DavidR
2
Some days there may well not be an auto update (infrequent), however, you should still be getting the streaming updates over and above the auto update/s. This would include the streaming updates you had previously received, so you shouldn’t be missing out.
Are you getting the streaming updates ?
Well Sept 2013 is a long time ago and even longer in terms of AV protection, etc. The fact that it has stuff that you don’t want (which you don’t mention) is more of a case of doing a custom install and select only those features/functions that you do want. Nor do you mention the problems that you did have; surely it would be better to try and resolve the problem than avoid the program version.
You don’t say what version you do have, but I don’t know why, when you have set Program updates to Manual (not Notify) that it still tries to update. Normally this might occur if a major issue is resolved and or an emergency update is in play.
But in all honesty I would recommend the latest version, 9.0.2018. Or there is currently a beta/RC version in play 9.0.2020 - see https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=151156.0 - with a regular update release due around the end of this month.