able to update using the regular user interface (instead of the Windows Add/Remove Panel) on two of the machines during the last day. I was also very surprised that one of the machines (The one with Windows 7) immediately began to update on manual update.)

I will have to see if this will continue.

Updating from the Add/Remove panel is not such a inconvenience, but it is nice to see the interface which you designed to do this managing the task as well.

Sometimes I am wondering if these various computer systems with Avast have been simply reporting the server error to connect as the result of a time-out waiting to connect to a server. And Avast sometimes seems to a fault to wait until any other service on my computer has stopped demanding any CPU time before it completes any of it’s actions, which might contribute to the possibility of that type of error. It is simply… too polite. :slight_smile: I would love to have the option available to be able to give Avast a higher level of priority on my computer for completing it’s actions.

OK,

Not certain if you changed anything on your end, but the two machines with Comodo Internet Security can now connect to update using the normal user interface. After several updates this seems to be an apparent fix which is sticking. The only machine which remains with this updating problem is the machine using Ashampoo Firewall.

Perhaps there was some type of incompatibility with these products and you have made some change to correct this? Whatever is happening is certainly welcome.

Hi dionisiog,

There may be a compatibility issue between avast!5 and Ashampoo Firewall.

Please see this comment by raziel:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=56120.msg475063#msg475063

I think you have to uninstall Ashampoo Firewall to update avast, at least for now. :-\

Regards