Issues With Updating Avast

[Katsu]

Hello.

I came here hoping to find an answer to this small predicament I'm in. For some strange reason I am unable to update Avast at all. I can't update the Virus Definitions or the program. Whenever I try to update manually, absolutely nothing happens. The Progress bar is static and does absolutely nothing. I've even tried waiting several hours for something on the off chance that it's just slow, but when I check back again it's exactly the same as the way I left it.

Can someone help me find a way to fix this so that I can keep my antivirus software up to date before something terrible happens?

If this helps, I'm running Windows Vista, using the Free version of Avast, and it's stuck on Engine and Virus definition version 120227-0 and Program version 6.0.1367

Thanks in advance.

[CraigB]

You can try running a repair via the uninstall avast process in programs and features then reboot and see if that helps.

Note that you should also be updating to the latest version of avast 7.0.1474, part of you problem may lay with the out-dated version you are running.

[Katsu]

I just tried that, and I encountered the following error message.

Avast! Setup Fatal Error
Error reading product data from “C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\setup\”. Setup cannot continue.

I'm guessing this could be a problem.

[CraigB]

I think it may be best for you to download the removal tool which you'll find here http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility and a new copy of the latest version of avast http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/avast_free_antivirus_setup.exe and save, then uninstall the version you have now and reboot into safe mode and run the removal tool for all versions of avast you have ever installed, once completed reboot back to normal mode and install the new version saved earlier.

[DavidR]

Or try this first:
Manual update of VPS - avast! Virus Definitions Update - Manual Download VPS Update (virus definitions, vpsupd.exe, approx 67.5 MB). - Save the file to your hard disk, locate where you saved it and double click it and that should carry out the virus definitions update.

[Katsu]

Okay, so craigb's suggestion managed to work, and as a bonus I started a 20 day trial of the more advanced protection thingy. However, the firewall prevented Firefox from connecting to the internet until I temporarily disabled it. Can someone help me make it so that I can use the Firewall and still be able to use Firefox?

Edit: Never mind, the timer for the firewall ran out and now it's active again. Everything is running normally too. Hope it stays that way.
I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to help me.

[CraigB]

I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to help me.

Your welcome

[Dynaheir]

Hey there. Have exactly teha SAME problem. Avast won't update. Any suggestions? Repair doesn't process at all. It's like the last time servers went down. Is this this case also again?

EDIT: It executed and update now...strange. Did this happen anyone else?

[DavidR]

No it isn't follow the above instructions (starting with the lessor manual virus definitions update) other than the repair which according to your post doesn't work. But you don't say why, e.g. what errors ?

[Dynaheir]

No it isn't follow the above instructions (starting with the lessor manual virus definitions update) other than the repair which according to your post doesn't work. But you don't say why, e.g. what errors ?

Avast didn't want to do VPS update on it's own and didn't want to execute it manually - so I've tried repair, which did not work. I started second machine to see if there is same problem and in meantime avast manual update worked. Strangely enough, even repair did work after it. (I wanted to be sure nothing is messed up)