New release of avast Home/Pro [4.8.1290]

[system]

Speaking of updates, what exactly does Program “Ask me when update is available” do under avast! Settings “Update (Basic)”?

I don’t remember what version of avast! I started out with, but I’ve never gotten any kind of alert when a new version was made available - and there’s been at least four I can remember.

The only time I’m made aware of an new version is when I read about it here. Not a problem, tho. I’m never the first to update - I prefer others to test for me. ;D And then, checking into forum.avast.com is always a highlight in anyone’s day!

Is there a pop up, a systray icon change or what?

Thank you.

[system]

I was notified about the update and it is running now.

[system]

@dallas7 post:21

I don’t remember what version of avast! I started out with, but I’ve never gotten any kind of alert when a new version was made available - and there’s been at least four I can remember.

The only time I’m made aware of an new version is when I read about it here. Not a problem, tho. I’m never the first to update - I prefer others to test for me. ;D And then, checking into forum.avast.com is always a highlight in anyone’s day!

Is there a pop up, a systray icon change or what?

Thank you.

There is a green pop up, similar to the blue virus database update pop up, that alerts us to a new version of avast!.

[system]

@rdmaloyjr post:23

There is a green pop, up similar to the blue definition update pop up, that alerts us to a new version of avast!.

I have the “Virus database” set to Automatic and I do get a blue pop up informing that the database has been updated and then it closes within a few seconds. I only know this because of the few times I was at the computer while it happened - which is OK as I know that’s how automatic should work. I would imagine the same behavior for the Automatic setting for “Program.”

For the “Ask” setting I would expect a pop up that remained until acted upon by the user, perhaps with a Yes/No. Correct?

I’m going to set the Virus database to Ask and observe its behavior to get an idea of the developers’ concept of “Ask.”

[DavidR]

It is not so much an Ask, but a notification that an update is available, click on the box to update now.

Otherwise if your busy let it close and do the update when you aren’t busy.

[ConfusedComputerUser]

The auto update (for the program and virus database) should work. I’ll admit that for me it did not work since my last update a while back (build 4.1229 I think). However that is because I selected the option of constant internet connection even if I am not constantly connected to the net. Despite having DSL I have an upload/download limit of 1 Gb. So I turn of my internet unless I am using it.

Pretty much, what DavidR said is true.

[system]

@lukor post:20

Updates are several times a year, 4 - 5 times. I don’t know of any program, Antivir or other that is able to UNLOAD tdi filter driver, once loaded.

Thanks lukor,
I’m glad that your update frequency is less than 2 per day

Does this mean that a new offline installer is available when the online update is released, like Firefox updates?

I don’t know much about the internals of online updates of security software. I hate online updates and prefer to download the installer and install the new software version on top of the old one.

[lukor]

@TheSpirit post:27

@lukor post:20

Updates are several times a year, 4 - 5 times. I don’t know of any program, Antivir or other that is able to UNLOAD tdi filter driver, once loaded.

Thanks lukor,
I’m glad that your update frequency is less than 2 per day

Does this mean that a new offline installer is available when the online update is released, like Firefox updates?

I don’t know much about the internals of online updates of security software. I hate online updates and prefer to download the installer and install the new software version on top of the old one.

Yes, exactly, when the update is available online it is also available as a download package that includes the latest VPS (virus database) version. Virus Database is of course update more frequently like once or twice a day, and also includes algorithmic detections, that can vastly improve the detection beyond normal signature updates - and thus your installation evolves even betwen updates, but no restarts are needed. You can always turn of automatic updates for program or change it to notify only, and update whenever you choose to.

[alanrf]

While the above information covers almost all of the update cases … in the best interests of not misleading avast users … I add:

There will be times (certainly infrequent - but have existed in recent memory and may occur again) where the avast team will force program updates when it is necessary to provide support of newer features in the avast product.

[system]

Thanks again lukor. So far, Avast seems to be exactly what I was looking for. And a very responsive forum, too.

[system]

@alanrf post:29

There will be times (certainly infrequent - but have existed in recent memory and may occur again) where the avast team will force program updates when it is necessary to provide support of newer features in the avast product.

Now, that is interesting! Like Microsoft’s “we know that you turned off automatic updates, but we will do it, anyway”?

Maybe somebody from ALWIL would comment on this?

[system]

@Confused Computer User post:26

The auto update (for the program and virus database) should work. I’ll admit that for me it did not work since my last update a while back (build 4.1229 I think). However that is because I selected the option of constant internet connection even if I am not constantly connected to the net. Despite having DSL I have an upload/download limit of 1 Gb. So I turn of my internet unless I am using it.

Even though the system is not connected to the Internet and from what I know about a DSL connection it is always active if the modem is powered up.

Pretty much, what DavidR said is true.

It is due to its perspective where it [b]Ask[/b]s if an update is available then will notify you if one is available if you select the [b]Update (Basic)[/b] A[u]s[/u]k when update is available in Settings.

[system]

Just updated my avast to 4.8.1290. No problems what so ever.

Thanks to the team at Alwil for smooth program updates – and to those of this great forum for continued superior support.

[defza]

I’m still getting the BSOD when trying to install ext2ifs_1_11a !

I’ve tried aswSP.sys version: 4.8.1281.0, 4.8.1227.0 and the one from here: 32-bit Windows: http://public.avast.com/~vlk/aswsp-ext2fsd-fix/i386/aswSP.sys

Although the file linked to above does cause the BSOD to occur a while “later” in the installation, i.e. more disk activity happens before it BSOD’s.

If you need more information or logs, let me know.

[Vlk]

defza: yes, definitely, please send me the corresponding minidump (the most recent file from the \windows\minidump folder).

Thanks
Vlk

[system]

@dallas7 post:24

@rdmaloyjr post:23

There is a green pop, up similar to the blue definition update pop up, that alerts us to a new version of avast!.

I have the “Virus database” set to Automatic and I do get a blue pop up informing that the database has been updated and then it closes within a few seconds. I only know this because of the few times I was at the computer while it happened - which is OK as I know that’s how automatic should work. I would imagine the same behavior for the Automatic setting for “Program.”
For the “Ask” setting I would expect a pop up that remained until acted upon by the user, perhaps with a Yes/No. Correct?
I’m going to set the Virus database to Ask and observe its behavior to get an idea of the developers’ concept of “Ask.”

OOPS! My bad. I definitely do not get an alert for either the database or program when set to “ask” but that’s because I have the Windows Alerter service disabled. Or another service, maybe. I have lots of “useless” services disabled or set to manual. Whichever it is, when I was running Windows Defender, I didn’t get any alerts from that app either. Examining the listings in Antivrus in the Event Viewer shows the alerts are coming from avast! but just not making it to the shell.

Thanks for the responses; sorry for my lapse. :-\

[system]

Thanks for the update

[system]

@Vlk post:1

Generally, everyone is suggested to upgrade to this new build.

Well, I did with my other PC and after the recommended reboot the system does not come up again. It does not even get as far as presenting the boot text (“Press F8 for boot options…”). BIOS messages pass by then the disk LED is continuously on for about 20seconds and nothing happens. Sometimes weird characters appear on screen.

Normally I would assume coincidence but you never know. Are there any known issues with the current version? Does the update write to the MBR or boot sector? OS is Windows XP Home with SP3.

Thanks!

[system]

I updated over 10 computers with XP Home SP3 with nary a problem.

You might want to un-install and re-install as per enounciated elsewhere.

[system]

@sunrisecc post:39

I updated over 10 computers with XP Home SP3 with nary a problem.

This machine where I’m writing from didn’t have any issues as well.

You might want to un-install and re-install as per enounciated elsewhere.

Thanks for the suggestion but that would require the OS to come up - or a rather complicated operation with Windows recovery CD... I'll try to fix MBR for the time being.