New Install, Virus definition version 120708-1 update error message

[oceanbiz]

Hi all,
Last night I installed Avast Free. It ran a quick scan, all OK.

This morning I opened Avast program to see activity during the night. I see :
Secured
Shields On
Definitions Auto Updates On
Virus Definition Version 120708-1 Update
Program Version 7.0.1456
Exp Date 7/8/2013

So, I went to update the definitions, it runs for 2seconds then stops and reports :
Last Encountered Error : The package is broken
Total Time: 2s

What is this all about? Do I have a broken Avast system ?

The only thing that happened since last night was that I had to do a hard reboot this morning using the ON/OFF button because when my PC woke up from mouse movement, the PC locked up. I have since fixed that by turning OFF the Sleep mode. It was set to go to sleep after 2 hours of non-activity.

The primary reason that I installed Avast is that I cannot install Microsoft Security Essentials for some unknown reason. System is Vista SP2.

Please help.
Dan

[DavidR]

Try a repair of avast:
Vista, win7 - Control Panel, Programs & Features, uninstall a program, select 'avast! Anti-Virus,' click the Uninstall/Change and select Repair, click next and follow.

You may need to reboot after the repair.

[oceanbiz]

David
Just tried that and it says Error processing packages, please use full update.

What is full update and where do I get it ?

Do I have to also uninstall the package presently on the machine ?

Dan

[DavidR]

It means the full virus database:
Manual update of VPS - avast! Virus Definitions Update - Manual Download VPS Update (virus definitions, vpsupd.exe, approx 58.7 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.

Note: Ignore the file name in the example images of the page that is displayed after clicking the download link, they are for the main program, not for vpsupd.exe which will be downloaded.

[oceanbiz]

Well, I uninstalled Avast and re-installed it. That fixed my problem and also picked up yet a more recent definition in the process.
It also found Rootkit installed and quarantined it, then I deleted it.

Not sure how serious Rootkit is but it should be gone now.

Dan

[DavidR]

Deletion isn't really a good first option (you have none left), 'first do no harm' don't delete, send virus to the chest (a protected area) and investigate.

There is no rush to delete anything from the chest, a protected area where it can do no harm, otherwise what is the point of sending it there first. Anything that you send to the chest you should leave there for a few weeks. If after that time you have suffered no adverse effects from moving these to the chest, scan them again (inside the chest) and if they are still detected as viruses, delete them.

What was the file name and location of the file considered to be a rootkit ?

[oceanbiz]

It did not tell me a specific filename. It just said rootkit found. It quarantined it. I then deleted it, then avast wanted to do a scheduled scan on bootup so I rebooted the PC and in between CMOS boot and Win Boot, it spent 6 hours scanning every file in C, D and G drives.
It then reported nothing harmful found.

I was not aware that it should be left in quarantine for some time and rescanned.
Dan

[DavidR]

Well now you know the benefit of leaving it in quarantine, a bit like sending a patient to intensive care rather than the morgue.

Another benefit is with the file in the chest, you can retrieve information on the file name and its original location.

If you look at the avastUI, Real-Time Shields, File System Shield, if you haven't rebooted (and unfortunately you have) there should be information on number of files scanned/infected, the last file scanned and last infected file - you can also click the Shield log link.

You can also check the raw report text file containing information on the file system shield and detections:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\AVAST Software\Avast\report\FileSystemShield.txt winXP.
C:\ProgramData\AVAST Software\Avast\report\FileSystemShield.txt Vista, win7.