We have experienced a major problem after a re-packaged client was pushed to a large number of Windows 7 workstations:
When the workstation was restarted after the push-install, Avast would “break” AOL IM 7.5.x and Flash Player 11.x.
Uninstalling Avast! would not fix the broken applications
Reinstalling the broken applications over would not fix them
Only a System Restore to a date right before the re-packaged client was pushed would fix the broken applications
After rebooting following a System Restore, Avast! would be now broken
Uninstalling the broken Avast! (reboot) and reinstalling it would make it work for “some” clients
To say the least, Avast! Support has been unresponsive to the two tickets I had opened. One a week ago, and the second on Monday. To this moment, only a vague and incomplete response to a rather detailed message I had sent (a week ago) and no more updates.
I noticed before this last issue happened, some of the clients started to show in “disconnected” state even though they were up and running next to other clients that “were” heart-beating back to the Console.
Now, after an exhaustive test of a new re-packaged client–where we arrived to the same exact settings of the previous package that broke all the Windows 7 workstations; we have concluded on our own (due to support lacking) that the package was somehow corrupted.
At this point we are trying to push again the newly re-packaged client, but the issue is that:
Some workstations are still operational for they have not restarted yet since the “bad push”
I would assume the “broken client” has been installed and the reboot will activate its settings. The running client is the prior package we were trying to replace
After the reboot all workstations will invariably break (AIM and Flash) and I would have to try uninstalling Avast! (reboot) and re-install. If this doesn’t fix the applications, I will be forced to go the System Restore route
After a successful re-install with or without System Restore, now clients are not talking to the Console
By inspecting the AvastNet.log I see the client is not locating the server, but I can ping it by IP, hostname and fqdn, and I’m logged in to the Console via a browser.
Removing the client object from the Console and re-discovering only changes the state from “Disconnected” to “Unmanaged”.
By the way, re-deploying the client from the Console is not possible due to an admittedly bug that prevents this on computers where Avast! was uninstalled. At the end I was forced (for the time being) to provide the license file to activate the client (hence the “Unmanaged” state) and not leave the workstation unprotected, but I had to manually configure all the settings.
Can someone shed some light as to how to gather the “missing sheep” and bring them back to the Console?
I was not able to find a technical document that could thoroughly explain how to troubleshoot client-Console networking/connectivity issues.
Lastly, I’m sure my company would gladly pay per incident or a maintenance yearly plan to have “PHONE SUPPORT”. It is time for Avast! to step up their game…
OK, to gather the missing sheep! The console should have a fixed IP address (to rule out DNS, amongst other bugs) From the workstation, open avast, go to settings (upper right), troubleshooting, avast! admin console, and verify the fixed IP address of the console, and the port number is almost always 25322. This usually works! J.R. Guthrie
I tried that…
Yes, the Console has a fixed DNS registered IP.
The client had initially the fqdn of the Console and same port 25322. I have changed the server to the hostname and IP and no dice.
I have just recalled that for uninstalling Avast! I had used the removal utility from this website, after the uninstall. In those cases the re-installs worked.
I’m going to give this a shot and comment back, but… I’d still like to find out why the normal uninstall is leaving them in a bad state.
I am a pessimist! by default, I will always recommend uninstalling plus the use of the removal tool, run again for each version, in safe mode. I have written an article on this issue. It goes into “when all else fails” after line 21. You will normally NOT have to go there!
Remove all avast! versions as well as any other A/V programs from add/remove programs in control panel.
Download the latest version of avast! Uninstall Utility (aswclear.exe) and save it on your desktop.
Start Windows in Safe Mode (F8 key before Windows splash screen on a reboot)
Open (execute) the uninstall utility aswclear.exe
Choose which version of avast! to uninstall. This process will be repeated for each avast! version (4, 5, 6, 7, BP, BPP, etc) So let’s assume we had all 3 versions of avast! installed at some point. So we choose version 4.8 and proceed.
If you installed avast! in a different folder than the default, browse for it. (Note: Be careful! The content of any folder you choose will be deleted!)
Click REMOVE
DO NOT Restart your computer
Close aswclear.exe
Open the avast! uninstall utility a second time
Choose version 5 of avast!
If you installed avast! in a different folder than the default, browse for it.
Click REMOVE
DO NOT Restart your computer
Close aswclear.exe
Open the uninstall utility again
Choose version 6 of avast!
If you installed avast! in a different folder than the default, browse for it.
Click REMOVE
Restart your computer
Now install avast! antivirus.
The “WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS” procedure to “scrape” all of avast! remnants from a computer system (AKA Pete Scrape) using the avast! example:
Add remove programs, remove avast!, restart.
Go to safe mode, use avast! removal tool, select avast! version #, remove, close, restart, and repeat for every avast version ever loaded on that system
In Local disk C:, ProgramFiles, delete “avast” and “Alwil” directories if there.
In C:\Windows\temp, remove all.
Start, run, type “%temp%” and remove all.
Do a Windows search on all hard disks for instances of “avast” and “Alwil” and delete all.
Start, run, type “regedit” (Windows key + R). Under Hkey, current user, software, and remove “avast” and “Alwil”, then under Hkey, local machine, software, and remove “avast” and “Alwil” (This is specific to Windows XP)
Use CCleaner to remove the rest of any avast! orphaned registry remnants, and restart.
Install avast! and reboot!
Usually, good luck at this point. And you can substitute other manufacturers products into this script. Remember, registry hacking is always risky, so always have a backup before you proceed. It’s kinda like the acknowledgement checkbox in LSPfix, “I know what I’m doing, or, I like to reinstall my operating system”
I think that you need to go this route, and then do your push deploy. I find more often than not, that the issue is “leftovers” Back in the days of the avast! DSOD, I found I could fix 99% of them with this process.
I followed these steps in my last attempt. Bare in mind I started basic and progressed to this last attempt to include all the advanced steps:
[ol]- Uninstalled Avast! 6 Business Protection via Programs and Features (Windows 7 Pro 64)
Removed the client from the Console
Booted up in Safe Mode
Ran the Uninstall Utility (awsclear.exe) twice:
[li]To remove Avast! Managed client (even when this has been my 15th install and continues “unmanaged”)
To remove Avast! 6 Free/Pro/Internet Security
[/li]
Backed up my registry hive
Ran CCleaner, which found one bad reference in the Registry
Searched manually in the Registry for references to Avast and Alwil. Found several (Avast only) and removed them
Booted up Windows
Ran discovery job in Console, which found the just cleaned up PC
Push deployed the client to the PC, this part worked now…
The PC was installed successfully as reported by the Console, and forced to reboot as specified in the deployment instructions
After reboot, the same state is kept: Unmanaged and License expired (see image 1 and 3 below)
The Console shows the PC as Unmanaged (see imaged 2 below)[/ol]
The AvastNet.log file located at C:\Users\All Users\AVAST Software\Avast\log shows: 05/03/2012, 09:50:48 avast! NetService identified as prom-6 05/03/2012, 09:51:18 Server didn't respond in time! Trying to wait a little longer. 05/03/2012, 09:51:48 Server didn't respond in time! Will Restart NetPump. 05/03/2012, 09:53:54 Server didn't respond in time! Will Restart NetPump. 05/03/2012, 09:56:01 Server didn't respond in time! Will Restart NetPump. 05/03/2012, 09:58:07 Server didn't respond in time! Will Restart NetPump. 05/03/2012, 10:00:13 Server didn't respond in time! Will Restart NetPump. 05/03/2012, 10:02:20 Server didn't respond in time! Will Restart NetPump. 05/03/2012, 10:04:26 Server didn't respond in time! Will Restart NetPump. 05/03/2012, 10:06:32 Server didn't respond in time! Will Restart NetPump. 05/03/2012, 10:08:38 Server didn't respond in time! Will Restart NetPump. 05/03/2012, 10:10:44 Server didn't respond in time! Will Restart NetPump. 05/03/2012, 10:10:44 Server didn't respond in time! Increasing the timeout. (3 minutes) 05/03/2012, 10:14:50 Server didn't respond in time! Will Restart NetPump. 05/03/2012, 10:14:50 Server didn't respond in time! Increasing the timeout. (3 minutes) 05/03/2012, 10:19:42 Server didn't respond in time! Will Restart NetPump. 05/03/2012, 10:19:42 Server didn't respond in time! Increasing the timeout. (3 minutes) 05/03/2012, 10:23:46 Server didn't respond in time! Will Restart NetPump. 05/03/2012, 10:23:46 Server didn't respond in time! Increasing the timeout. (3 minutes)
Can you move the “unmanaged client” into a managed group?
If you manually insert the license file, does the protection start working properly?
I am going to Prague next week to Avast software home office! I want to see where, in the developement process, the console is at. We all need to be at avast! ver. 7. It was rated at 98% and porvides better protection than version 6. But to do this, we need that new management console! J.R. Guthrie
Yes, I moved the managed clients (showing as unmanaged) into the managed groups by they would remain “unmanaged”.
I had to manually provide the license and configure each Avast client that showed unmanaged state to provide protection.
I agree, we need to move to version 7. BUT more importantly in my opinion, is that Avast looks <<>> at their “live” support offering.
My consulting firm works with several top financial institutions accustomed (and rightfully so) to immediate support, otherwise, money is lost in the process. Solutions need to be reached in a timely manner. Not in weeks. We are trying Avast in a few clients and the lack of serious support could be a spoiler. My apologies in advance if I hurt someone’s feelings. This is the way we --as clients; are seeing it.
Hope you can share good news from your trip.
I don’t know what your affiliation is with Avast, but I certainly see you are an active forum participant (and moderator–I think) with a lot of insight/experience with the products. I greatly appreciate the help!!!
SOLUTION:
This was a bit of oversight on my part being new to Avast.
As I stated before, we (my team) determined the issues with AOL Instant Messenger and Flash Player in IE were the cause of a “bad” (or malformed) client package.
It turns out the server where we have the Management Console installed on uses an Avast client too. This one was also affected, and it was the whole source of the problems with the client-connectivity issues.
I had neglected the server’s Avast client reinstall to focus my attention to the client computers. Now, that I have returned to the server and reinstalled its Avast client, I noticed the “unmanaged” computers that were in the managed groups started to light-up like a Christmas tree. All GREEN!
I remember a bad download of BP on the avast servers about 2 months ago. It would never work until removed, and fresh download, and install. I do not know if this was your issue. I have also seen the console generate a client that would never work. So I have created the components download page for issues such as this that may help in the future:
My position is an avast! Platinum Reseller. I have been in the same location for 46 years, so I am always busy! I spend as much time in the forum as my limited time permits. I learn something new everyday there. I am off to Prague this saturday. Please send me an email, so I can update you as to what I learn about ADNM2. It is based upon the avast! 7 engine, that rated 98% @ AV-Comparatives. This affords better protection, so this should be the goal of all avast! users. By the way, I custom install avast!, I never go with the defaults.