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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: Teox on January 20, 2011, 10:55:35 AM

Title: updating engine and virus definition before program
Post by: Teox on January 20, 2011, 10:55:35 AM

Hi all,
today my avast tell me that a new program version was available, but instead of updating program I did an update of engine and virus definition. Then I make also program update.
My question is: avast did not make engine and virus def update automatically, because it expected a program update. Changing order of this update, did I make an error? Have I to do anything?
Thanks for answering,

Teox

Title: Re: updating engine and virus definition before program
Post by: Asyn on January 20, 2011, 11:05:43 AM

Latest version is 5.1.889.
Latest VPS (at time of posting) is 110120-0.
If you see these versions in the avast GUI, everything should be OK... ;)
asyn

Title: Re: updating engine and virus definition before program
Post by: DavidR on January 20, 2011, 02:03:58 PM

The two are completely separate, Program updates are set to Ask and you get a notification when one is available.

The virus definition & engine updates are automatic and installed when one is ready when your system checks for updates.

The Program update is much bigger and is on a 7 day cycle to spread the load on the servers, with 140 million plus users you can't update everyone at the same time. So the program update notification comes when it is your turn in the 7 day cycle.

The virus definition & engine updates are checked for when you first connect to the internet and every 4 hours (by default) after that.

So as you can see they are independent of each other, so it is possible to get/do one without the other. Had you elected to do the Program update when notified, that also does the virus definition & engine update at the same time.

Title: Re: updating engine and virus definition before program
Post by: Teox on January 20, 2011, 10:27:59 PM

Thank you for answers!!

Title: Re: updating engine and virus definition before program
Post by: DavidR on January 20, 2011, 10:35:09 PM

No problem, glad I could help.

Welcome to the forums.

Title: Re: updating engine and virus definition before program
Post by: Asyn on January 21, 2011, 10:47:06 AM

Quote from: Teox on January 20, 2011, 10:27:59 PM

Thank you for answers!!

You're welcome..!
asyn

Title: Re: updating engine and virus definition before program
Post by: MikeBCda on January 22, 2011, 02:49:47 AM

Actually, unless there's one more relatively recent change that I missed, they're not totally independent.  If you check for program updates, that also checks (or at least used to, think it still does) for def/engine updates at the same time.

Title: Re: updating engine and virus definition before program
Post by: DavidR on January 22, 2011, 03:12:29 AM

They are independent in that they aren't on the same scheduling, so you can get a notification of a program update independent of virus updates.

The initiation of a manual program update is different again as it isn't on any schedule, but at whatever point a program update is done after an auto update check (and acceptance) or on manual program update the virus definitions will be done at the same time.