I just installed Avast a few days ago. After getting a new skin, all is well. I do have a question. I have Avast set to update the virus definitions automatically–but this is on my laptop which is often disconnected from the internet. I don’t know how often Avast is set to check for new definitions, or, in the event that it can’t find them (b/c I"m not online), what is supposed to happen. I have yet to see an error message or some mark on the icon in the system tray letting me know of an unsuccessful update check. Can someone tell me what is supposed to happen? I’d like some visual confirmation of an unsuccessful update, so I can address the issue, rather than just see that cute little A rotating in my system tray. Thanks.
Hmm. What you are supposed to see is a rectangular blue (sometimes transparent blue) window pop up from the lower right hand corner of your screen along with a male voice informing you that the virus definitions have been updated. After this window has been clicked on or falls back down, you will see a gray window that appears in the center of your screen that infoems you of both the previous and current file version.
I think avast checks once a day for new definitions, although I could be wrong. If I remember correctly, if an update fails you will see the same rectangular box in red pop up informing you of this.
By default, the updater is never launched when there’s no Internet connection. However, once you establish one, it should fire almost instantly and you should indeed see the blue popup.
OK, so far so good. I guess I can’t expect updates when I’m not online. ;D How about if I am online, but I don’t get updates? I get that red box notifying me? Does anything remain after a few seconds? Some red cross or x over the avast icon or something? What I’m concerned with is seeing nothing for weeks, only to find that my definitions haven’t been updated. Normally when my laptop is online, I’m right there, but of course if I’m away from the laptop, I might miss a red popup box that is only visible for a few seconds.
First if Vlk comes back listen to him
what firewall are you using?
after a couple of days with no update you are correct this should not happen
rt click the blue ball and check about for definitions date
if more than a day old rt click the ball try a manual update
nothing happen?
toggle your firewall
turn it off for a moment
then turn it back on again
with Zone alarm go to Start>programs >zone labs and re-enable
did update happen?
if so it’s a firewall problem
post back with all your os , firewall, any anti-spyware you are running, spybot t-timer, spywareguard- script blockers etc
Just to clarify–I am getting updates fine. I am just wondering how Avast communicates if there was a difficulty in getting a definition update, as I was used to AVG, which woudl have a new symbol over its icon in the system tray, regardless of the reason (i.e., even if there was no update because there was not internet connection). I’m not having problems getting updates, I just would like to know what to look for, in the event that I can’t get updates, that’s all.
If you have it set on automatic update for the virus signatures, after the update there will be a Blue pop-up and an audible notification that an update has completed.
The updates are relatively frequent virtually daily and sometimes multiple times a day, so if you go a couple of days without this it is time to start checking, e.g. do a manual iAVS Update, right click the avast ‘a’ icon, select Updating, iAVS Update. Or here would be a good port of call.
good to hear
Is there an error message? I do not know
log file- most likely
just check “about avast” and monitor
build should be 4.8.1227
there was a program update available
did you get it?
program updates are NOT automatic in the free version
so
do a manual update
is a large update so do it when not busy
Program updates on both Pro and Home are set to Ask, because they are likely to be larger and more time consuming you wouldn’t want it to kick off automatically.
So you see the notification pop-up and you can elect to do it then if not busy or later manually.
The program update notifications are done over a 7 day cycle to spread server load.
just do it long enough to know that auto update is working
hmm
does avast have a RSS feed for updates?
visit your favorite update site such as colander of updates
The Pro version has a Push Updates function, I don’t know if there is any way to have this page http://www.avast.com/eng/vps_history.html included as say a live bookmark as there doesn’t seem to be a Subscribe to this page icon like there is in the forum pages.
The WSC would also have a whinge if you are behind by 7 days as a fall back also.
By “WSC” do you mean Windows Security Center? I have that turned off (at least, the icon doesn’t appear in my system tray).
As far as the other options, I’d rather not have to manually update my AV. I’m just in the habit of it doing it automatically, and this would be more of a hassle than the problem with AVG that drove me to Avast.
The WSC icon would only appear if one of the applications it is monitoring is out of date or switched off/disabled. I don’t see any advantage of disabling the WSC, it uses nominal resources and could be an early indication that something isn’t right with your security applications.
You don’t have to update manually, it is set to automatic for virus signatures and notification for program updates. Your issue is different in the fact whilst your not connected avast won’t update, when you subsequently connect avast will check to see if an update is available (most likely) and it will update and display the Blue Pop-up and audible notification. If you remain connected for 4 hours it will check again.
If the update fails it will happen soon after the connection is established and believe me you should have no difficulty in seeing the Red Box it has never escaped my attention (on the rare occasion it has occurred - dial-up connection failed) and I have a 20" TFT monitor even though it is there for a 10-15 second time frame.
The manual updates are there as a back-up and to give those who would prefer to do it that way the option. It also allows you an easy way to confirm your up do date it isn’t suggested that this is what you should do for all your updates.
OK that’s good enough. ALthough I’m not always at my laptop, at least I am when I log onto a wireless network, or even plug it in to my cable modem at home, at which point I can see the blue popup window for sure. I’d still like to see something more “permanent” than a 10-second error popup message, but as long as Avast will connect as soon as I’m online, the issue is decided, anyways.
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.
Some of this settings could be configurated different, I posted the default values of the avast4.ini file. The updates are incremental.
Thanks. That sounds very helpful for me at this point.
OK I do have one more question. I did a search with “sleep” and “standby” and didn’t see anything except one thread about another program. When the laptop goes into standby mode, is there a setting that can make sure that this checking every 40 seconds will not occur (or is it simply impossible for this checking every 40 seconds, to occur when the computer is in standby?)?