update avast 4.8 home edition

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hi, I’m using Avast Home edition 4.8 on Windows XP. In the last few days (when a new version was available to dowload) I couldn’t update it: when I try it says (in italian) that it can’t connect to a731sl.avast.com (208.43.71.132:80) is not operative. Before I didn’t have any problem with it.

Could you help me please?

It follows part of the log file

11.09.2009 13:44:18 package: Part prg_av_pro-537 is installed
11.09.2009 13:44:18 package: Part vps-9091000 is installed
11.09.2009 13:44:18 package: Part news-51 is installed
11.09.2009 13:44:18 package: Part setup_av_pro-537 is installed
11.09.2009 13:44:18 package: Part jrog-b9 is installed
11.09.2009 13:44:18 general: Old version: 537 (1335)
11.09.2009 13:44:18 general: GUID: e50edec8-1935-4b9c-9453-f5c4f652d9f7
11.09.2009 13:44:19 general: Server definition(s) loaded for ‘main’: 271 (maintenance:0)
11.09.2009 13:44:19 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download650 AVAST Server’ from ‘main’
11.09.2009 13:44:19 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
11.09.2009 13:44:19 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
11.09.2009 13:44:19 general: Entered SetupProcessPro::Do( INST_OP_UPDATE_GET_PACKAGES )
11.09.2009 13:44:19 general: Entered SetupProcessWin32Avast::Do( INST_OP_UPDATE_GET_PACKAGES )
11.09.2009 13:44:19 general: Entered SetupProcessWin32::Do( INST_OP_UPDATE_GET_PACKAGES )
11.09.2009 13:44:19 general: Entered SetupProcess::Do( INST_OP_UPDATE_GET_PACKAGES )
11.09.2009 13:44:19 general: progress thread start
11.09.2009 13:44:19 internet: SYNCER: Agent=Syncer/4.80 (av_pro-1335;f)
11.09.2009 13:44:40 internet: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
11.09.2009 13:45:06 internet: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
11.09.2009 13:45:06 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download650 AVAST Server’ from ‘main’
11.09.2009 13:45:06 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download704 AVAST Server’ from ‘main’
11.09.2009 13:45:06 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
11.09.2009 13:45:06 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
11.09.2009 13:45:06 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 1
11.09.2009 13:45:27 internet: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
11.09.2009 13:45:27 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download704 AVAST Server’ from ‘main’
11.09.2009 13:45:27 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download613 AVAST Server’ from ‘main’
11.09.2009 13:45:27 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
11.09.2009 13:45:27 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
11.09.2009 13:45:27 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 2
11.09.2009 13:45:50 internet: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
11.09.2009 13:45:50 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download613 AVAST Server’ from ‘main’
11.09.2009 13:45:50 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download683 AVAST Server’ from ‘main’
11.09.2009 13:45:50 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
11.09.2009 13:45:50 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
11.09.2009 13:45:50 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured,

…

try 10
11.09.2009 13:48:49 internet: tried 10 servers to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, but failed (0x20000004)
11.09.2009 13:48:49 file: GetNewerStampedFile:GetFileWithRetry failed: C:.…_av_proI.tm~a03868\onefile, servers.def.vpu, error: 0x20000004
11.09.2009 13:48:49 package: Download servers.def, servers.def.vpu failed with error 0x20000004.
11.09.2009 13:49:16 internet: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
11.09.2009 13:49:37 internet: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
11.09.2009 13:49:37 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download930 AVAST Server’ from ‘main’
11.09.2009 13:49:37 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download966 AVAST Server’ from ‘main’
11.09.2009 13:49:37 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
11.09.2009 13:49:37 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
11.09.2009 13:49:37 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 1
11.09.2009 13:50:04 internet: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
11.09.2009 13:50:04 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download966 AVAST Server’ from ‘main’
11.09.2009 13:50:04 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download714 AVAST Server’ from ‘main’
11.09.2009 13:50:04 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
11.09.2009 13:50:04 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
11.09.2009 13:50:04 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 2

…

try 10
11.09.2009 13:53:27 internet: tried 10 servers to get file ‘servers.def’, but failed (0x20000004)
11.09.2009 13:53:27 file: GetNewerStampedFile:GetFileWithRetry failed: C:.…_av_proI.tm~a03868\onefile, servers.def, error: 0x20000004
11.09.2009 13:53:27 package: Tried to download servers.def but failed with error 0x20000004.
11.09.2009 13:53:27 package: LoadAllDefs failed 0x20000004
11.09.2009 13:53:28 general: Err:Cannot connect to a731sl.avast.com (208.43.71.132:80).

2

Cannot connect is usually associated with firewall blocking.

Are you able to do a manual update (right click the avast ‘a’ icon, select Updating, iAVS Update) ?

If not - What is your firewall ?
Does it allow avast.setup internet access ?

  • If it does delete the entry for it and do a manual update as above, this should force the firewall to ask permission again.
3

Thank you for your answer,
I’m using windows firewall. I’ve just tried a manual update, deleting the entry of avast.exe from the firewall, but it still not work (the firewall do not ask permission too)! It tries to download the file servers.def.vpu, but it “cannot connect to server”. It is strange because before the message of the new version of avast all worked well and I never had problems with my firewall…
??? ??? ???

4

Which version of the Windows firewall ?
XP has no outbound protection so shouldn’t interfere.
Vista has outbound protection but it is disabled by default, so probably won’t get in the way.

So we can only look for other possible causes.
Have (or did) you another AV installed in this system, if so what was it and how did you get rid of it ?

5

The infamous 0x20000004 error…

0x20000004 error is a “proxy down” error, i.e., server unreachable (or, in other words, “cannot connect to the updating server”). Is there any other Firewall installed on the machine besides Windows own firewall? Have you had any previous anti-virus program installed on this computer before installing avast? The last way is check your hosts file to see if there are any entries that could be blocking avast’s update servers. A blank “default” configuration of the windows hosts file should basically have only one entry (127.0.0.1 localhost).

6

Thank you!
I’m using only windows XP firewall, and I’ve never had any anti-virus before avast. I’ve tried also to reinstall it, but I can’t solve the problem! :cry:
Probabaly I will dowload manually updates from avast’s site.
Giulia

7 
 Make sure your browser is not set to "Work Offline" (this option is generally in the File menu).

 Try setting avast to use no-proxy at all...

 Left click the avast icon > Settings
 Update (Basic) > Details > Proxy

 Switching from "Auto-detect" to "No proxy" (I'm assuming you're not connecting to the Internet via proxy).