It does not seem to be a SP2 related problem... Are you using a dial-up? What do you mean, only asking for update and the connection is broken? Does this occur with any other internet based program?

I do not yet have SP2 (I’m holding back a while because I’ve read a lot of problems with it), when I spoke of upgrading, I meant I had uypgrading from Win 98 to XP rather than do a fresh XP install.
I’ve since read that this often causes problems but after 2 weeks avast! is the only thing giving me problems.
Trying to update avast! either manually or automatically, causes my dial-up to lose it’s connection. Also when avast’s email scanner is enabled I lose the connection when checking mail. These problems occur approximately 9 out of ten times I try. It happens with and without a firewall and with different firewalls. I have uninstalled and reinstalled avast! many times now.

I spent the whole of last night uninstalling most of my programs (including avast, yet again) and just re-installed the ones I really use.
I have spent much of today on the net downloading from Windows Update and stuff and had no problems at all… until I tried updating avast! (manually, I’ve given up on auto altogether now), and instantly the connection was lost. I have my firewall set to log avast updates and the log stated it had permitted avast to connect and it was a couple of seconds after that the connection went and I got the now familiar avast error pop-up saying there was a problem updating.
I tried another 7 times and and after 6 disconnections, I eventually I got the latest update.

I’ve really had it with avast! now. I’m not blaming bad programming or anything but I’m just annoyed that avast! is the only program that can’t seem to cope after a Win98 to XP upgrade.
I still think it is the best antivirus there is but I’m just fed up of the problems and now have to try to find a good replacement.
Maybe I’ll try again when I have broadband.