PACKAGE BROKEN / ERROR WHILE CHANGING

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

First, I have read all of the archived messages about this subject and all are the same answer; use the repair button. It doesn’t work.

Details: New computer, built 6 Mar 09, Win XP Home SP3 all MS updates current, Avast installed immediately. Worked as designed until a few days ago. No new programs have been added or removed. During startup, the Avast box would come up red with the message about “the package is broken”. So, I open Avast, and do a manual update. The window comes back with “already up to date” and shows the current version. BUT…on the Avast car stereo window, it shows the previous version instead of the current version. No matter how many times I update it, it will not change. So, I went to the control panel and performed “repair”. It came back with “there was an error while changing product configuration”. Ran repair again, and it completed successfully. The next day, I had to go through the whole process again. The third day, the same thing, but this time I removed Avast and went out and downloaded the setup all over again. Today, with the newly reinstalled program, the red message box showed up as before.

I have two other computers, all set up exactly the same, and all on the same network in my home, but this one is the only one suffering this problem.

I have added the log as an attachment.

PLEASE help me figure this one out!

2

Check your system date and time is accurate.

May well be another answer, but that’s for folk who know how to interpret the log file.

3

Date and time are fine.

4

You did not register your avast installation. The demo period is only 60 days (at the first installation).
Go to the SSL page version and register from there: https://secure.avast.com/scripts/register.php?lang=ENG. The Registration key is valid for 14 months.
See the tutorial: http://www.avast.com/files/tutorials/insert_key.htm

5

It WAS registered before I completely removed and reinstalled the program. What you see on the log is the fresh install before I registered. With other computers I’ve worked on, having to reinstall the OS, even during the trial period, the Avast never came up with a broken package before registration. So, that’s not the solution since the problem computer has been registered since I posted the problem and it still receives the red box broken package window.

6

Following the new download, did you get a new key, or did you continue using the old key?

7

I used the original key I received when I registered. All 3 computers have the same key, and it didn’t affect the problem computer for a month until recently.

8

Well, I don’t really know, Mickey Way, and it’s a bit of a pita, but try re-registering it if you can.
New build of XP. No other AV has been installed, I guess?

9

(By “re-registering”, I mean get a new key from Alwil.)

10

I just did a re-register and I received the exact same registration that was on this computer from the original build.

11

OK, another pita, and no guarantee it will even work, but try uninstalling it (again) and this time after the uninstall run the uninstall utility http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-uninstall-utility.html (in safe if necessary), reboot, and install afresh.

12

OK. I just downloaded the awsClear.exe. I will try this a little later tonight when I have more time to devote to the process and will get back to you with the results afterward. Thanks Tarq57 for your help so far.

P.S. I see you are a Monty Python fan. “Llamas are bigger than frogs”.

13

Monty Python…It’s how I got my nickname. ;D

14

I was experiencing the same “Package Broken” error and found the following worked. Tech suggested this approach in a previous post today.

  1. Control Panel
  2. Add/Remove programs
  3. Select Avast
  4. Window opens, click Proxy, tick “none”
  5. Select “update” amongst the options uninstall, repair, update, etc.
  6. Program updates
  7. Restart computer
  8. Start Avast and customize settings to your liking.

The blue avast icon is not visible, which suggest all is not well. I am trying to find a solution to that. My computer no longer freezes, crashes and runs slow, so things are looking up.

15

Cancelled.

16

OK. Before going through the process of remove and install, it occurred to me to try a system restore since the problem has only been happening for a few days. One of the problem days had a listing of “application kill”, so I set the system restore to the previous day. Today, the automatic update worked as advertised. I don’t know if this is THE fix, but I’m going to watch it closely and I’ll report back the results in a few days.

17

Good to know. Anyway, you can repair your installation and update/correct your installation:
Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > avast! antivirus > Remove. Then choose Repair function in the popup window (Repair).

18

Well folks, after four days all is well. It seams something was boogered up in my computer and the system restore was the solution. I love that feature of XP. Avast autoupdate worked every day as normal. Thanks to everyone for your support.

19

It saved me some times… but, remember, it’s not a full backup and it can let you on the road… no restore points, failure to restore, etc.

20

Well, I was wrong, it didn’t work. The red broken package window is back. The repair button in the control panel still does not work, plus another error message during the repair “There was an error while changing product configuration”. So, I pretty much give up. Something is causing Avast autoupdate to fail in this computer. Manual update is the only way for some reason.