Updater won't connect

Lisandro · 2007-09-12T12:54:56.000Z

Basically, check the log files (or post the last 200 lines of the logs):
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\log\Setup.log
or C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\setup.log

Also check:

If your subscription allows the update right now (i.e., if it is not expired). Home (free) version need registering each 14 months.
I hope you haven’t bought a license from a site on this list: http://www.avast.com/eng/fraudulent-sales-of-avast-products.html

Also, bad jollyroger.vpu file could contain banned registration keys with error and then update fails because of an invalid key. See how to download a new jollyroger.vpu, http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=27185.msg222148#msg222148.

If your firewall settings and allow avast.setup to connect.
If you’re not sure, just turn off your firewall (to be sure the update failure is not due to it).
Maybe you should ‘remove’ avast.setup entry, try to update, receiving a new alert from the firewall, allowing it and checking it to remember.
Check your proxy settings into avast!:
Left click the avast icon > Settings
Update (Basic) > Details > Proxy
Make sure your browser is not set to “Work Offline” (this option is generally in the File menu).
If it doesn’t help, try switching from “Auto-detect” to “No proxy” (I’m assuming you’re not connecting to the Internet via proxy).
You can run proxycfg -d in a DOS window to make your computer connect direct, without proxy. You can run proxycfg -h for help.
Also you can try changing update service’s login account, follow this:
Open services control panel (e.g. Start->Run, and type: services.msc
Double-click on avast! iAVS4 Control Service to show properties. Switch to LogOn page.
Enter administrator account name and password.
Do the same for avast! Antivirus service.
Then start update again.
The last option, check if the servers.def file is corrupt or 0KB (C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\servers.def).
You can try and download the servers.def file, http://files.avast.com/iavs4x/servers.def and replace the one in the avast setup folder.

system · 2007-09-13T02:52:18.000Z

Hi all:

I had the same problem tonight. I have avast set for automatic update and I received the red box alerting me the update failed rather than the blue screen indicating it had properly updated as usual. I checked Comodo and for some reason the two avast.setup files were listed as “block”. I don’t know why it had changed from “allow”.

I put it back on “allow”, tried a manual update, and the update ran fine. I hope tomorrow, the automatic update will be back to normal.

Lisandro · 2007-09-13T02:59:29.000Z

Will91 post:5:

I have avast set for automatic update and I received the red box alerting me the update failed

Just after making login or at any time?

Tarq57 · 2007-09-13T03:53:00.000Z

FWIW when this happens with me it’s always (1) just after a program update, and (2) immediately after logging in or starting windows.
Also Comodo FW.

DavidR · 2007-09-13T11:37:43.000Z

There may be an issue with avast.setup not being able to connect with comodo firewall - Comodo config options. Advanced Attack Detection and Prevention. - To get there, open program, click Security", “advanced attack detection and prevention”, and click “configure,” Block all outgoing connections while booting.

So if comodo is slow in getting established even though a connection may be present (and probably recognised by avast) the connection is blocked.

Personally I believe the default check for avast update should be pushed back from 30 seconds so it doesn’t possibly get involved in any boot activity.

You need to edit the [InetWD] section of the C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Data\avast4.ini file and add the following line (depending on your connection type enter one or other of the Bold lines below):
Dial-up connections, add this line: RASWaitSeconds=120
Or
Broadband connections, add this line: AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=120

[InetWD] AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=120 Or RASWaitSeconds=120

The figure is seconds and the above equates to two minutes, you could try that and adjust upwards if required, 180, 240, etc.

Tarq57 · 2007-09-13T11:46:57.000Z

Is that line “AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=120” just typed onto the bottom of the ini file, or does it need to go in a particular place, and/or in a particular format?

DavidR · 2007-09-13T12:19:33.000Z

As per the quoted example and instruction (You need to edit the [InetWD] section) it goes in the [InetWD] section ;D

system · 2007-09-13T16:53:15.000Z

ALSO having major problems updating!

consistent error = cannot connect to server

Tried:

updating normally–failed
re-installation of program–failed
un-install/re-re-install–failed

browser activity stopped!
pinging was successful

Stopped on access protection
browser activity successful!

Tried:
updating normally–failed
same error message on “cannot connect to server”

new error message =
“Cannot connect to download68.avast.com (70.84.202.2:80)”

HELP!! and thanks all!!
jezra

Lisandro · 2007-09-13T18:17:14.000Z

Did you follow the steps posted before?
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=30403.msg251156#msg251156

system · 2007-09-13T18:27:37.000Z

yes

DavidR · 2007-09-13T18:54:04.000Z

What about this.

DavidR post:3:

What is your firewall ?
Does it allow avast.setup internet access ?

If it does delete the entry for it and do a manual update, this will force the firewall to ask permission again.

Lisandro · 2007-09-13T19:19:57.000Z

jezra post:13:

yes

Please, post the last 200 lines of the log: C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\log\Setup.log

system · 2007-09-13T20:50:22.000Z

-FIREWALL=Linksys
-100 LINES = post will not allow 200 lines!
13.09.2007 13:15:00 package: GetPackages - set proxy for inet
13.09.2007 13:15:00 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
13.09.2007 13:15:00 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
13.09.2007 13:15:00 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 154
13.09.2007 13:15:02 package: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
13.09.2007 13:15:02 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download67 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:02 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download36 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:02 package: GetPackages - set proxy for inet
13.09.2007 13:15:02 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
13.09.2007 13:15:02 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
13.09.2007 13:15:02 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 155
13.09.2007 13:15:04 package: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
13.09.2007 13:15:04 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download36 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:04 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download17 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:04 package: GetPackages - set proxy for inet
13.09.2007 13:15:04 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
13.09.2007 13:15:04 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
13.09.2007 13:15:04 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 156
13.09.2007 13:15:06 package: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
13.09.2007 13:15:06 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download17 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:06 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download924 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:06 package: GetPackages - set proxy for inet
13.09.2007 13:15:06 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
13.09.2007 13:15:06 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
13.09.2007 13:15:06 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 157
13.09.2007 13:15:08 package: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
13.09.2007 13:15:08 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download924 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:08 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download55 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:08 package: GetPackages - set proxy for inet
13.09.2007 13:15:08 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
13.09.2007 13:15:08 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
13.09.2007 13:15:08 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 158
13.09.2007 13:15:10 package: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
13.09.2007 13:15:10 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download55 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:10 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download921 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:10 package: GetPackages - set proxy for inet
13.09.2007 13:15:10 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
13.09.2007 13:15:10 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
13.09.2007 13:15:10 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 159
13.09.2007 13:15:12 package: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
13.09.2007 13:15:13 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download921 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:13 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download75 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:13 package: GetPackages - set proxy for inet
13.09.2007 13:15:13 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
13.09.2007 13:15:13 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
13.09.2007 13:15:13 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 160
13.09.2007 13:15:15 package: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
13.09.2007 13:15:15 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download75 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:15 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download915 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:15 package: GetPackages - set proxy for inet
13.09.2007 13:15:15 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
13.09.2007 13:15:15 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
13.09.2007 13:15:15 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 161
13.09.2007 13:15:17 package: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
13.09.2007 13:15:17 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download915 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:17 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download78 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:17 package: GetPackages - set proxy for inet
13.09.2007 13:15:17 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
13.09.2007 13:15:17 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
13.09.2007 13:15:17 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 162
13.09.2007 13:15:19 package: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
13.09.2007 13:15:19 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download78 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:19 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download210 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:19 package: GetPackages - set proxy for inet
13.09.2007 13:15:19 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
13.09.2007 13:15:19 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
13.09.2007 13:15:19 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 163
13.09.2007 13:15:21 package: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
13.09.2007 13:15:21 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download210 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:21 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download60 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:21 package: GetPackages - set proxy for inet
13.09.2007 13:15:21 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
13.09.2007 13:15:21 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
13.09.2007 13:15:21 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 164
13.09.2007 13:15:23 package: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
13.09.2007 13:15:23 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download60 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:23 general: SelectCurrent: selected server ‘Download26 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:23 package: GetPackages - set proxy for inet
13.09.2007 13:15:23 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
13.09.2007 13:15:23 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
13.09.2007 13:15:23 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 165
13.09.2007 13:15:25 package: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
13.09.2007 13:15:25 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download26 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:25 general: SelectCurrent: unable to find any suitable server in ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:25 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 166
13.09.2007 13:15:25 internet: tried 166 servers to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, but failed (0x20000004)
13.09.2007 13:15:25 file: GetNewerStampedFile:GetFileWithRetry failed: F:\DOCUME~1\JUDYSP~1\LOCALS~1\Temp_av_proI.tm~a02400\onefile, servers.def.vpu, error: 0x20000004
13.09.2007 13:15:25 package: Download servers.def, servers.def.vpu failed with error 0x20000011.
13.09.2007 13:15:25 package: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
13.09.2007 13:15:25 package: ERROR:HttpGetWininet, catch returned 0x00002EFD
13.09.2007 13:15:25 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server ‘Download26 AVAST server’ from ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:25 general: SelectCurrent: unable to find any suitable server in ‘main’
13.09.2007 13:15:25 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 1
13.09.2007 13:15:25 internet: tried 1 servers to get file ‘servers.def’, but failed (0x20000004)
13.09.2007 13:15:25 file: GetNewerStampedFile:GetFileWithRetry failed: F:\DOCUME~1\JUDYSP~1\LOCALS~1\Temp_av_proI.tm~a02400\onefile, servers.def, error: 0x20000004
13.09.2007 13:15:25 package: Tried to download servers.def but failed with error 0x20000004.
13.09.2007 13:15:25 general: progress end - 1
13.09.2007 13:15:25 general: progress end - 0
13.09.2007 13:15:25 general: progress thread end
13.09.2007 13:15:25 general: Err:Cannot connect to download26.avast.com (67.15.208.7:80).
THANKS, Jezra

Lisandro · 2007-09-13T20:59:31.000Z

jezra post:16:

13.09.2007 13:15:23 internet: while trying to get file ‘servers.def.vpu’, error 0x20000004 has occured, try 165

You can download servers.def from here: http://download1.avast.com/iavs4x/servers.def
Save it to C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\setup folder
Start the update again.

system · 2007-09-13T21:26:37.000Z

Thanks “Tech”

downloaded the file to that folder…re-started the update…STILL getting the error message “Cannot connect to server”

Arghhh!!
Jezra

Lisandro · 2007-09-13T21:33:51.000Z

I’m empty… maybe searching the board for 0x20000004…
Which firewall do you use?

system · 2007-09-13T22:31:05.000Z

you guys are troopers!

one more time…tried a total uninstall, re-install…looked like it was going to work…nawwww!

still saying it cannot connect to server…

but…just earlier it said that it couldn’t find a particular file, hmmmm (don’t know which one it was looking for) that was a new wrinkle.

FIREWALL = Linksys…those guys told me I could only have a router firewall, or the ZoneAlarm firewall, which I have. So, I disabled the ZoneAlarm. This was done because I had severe connectivity problems with DSL…now, there’s no connectivity problems!

THANKS again!
jezra

Lisandro · 2007-09-13T23:17:09.000Z

jezra post:20:

So, I disabled the ZoneAlarm.

Why don’t you try uninstalling and then installing again ZA?

system · 2007-09-14T00:39:46.000Z

just the uninstalling part did the trick…I DO, have the Linksys firewall, and will continue with it.

You guys are GodSends!!!

GOD BLESS,
Jezra

DavidR · 2007-09-14T01:32:15.000Z

Your hardware firewall is unlikely to provide any unauthorised outbound protection.

Any malware that manages to get past your defences will have free reign to connect to the internet to either download more of the same, pass your personal data (sensitive or otherwise, user names, passwords, keylogger retrieved data, etc.) or open a backdoor to your computer, so outbound protection is essential.

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