Is there a way to know Avast is currently updating virus data base?

[Aventador]

 "avast.setup" only runs when updating. You will mainly see it upon bootup once your at your desktop. 90% of the world is on a high speed connection so this is never an issue. I have a 18MB connection so I never notice a thing while Avast is updating. If you think Avast is heavy while updating then try Kaspersky or Bitdefender. Avast uses very low bandwidth while updating.

[DavidR]

Well the avastUI, Maintenance, Updates would show when the last update check was made. Compare that with the time frame now (the auto update check interval) you should have an idea if one might be in progress. But the only real way it to check the Task Manager and see if avast.setup is running, if not there isn't an update check in progress.

Actually, I've been looking for the "avast.setup" process but haven't been able to see this process running.  I checked again just now and the only "Avast" process I have been able to see is "AvastUI.exe" and I checked just 2-3 minutes before I got the message that the Avast virus database was updated thus Avast must have been updating the virus database during the time I checked the Task Manager.

I am using version 6.0.1466 of Avast (I don't care for the way the interface has been described for the current Avast version) so perhaps when the "update" is running it's a different situation for the version I'm using.  If so then it would appear that I have no way of knowing if and when Avast is updating the virus data base in my case.

The way the avast VPS updates are done essentially hasn't changed from avast 5.x. The avast.setup process/function controls it and is only created/run (seen in task manager) at the time of the update check and is ended on completion of the update check and update if present.

[igor]

Actually, I've been looking for the "avast.setup" process but haven't been able to see this process running.  I checked again just now and the only "Avast" process I have been able to see is "AvastUI.exe" and I checked just 2-3 minutes before I got the message that the Avast virus database was updated thus Avast must have been updating the virus database during the time I checked the Task Manager.

You need to click the option to show processes for different users as well, as the setup is run under the system account.

[lakrsrool]

Actually, I've been looking for the "avast.setup" process but haven't been able to see this process running.  I checked again just now and the only "Avast" process I have been able to see is "AvastUI.exe" and I checked just 2-3 minutes before I got the message that the Avast virus database was updated thus Avast must have been updating the virus database during the time I checked the Task Manager.

You need to click the option to show processes for different users as well, as the setup is run under the system account.

Thanks igor, that's what I needed to know about the process being under the "system account". so now I see it; "avast.setup *32", with that I understand why my emails are being scanned so slowly and why some of my emails have "timed out" errors during the email scan by PopPeeper.  Once the update is finished I'll get a "clean" email scan.

thanks again.

P. S. Yep, once the Avast "update information" message popped up no more "avast.setup *32" process... 

Update: After the Avast update finished my mail scan finished really quick, in 22 minutes for all 17 accounts, with zero errors instead of taking well over an hour with multiple errors during the Avast update  .

[Aventador]

Instead of using Outlook why don't you switch to web based email. Its faster and easier. You can also check your email from any pc in the world.  Are you really on a 56K dial up? Isn't there high speed internet in your area? If you are truly on a 56K dial up then no antivirus will be good enough when updating. Heck Norton is completely silent.

[Chim]

You need to click the option to show processes for different users as well, as the setup is run under the system account.

Now that you're here, Igor ...
Out of curiosity, why doesn't avast incorporate this perk of which we speak and are requesting in this thread?
I can't believe it's more Kbytes / MegaBytes / Footprint intensive than say ... the avast Browser Cleaner and avast Software Updater that were added.

[lakrsrool]

Instead of using Outlook why don't you switch to web based email. Its faster and easier. You can also check your email from any pc in the world.  Are you really on a 56K dial up? Isn't there high speed internet in your area? If you are truly on a 56K dial up then no antivirus will be good enough when updating. Heck Norton is completely silent.

Thanks for the input.

Eleven of the email accounts that PopPeeper checks (which is what I was referring to in my previous message) ARE web based email accounts that are accessed via PopPeeper (the other six accounts I mentioned are POP and IMAP accounts which I also access via PopPeeper or of course Outlook as well.  As far as accessing the email accounts on "any pc in the world" besides the 11 web based accounts the POP and IMAP accounts have their own login access that can be used anywhere as well.

I don't really use the internet enough to warrant paying for "high speed internet" in my opinion.  I have two free dial-up accounts that I use.

I fully understand that the computer will be impacted by updates using dial up, my point is that it would be nice to have an easy way to know when the update process is running other than having to check the "Task Manager" to do so.  Something like what MS Security Essentials has with a "pointer" graphic that can be seen during virus updates (doesn't have to be that elaborate, as I've suggested just a red "U" letter on avast ball would be sufficient of course). Then I would know an update is being performed which would explain the slower performance and I'd be able to plan accordingly as far as what I might be doing on the computer at the time. As a retired application programmer I know that this would be an added benefit that would not be difficult to provide considering how essential virus protection is for users on-line. I prefer Avast over any other virus protection applications thus the purpose of my topic was to see if there was an easy way to know when an update is running.  I can see there really is no easy way other than to check the Task Manager which is a bit cumbersome in my opinion.

I fully understand that I have the choice to pay for broad band to avoid the slower performance during updates, I'm OK with the inconvenience, my only question was if there was an easy way to see if the Avast virus signature database update process was running since I couldn't find any way to do so any where in the Avast program (Avast: Maintenance > Update will not show the update if the update was started automatically which I thought might be a way).

Oh and lastly, I fully understand that dial-up users comprise a small percentage of users but that still amounts to approx 3.6M users in the US alone (that number of users would be very much significantly higher if the "world wide" users were included) and of course there are still areas that high speed internet is not available in the US and of course this is true much more so around the world.

[Aventador]

Honestly if I where you I would bite the bullet and get high speed internet. You can get a bundle package also. Once you have high speed you wont miss your dial up. Most likely your thread will go unanswered. You can email Avast and suggest it to them. But since such a a small fraction of the world is still on dial up I doubt your request will be answered.

[Chim]

Yep, your absolutely correct, lakrsrool does stand for "Lakers Rule", do you happen to be a fan as well?  This happens to be my user name on Lakers Ground.

As to checking Task Manager, it's kind of a hassle that could easily be avoided with a very simple change to just add for example a red letter "U" on the orange ball while updating.

Besides helping answer why the system has slowed down this addition would help AVOID DISCONNECTING DURING AN UPDATE (not knowing if an update is in progress) and avoid the "unsuccessful update, update now" message I've attached.

Yes, I am a Lakers Fan as well, but not an active one in quite a while ... not since the original genuine Showtime Years.

Anyway, yes, I concur.  I would think that incorporating into avast what we're requesting in this thread would be something simple.  After all, avast 4.x used to have it.  So why it's not brought back is beyond me.

Way back before I knew about the thing regarding looking for avast.setup in Task Manager, on several occasions I purposely logged off AOL to possibly even try a Reboot to attempt to fix sluggish browsing or computer operation only to find out that avast had been downloading a Virus Definitions Update.