Author Topic: Cannot update program, virus database  (Read 15479 times)

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ttemsk

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Cannot update program, virus database
« on: May 22, 2010, 06:46:13 PM »
Dear colleaques,

My free 5.0.377 has not been able to update itself for quite some time, and only now I have time to tackle the problem. The problem: the choice Maintenance/Update starts updating, but it never gets beyond the "Step 1/2, Intializing, please wait" screen. I don't get any error messages, the updating process just takes forever.

I saw in the topic=57049 the suggestion to go to www.avast.com/download-update, so I downloaded and run the vpsupd.exe . First I got an error message with certain error codes, but learned from topic=58941 that I must switch off the Avast self-defence first. Did this, but the vpsupd.exe now reports 'VPS database is already up to date'.

Use of the Avast's Maintenance/Update option does not even lead any new entries to be written into the setup.log file, although running vpsupd.exe does.

So I'm still in the situation where both the program and virus definitions are old, and update attempts are not getting through. I'm running XP Pro SP3, Windows firewall, and there shouldn't be any other anti-spyware installed.

Suggestions are welcome.

And by the way, I agree with other writers that Avast is quite an impressive piece of software ...

Offline Pondus

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Re: Cannot update program, virus database
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2010, 07:09:49 PM »
So why don`t you download and install the latest version (  5.0.545  ) and see if that solves the problem ... ???

http://filehippo.com/download_avast_antivirus/

Kevahl

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Re: Cannot update program, virus database
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2010, 07:39:00 PM »
Dear colleaques,

My free 5.0.377 has not been able to update itself for quite some time, and only now I have time to tackle the problem. The problem: the choice Maintenance/Update starts updating, but it never gets beyond the "Step 1/2, Intializing, please wait" screen. I don't get any error messages, the updating process just takes forever.

Had this problem and fixed it by changing to direct connection in settings...

Open the avast ui and click settings and then select the updates settings page.
Check the box for "My computer is permanently connected to the internet". Then below select proxy settings and selected "Direct connection (no proxy)".

Don't know why it works after changing the settings but I know changing these settings resolved it for me. I assume whatever problem 5.0 introduced to the update procedure carried over to the latest package and has not been fixed yet.

Kev

ttemsk

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Re: Cannot update program, virus database
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2010, 08:25:17 PM »
Had this problem and fixed it by changing to direct connection in settings...

Open the avast ui and click settings and then select the updates settings page.
Check the box for "My computer is permanently connected to the internet". Then below select proxy settings and selected "Direct connection (no proxy)"

  Thanks for the hint Kev, unfortunately does not seem to help in my case.

  I now notice that the last entry in the setup.log indicating successful update is dated 20.3. That's the day when installation of Xilinx software lead to a curious problem, breaking my web browsing capability. The incident is described in http://forums.xilinx.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/12924 . I was able get back the web browsing capability by using System Restore. Obviously something has not gotten restored, and this something now hinders the Avast updates. Maybe even the original Xilinx problem was somehow caused by the Xilinx-Avast interaction.

  Damn, it sounds like my best option is complete re-installation of my system from the scratch...

ttemsk

  • Guest
Re: Cannot update program, virus database
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2010, 09:50:40 PM »
So why don`t you download and install the latest version (  5.0.545  ) and see if that solves the problem ... ???

  OK, tried that, thanks for the suggestion.

  The result is that the program is now indeed the version 5.0.545 and virus definitions are more modern (dated 6.5.10). The program still cannot update, neither the virus definitions nor itself. Again, it never gets beyond the 'Step 1/2, Initializing, please wait´.

  Regards,
               Mikko

Offline Pondus

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Re: Cannot update program, virus database
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2010, 11:31:55 PM »
my update settings are

Engine and virus definitions
(yes) automatic updates

Program
(yes) automatic updates

Update parameters:
(no) i only connect to the internet using a dial up modem
(no) my computer is permanently connected to the internet

Proxy Settings
(no) direct connection (no proxy)
(yes) Auto detect (use internet explorer settings)
(no) specify proxy server

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Cannot update program, virus database
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2010, 11:36:01 PM »
At this point, if it is not a problem of the firewall, I suggest an installation from the scratch:

1. Download the latest version of avast! Uninstall Utility and save it.
2. Download the latest avast! version and save it.
3. Uninstall avast from Control Panel (if possible). If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after that.
4. Run the avast! Uninstall Utility saved on 1. If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after you've run it.
5. Install avast! using the setup saved on 2. Boot.
6. Register your free copy or add the license key for Pro.
7. Check and post the results.
The best things in life are free.

BillKnny

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Re: Cannot update program, virus database
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2010, 06:53:42 AM »
I am going to jump into this thread because I have exactly the same problem, and have so far followed the suggestions, and have had no luck with getting the program to update manually or automatically.  

The last suggestion by Tech to completely uninstall and do a clean reinstall did NOT solve the problem. Symptoms stay exactly the same.

I had no issues with the reinstallation, it just did not solve the problem...

Anybody else have a suggestion to help solve the problem?  This obviously gets to be more and more serious an issue as my running program gets more and more out of date...

If I use the Control Panal Add/Remove, I can update the program, but that does not update the virus definition file.

The following section of the log file might help:

22:29:09 min/gen  Started: 23.05.2010, 22:29:09
22:29:09 min/gen  Running setup_ais-221 (545)
22:29:09 nrm/sys  Operating system: WindowsXP ver 5.1, build 2600, sp 3.0 [Service Pack 3]
22:29:09 nrm/sys  Memory: 27% load. Phys:2092596/2097151K free, Page:4194303/4194303K free, Virt:2070704/2097024K free
22:29:09 vrb/sys  Computer WinName: NAVSTATION
22:29:09 min/sys  Windows Net User: SYSTEM
22:29:09 min/gen  Cmdline: /verysilent /noreboot  /stopstat "C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\aswUpdSum.ini"  /session "5" 
22:29:09 vrb/gen  Operation set to INST_OP_STOP_STAT
22:29:09 min/gen  Old version: 221 (545)
22:29:09 vrb/reg  Deleted registry: Software\Alwil Software\Avast\5.0\UpdateReady
22:29:09 dbg/fil  filRenameOnReboot:!bSuccess
22:29:09 dbg/fil  filRenameOnReboot:!bSuccess
22:29:09 dbg/fil  filRenameOnReboot:!bSuccess
22:29:09 nrm/sys  Using temp: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\_asw_aisI.tm~a00884 (66707M free)
22:29:09 min/gen  LockInstance failed: 0x2000000A
22:29:09 nrm/pkg  Transferred: files 0, bytes 0, time 0 ms
22:29:09 nrm/pkg  Retries: total 0, files 0, servers 0
22:29:09 vrb/fil  NeedReboot=false
22:29:09 min/gen  Return code: 0x2000000A [Another instance of setup is already running. Please wait until it finishes and then try to run it again.]
22:29:09 min/gen  Stopped: 23.05.2010, 22:29:09


« Last Edit: May 24, 2010, 07:36:19 AM by BillKnny »

wonder

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Re: Cannot update program, virus database
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2010, 06:31:54 PM »
Seems you have the same problem I faced 1 week ago....avast.setup always running...in my case, I solved modifiing internet connecyion settings. Since I bought a new router, I had to set avast updates as follows:

_ first, select "my computer is always connected to the internet"
_ second, select "direct connection" (no proxy).

Perhaps it's not usefull in your case...let's try  ;)

BillKnny

  • Guest
Re: Cannot update program, virus database
« Reply #9 on: May 24, 2010, 07:14:03 PM »
Thanks for the suggestion Wonder, I had already tried that.  But tried it again on the new install and that didn't do it either...  HOWEVER...

I have solved MY problem, maybe it will help others and especially the developers.

Here is the story:

My Internet connection requires a logon before a full connection is established.

AVAST is (of course) starting before the internet connection has been logged into.  If it feels the need to update, it immediately launches an automatic update, and an instance of Avast.setup.  Of course that instance can't connect to the net yet.  It becomes a zombie process that never does anything, but its existence prevents any further updates from happening.  Being an anti-virus program it has priority high enough I haven't found a way to kill it.  Even Process Explorer can't kill this zombie.

Short Term Solution:  Switch AVAST to manual update only and re-boot.  Now I can force it to wait until the internet is fully available before launching an updates and avast.setup starts.  At the conclusion of the update avast.setup dies grasefully as it should

Hopefully this will go away in the next program update?  Right guys?  Something as simple as a timeout and die on avast.setup would be an inelegant fix...

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Cannot update program, virus database
« Reply #10 on: May 24, 2010, 07:17:23 PM »
22:29:09 min/gen  Return code: 0x2000000A [Another instance of setup is already running. Please wait until it finishes and then try to run it again.]
The update process was halted. You need to kill the avast.setup process running.
The best things in life are free.

BillKnny

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Re: Cannot update program, virus database
« Reply #11 on: May 24, 2010, 07:20:13 PM »
Tech,

As you can see from above I have found the cause (in my case)  and a workaound.  I had tried everything I know (not a lot) to kill the avast.setup process and had no luck.  Any ideas?

Bill

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Cannot update program, virus database
« Reply #12 on: May 24, 2010, 07:21:40 PM »
Boot.
The best things in life are free.

BillKnny

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Re: Cannot update program, virus database
« Reply #13 on: May 24, 2010, 07:23:59 PM »
Tech,

Well, yeah...  I assume you read my posting above about what happens on reboot?  Is there a more elegant solution to my problem than I found?

Bill

Offline DavidR

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Re: Cannot update program, virus database
« Reply #14 on: May 24, 2010, 07:26:53 PM »
Tech,

As you can see from above I have found the cause (in my case)  and a workaound.  I had tried everything I know (not a lot) to kill the avast.setup process and had no luck.  Any ideas?

Bill

Then delay the auto update check - In avast5 you need to edit (using notepad) avast5.ini the [InetWD] section of the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Alwil Software\Avast5\avast5.ini

- Broadband connections, add this line:
AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=120 and
AssumeAlwaysConnected=1 if not present (or edit AssumeAlwaysConnected=0 to AssumeAlwaysConnected=1)
Quote
[InetWD]
AssumeAlwaysConnected=1
AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=120
When complete save the changes, avast's self-defence module will ask for confirmation, etc. answer Yes.

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