Is there any way to turn off the notification. I really don’t want to hear or see it. I would much rather it work in the background.
Thanks!
Hi Bob. Welcome to the forums.
Right click the a-icon, then click Program Settings/Update (Basic). Make sure Virus Data Base and Program Updates are set to Automatic. This will download updates without prior notification and advise you when its done.
If you want less information click the Detail button and change the settings in Update Options.
If you want no information change the running mode to Silent.
Personally I find the first option best as I like to know updates are occurring.
Edit:
Just checked the help files which reminded me that automatic updates are always silent. So, if you want no information at all, use the Update Options settings.
I prefer manual update otherwise it may happen at some time when you may be about to do something else and the more times too many things happen together, the more chance of something going wrong. Its very easy to do an update when it suits you such just after you connect to the internet and just before a scan
The problem will be the resident protection that could stay non updated.
avast checks if there is an available connection each 40 seconds. If there isn’t, wait more 40 seconds to check. Checking does not take more than one second and, of course, does not use the Internet band. If there is a connection, check for an update. If there is not any new file to download, wait 4 hours to start checking again. If there is an available update, start it and install it. Again, wait 4 hours to check the next time.
The updates are incremental. This is the wiser method of updating I have ever seen in a antivirus 
The program updates are released but to avoid excessive load on the servers the auto update check happens randomically every 7 days and it’s not checking every time you connect to the Internet as with the iAVS checks.
I see no advantage on using the Manual method… Do you have dial-up or permanent connection?
Cable broadband but I only connect to internet when required which is recommended by the ISP
Obviously I need to be aware of the possibly of not being fully up to date for live protection, but if Avast doesnt check again for 4 hours after a check that indicates no updates, I am not exposing myself to any brand new virus any more than auto updates does.
I just thought that by updating manually I avoid the possibility of four or five programs of various types all checking for updates at the same time. Anyway Tech, thanks for the suggestion and I will give auto updates serious consideration
Tom
So, you would love NetRun: “will ‘RUN’ a ‘List’ of programs only when a internet connection is detected, and close/kill the same ‘List’ when the connection is lost.” http://www.home.earthlink.net/~czarsoft/NetRunBetaSetup.exe
You can trust the beta (1.2.1.3) for sure, it’s ok.
Besides this, change (or add) AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds value into the [InetWD] section of avast4.ini file.
You could set the number of seconds to wait before attempting to update. The default is 30 but it may not be enough in some DSL systems. In this case, you can try increasing this e.g. to 60 (1 minute). That should be enough.
More details here: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=1647