repeating com.avast.update-agent[10563] sock_create_unix_socket failing

system · 2015-09-08T22:54:41.000Z

I’ve suddenly notices our console log getting filled with this pair of messages from com.avast.update-agent. They appear exactly every 10 seconds:

com.avast.update-agent[10563]: sock_create_unix_socket: bind() failed. Invalid argument [22]
com.avast.update-agent[10563]: sock_create_unix_socket() failed.

This is our MacMini running MacOS X 10.8.5 Server.

mity · 2015-09-09T15:15:06.000Z

Interesting. I guess the issue is that $HOME is on a filesystem which does not support unix sockets, right? That’s clearly a bug on our side: We should create them somewhere else where we can rely on HFS+ and its capabilities. I’ll take a look at this.

FYI: Until we have a fix, the product should continue to work normally. The issue will advertise only when next any program update is out: It will be unable to restart processes running in active user session (e.g. the helper program behind the tray icon). That can then be worked around by reboot or logout/login.

Thanks for the report.

system · 2015-09-09T16:13:21.000Z

mity post:2:

Interesting. I guess the issue is that $HOME is on a filesystem which does not support unix sockets, right? That’s clearly a bug on our side: We should create them somewhere else where we can rely on HFS+ and its capabilities. I’ll take a look at this.

FYI: Until we have a fix, the product should continue to work normally. The issue will advertise only when next any program update is out: It will be unable to restart processes running in active user session (e.g. the helper program behind the tray icon). That can then be worked around by reboot or logout/login.

Thanks for the report.

Is $HOME is the same as the user’s folder (~)? I’m not sure why this system drive would not support unix sockets - it’s a Mac OS Extended (Journaled) disk with a GUID Partition Table.
So I should keep an eye on the Avast site and when a new Macintosh version comes out I need to log out and log in again or reboot so it can download the new version?

mity · 2015-09-09T17:08:56.000Z

Is $HOME is the same as the user's folder (~)?

Yes.

I'm not sure why this system drive would not support unix sockets - it's a Mac OS Extended (Journaled) disk with a GUID Partition Table.

Okey. Then the problem is elsewhere. Would be helpful if you can post a support package. E.g. as an attechment of a private message to me. (Menu Help >> Avast Technical Support >> Generate Support Package).

So I should keep an eye on the Avast site and when a new Macintosh version comes out I need to log out and log in again or reboot so it can download the new version?

I bet you recognize it when it happens. You should see a pop-up about internal error when the failed-to-be-stopped GUI component losts connection to the core avast service which is stopped during the update, and after the new service starts, it should then show pop-up that a program update was done. Hopefully the updater should even detect something went wrong and inform you that you should reboot to fix it.

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