Virus definition updates don't update automatically

Hi. I have been trying Avast Free. So far I’ve liked it (after disabling a lot of features).

But since I have been using it I have been warned or just discovered that the Updates for the Virus Definitions are not automatic or happened just a few times.

First time I’ve noticed it was because I had an exclamation mark in the tray icon and when I clicked on it, Avast GUI opened and suggested to “Resolve” the issue, and it updated after clicking it. Then, I’ve controlled it and 2 or 3 days and it did not update.

I click the Update button and it does update. If I leave the computer on, for days, locked or not, it doesn’t.

I’m attaching screenshots of how it performs. I believe that it does not have to be an issue because it is “free” since that is what shows me the product and gives me an idea of how it works and then I will purchase it eventually.

I use a proxy, but that does not prevent Manual updates. I have searched the forum and the web and have found no answers to one or two similar topics.

I can’t think I’m the only one that have this issue.

Does the program update work with those Proxy settings ???

Update to the latest version (18.6.2349): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=221320.0

Yes it works with those proxy settings.

Doing it, but why? that forum link does not show any fix for that issue.

Not all fixes are mentioned in the changelog. :wink:

So how do I know that fixes it?

Well, check if your problem is fixed and report back.

Funny dude…

Just in case it doesn’t work, check Virus Update Settings set back to Default, see below:

I’ve had a similar problem on one of my two laptops, so my experience might be useful to you?

Both laptops are running Windows 10 64-bit, v1803. Avast Free. One had received the August Avast program update and was still working correctly. The other hadn’t received it, and was then saying that it hadn’t received virus definition updates for a few days. I tried a manual program update, but it just stuck on “Initialising”.

I’m currently on mobile data, with each laptop set to see the network as “Metered”. I don’t think this makes any difference - Avast seems to ignore that setting and has always been able to update previously. When I was using Windows Defender recently, that never seemed to update itself when on a metered connection. (I didn’t try it unmetered.)

After rebooting, and trying several times to get it to update, I gave up and tried to uninstall Avast. That couldn’t be done as it was already trying to update.

I tried using the Avast Clear program, without booting into Safe Mode. It just kept moving a bar back and forth for an hour but did nothing. Had to force a reboot, and then google to find how to get into Safe Mode, as Microsoft have disabled the f8 method.

After properly cleaning Avast off the laptop, I found that Windows Defender didn’t want to start up, so I needed to get Avast going again. I had an off-line installer for the previous (June?) program version, so I installed that successfully. (Didn’t want to pull in 250MB again for a new installer.)

Manual definitions updates worked fine, and I was also able to manually upgrade to the current program version. Task Manager seemed to indicate that Avast had done an Emergency update during the upgrade.

All seems to be working OK now, though it hasn’t been going long enough to see whether automatic updates are working correctly.

One other thing - my wife had alerted me to the problem initially because she’d seen an Avast popup warning about some spyware, but the popup had vanished by the time I got to it, and there seems to be no way to recall earlier warnings - at least not this type of warning. I’ve now set popups to stay on screen for 500 secs instead of 20 secs.

Hope that helps.

And… no changes. Please see attachment.

Your image doesn’t show your settings which may be helpful.
No update problems here.

https://screencast-o-matic.com/screenshots/u/Lh/1535462072300-56685.png

Same settings here (default).

  • OS…? (32/64 Bit…? - which SP/Build…?)
  • Other security related software installed…?
  • Which AV(s) did you use before Avast…?

Windows 7 SP1, all updates up to date
None
Avira Free

Question: Does it have a logfile like BitDefender where you can see what happened? Like if it tried to update and failed, or succeeded or if it quarantined something, etc?

Did you follow these directions to totally remove Avira before installing Avast ???
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-jYwX271V8s6hl47uO-S_TBOaJW-JxxN3cudix12H6c
How to Successfully Install Avast http://goo.gl/VLXde

Well, after all that effort (rebooting a hundred times) still the same thing.

I’m attaching 3 new screenshots.

First one shows that the software says it received its last update at 7:41 (two minutes before the screenshot).

But the Current version shows 180912-4 (not latest) and the release date confirms that (about 20 hours ago)

Hit the update button (screenshot 2), it is downloading and installing something.

Then the third screenshot shows that the version is now updated.

All this after removing Avast, MBAM, using the Avira Cleaner, the MBAM cleaner, the AVAST cleaner, (rebooting each time, etc).

Follow instructions: https://support.avast.com/article/33/ and post your File-ID here afterwards.

That last screenshot looks like VPS and Program are up to date. ??? ??? ???

Because I manually updated. after “1”. Wil edit my post

Well no need to edit. I’ve mentioned I “hit the update button”