Author Topic: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?  (Read 102621 times)

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cooby

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Re: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?
« Reply #105 on: July 29, 2012, 09:07:34 PM »
My observations from Windows XP-SP3 and Sunbelt firewall (like in Skakara's posts):
I used to have free Avast v6 which then I allowed to automatically upgrade to the most recent version 7.
Emergency updates were coming in once or twice a day. I saw it also in Autoruns display of Scheduled Tasks.
Sunbelt firewall alerted about behavior and packet filter about its attempt to connect through the Avast proxy port.
I didn't block those updates, having read igor's replies here that they are important. But I didn't want to NOT know that it was occuring, hence I didn't allow the firewall to do it without asking me.

Three days ago I decided to do a very clean reinstallation of the newest Avast.
And I made sure the relevant items in the firewall are to ask, not silently block.
Interesting result so far.
No alerts from the firewall, no scheduled task seen in Autoruns, nothing.
It might, of course, be a coincidence of no such updates issued by the Avast team.
Or it might be that an upgraded Avast behaves differently from a clean installation where no patching is necessary.

Just my 2 cents.

Offline Lisandro

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Re: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?
« Reply #106 on: July 29, 2012, 09:46:59 PM »
Emergency updates were coming in once or twice a day.
They're being checked, but, for sure, they're not coming (downloaded) with this frequency...
The best things in life are free.

NoelC

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Re: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?
« Reply #107 on: July 29, 2012, 09:47:58 PM »
Just a minor thing...  I noticed when I was looking through AutoRuns that the term \avast5\ as part of the path of the scheduled file, which  caught my eye...

I see that the installation area for Avast! overall is:

C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5

Can I assume this is implying version 5 instead of version 7 because I've been upgrading the software since a while back?  Or just that the Avast! development team hasn't chosen to use a different folder name for two major versions?

In other words, this is normal, right?

-Noel

Offline igor

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Re: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?
« Reply #108 on: July 29, 2012, 09:50:41 PM »
There never has been any emergency update available so far.

Yes, if you updated from v5 (without reinstalling), the old installation folder is kept (well, you could have chosen a completely different installation folder anyway, but provided you kept the default). The user might have custom shortcuts to some avast! executables, so we cannot really rename the folder during update.

cooby

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Re: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?
« Reply #109 on: July 29, 2012, 10:25:24 PM »
Emergency updates were coming in once or twice a day.
They're being checked, but, for sure, they're not coming (downloaded) with this frequency...
Correct. I worded it incorrectly, SORRY.

Offline Skakara

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Re: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?
« Reply #110 on: March 03, 2013, 03:13:34 PM »
Aaaand the plot thickens with the Emergency Update.

Updated Avast to 8.0.1482 (both laptop & desktop PC's). Disabled "avast! Emergency Update" scheduled task. Rebooted and what do you know, "c:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastEmUpdate.exe" wants to connect to internet!!

1) If the task is disabled, how is this possible?

AND, to make things more interesting, I have "Task Scheduler" service DISABLED!!

2) What's the point of the hidden "avast! Emergency Update" scheduled task if Emergency Update runs even if the task is disabled AND even when "Task Scheduler" service is disabled??

3) How do I stop Emergency Update?

I want to know what installed programs do in my computer.

codernaut

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Re: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?
« Reply #111 on: March 18, 2013, 10:59:26 PM »
I noticed today that my wife's PC got an emergency update.  What we also found out is that it installed google update.

I verified this by uninstalling avast and removing the two google update services.  Then installed 8.0.1482.

Verified no google services.  Next thing that happened was another emergency update.  Not exactly sure but I believe there was just a press enter to continue - no abort ability that I can remember.

Good update was back.  No opt out option.

So, based on this, I agree emergency update needs to have end user controls on it.

Offline igor

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Re: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?
« Reply #112 on: March 18, 2013, 11:10:37 PM »
No, the emergency updates certainly don't install anything, let alone google updating services.

Dch48

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Re: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?
« Reply #113 on: March 19, 2013, 05:34:35 AM »
I noticed today that my wife's PC got an emergency update.  What we also found out is that it installed google update.

I verified this by uninstalling avast and removing the two google update services.  Then installed 8.0.1482.

Verified no google services.  Next thing that happened was another emergency update.  Not exactly sure but I believe there was just a press enter to continue - no abort ability that I can remember.

Good update was back.  No opt out option.

So, based on this, I agree emergency update needs to have end user controls on it.
I highly doubt any of this happened.

Cool Javelin

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Re: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?
« Reply #114 on: December 03, 2013, 08:50:06 PM »
I would like to add my 2 cents to this.

I am running XP(SP3) and using Zone Alarm. Contrary to popular belief, Emergency Update runs more often then just at start up.

Zone alarm tells me when a new program (or a revised version of an old program) wants to access the internet. It will remember my selection, but the Emergency Update seems to get launched from various locations, and various program names too, confusing Zone Alarm, (and me too.)

Locations Zone Alarm has tracked for this include:

...\Avast\Setup\emupdate\(some very long hex number).exe
There are 4 different very long file names in this folder

..\Avast\Setup\(a different very long hex number).exe (without the emupdate sub folder)
(again, 3 different very long file names for this.)

...\Avast\AvastEmUpdate.exe

It is almost like there are several developers at Avast, and they don't communicate with each other and standardize a location for this. It is very annoying.

Having a program to make sure Avast is properly intact is a good idea, but...
#1 that supervisor program should NOT access the internet,
#2, it should run at start up, and have options in the user settings to be able to run more or less often, and,
#3 maybe even shouldn't exist because Windows already has a method of keeping track, it is called Security Center.

My guess is I am going to hear a lot of flack about using Zone Alarm instad of the firewall that came with Avast,
but in my opinion, all the other firewalls I have tried are too quiet. They allow access to the internet from programs without alerting me, and I don't like that.

Also, I can hear you saying, "Well the file names and locations are randomized so viruses can't disable the emergency update"
Ok, I see that, but PUBLISH THAT in documentation somewhere so we, as end users, understand and are less frustrated.

Just my 2 cents.
Mark.

Offline dieferman

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Re: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?
« Reply #115 on: December 30, 2013, 05:43:30 PM »
I Discovered The Feature By The "Barking" Of "Scotty" ("WinPatrol") And Even If It Showd That The App Was Published By Avast! , The Random Name Worried Me.

I Agree With Mark :

...

Also, I can hear you saying, "Well the file names and locations are randomized so viruses can't disable the emergency update"
Ok, I see that, but PUBLISH THAT in documentation somewhere so we, as end users, understand and are less frustrated.

Just my 2 cents.
Mark.

Features Like This Should Be Documented And The News Spread. I've Been Using Avast! For 13 Years Now And I Have Recommended To (Literally) Hundreds Of People, Even IT/CS Teachers, Technicians, Technologist And Engineers Who Have Recommended To Many Other People ... Imagine The Avalanche Of People Coming To Me Asking Me About The Suspicious "Program" ... Or Even Worst , Uninstalling Avast! And Installing Something Else 'Cause Someone" Told 'em It Was Dangerous !

breshlaw

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Re: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?
« Reply #116 on: March 27, 2014, 05:42:09 PM »
They should really consider renaming this to the avast! Routine Update, since it runs every day.
The odd thing for me was that, today, it sort of hijacked my computer for about three or four minutes after startup...
Startup proceeded normally, then the screen went black. "Well, this is not right," I say to myself. So I wait. A minute goes by and I hit control-alt-delete to see if something's hanging Explorer. Windows Task Manager comes up and shows that avast! Emergency Update, runonce.exe (Run Once Wrapper) and runonce.exe *32 are running. I cannot force quit these.
So, I wait.
A couple of minutes go by as I stare at the Task Manager. When the avast! "Emergency" Update and the runonce's disappear, the black screen suddenly reveals Explorer and I can see my desktop.
Too mysterioso for my tastes, Avast. Much too mysterioso.

Offline DavidR

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Re: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?
« Reply #117 on: March 27, 2014, 05:49:07 PM »
Well it isn't a routine update, this element in the Scheduled tasks only checks for the presence of an emergency update. If there is one it would then initiate the process to install it. Which also includes the creation of the RunOnce so that it is runs that function.
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Offline Skakara

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Re: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?
« Reply #118 on: March 27, 2014, 09:13:27 PM »
Why is emergency update needed in addition of normal update? Why a separate system of updates?

Offline DavidR

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Re: What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?
« Reply #119 on: March 27, 2014, 11:38:34 PM »
Why is emergency update needed in addition of normal update? Why a separate system of updates?

Because if there is a problem that also means that the normal update doesn't work, then you need another option.

Plus it is independent of the program as such, hence the Scheduled task.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security