setup.ovr not writable in Avast Internet Security 5.0

[isamuelson]

Every time there is a new engine update for Internet Security 5.0, I have to either uninstall the current installation and install the new version or else, reboot into safe mode and do an update that way via the Control Panel->Programs icon. I cannot do an update within the Avast application itself.

The Setup.OVR file states the following:

23:17:55 nrm/fil  File C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\Setup\setup.ovr not writable. Error 0x00000020
23:17:55 min/gen  setif: same as previous
23:17:57 vrb/pkg  FilterOutExistingFiles: 138 & 138 = 0
23:17:57 vrb/pkg  FilterOutExistingFiles: 138 & 138 = 0
23:17:57 min/gen  m_bOperationDidSomething 138/138/0
23:17:57 nrm/pkg  Transferred: files 4, bytes 0, time 484 ms
23:17:57 nrm/pkg  Retries: total 0, files 0, servers 3
23:17:57 vrb/int  Sending stats 'http://download929.avast.com/cgi-bin/iavs4stats.cgi': 00000000 204
23:17:57 vrb/fil  NeedReboot=false
23:17:57 min/gen  Return code: 0x20000010 [New setup available.]
23:17:57 min/gen  Stopped: 20.04.2010, 23:17:57

I've attached the log file to this message as well.

Any help would be appreciated. I've already filed a support ticket and they haven't been able to figure it out.

I also have MalwareBytes (registered) running as well, so I'm not sure if this is locking the file or not.

[DavidR]

The windows file system error 20 = The system cannot find the device specified. So if this is a windows file system error then if it can't be found it can't be written to.

Try a repair of avast. Add Remove programs, select 'avast! Anti-Virus,' click the Change/Remove button and scroll down to Repair, click next and follow.

[isamuelson]

That's funny then because it's there when I go and look. Not sure what is going on then with the update process within Avast itself.

Like I said, I either have to uninstall the current installation and download the latest version and install it, or else go into safe mode, go to the control panel->programs and update Avast that way via the Avast Uninstall/Update icon.

This has been going since version 5.0.4xx and still occurred with the latest version.

Very strange.

[DavidR]

You haven't said if you tried the repair option, that is why I suggested it as it is less onerous than a reinstall.

If you can update from the control panel programs, update it sounds more like permissions than what I suggested earlier. But it is most certainly strange, so I think it would be best to try a 'clean reinstall' and not what you are doing installing over what is a problem installation.

- Download the latest version of avast AIS, 5.0.545 http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_ais.exe and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again (if you didn't save your last download). Use that when you reinstall.

- Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, aswClear5.exe find it here and save it to your HDD (it has uninstall tools for both 4.8 and 5.0).

• 1. Now uninstall (using add remove programs, if you can't do that start from the next step), reboot.
• 2. run the avast! Uninstall Utility from safe mode, first for 4.8 if previously installed and then for 5.0, once complete reboot into normal mode.
• 3. install the latest version, reboot.

[isamuelson]

Yeah, I tried the repair option, I rebooted, etc.

Here is the scenario:

I'll go into the Update section and it tells me there is a new engine to download. I tell Avast to download it. It goes through all the motions and then eventually comes back telling me the program is already at the latest version. For example, when I was at version 5.0.462, Avast was telling me that version .507 was available. When I tell it to update, it does all the downloading and eventually comes back saying it's already at the latest version. Yet, when I exit out, the engine is still at .462.

When I reboot, nothing happens. I try to update it again and still it doesn't work. When I do a repair, it doesn't fix it. The only way to make it work is to uninstall and reinstall the newer version or else, go into safe mode and update it from the control panel.

This has happened with every version from .462, .507 to the latest version.

[DavidR]

Then I would try the clean install as suggested and in that order, that should ensure all remnants of previous installation 4.8 and 5.0 versions.

Other than that I too am at a loss as to why this might be happening.