Updating the virus recovery database

When time comes for the VRDB to be updated, does Avast have to start again from scratch or does it just update any changed files. If the latter, does that mean that the process is significantly quicker for the updates? One other related question: if using screensaver mode to build the VRDB, can the database be built up over a series of short periods when the screensaver is active, i.e., does it just carry on where it left off during the last period or does it have to start again (I assume that the former would be the case, otherwise the VRDB might never get built)?

As far I know:

avast! compares the files and the data stored, only the new ones are added.
The last ‘three’ versions of the necessary data are stored to recovery.

While being built with the screen saver running, the VRDB resumes its activity from the last executable added (data stored).

Thanks. It works how I thought it would.