The Package is Broken

[AzureKite]

Not sure how serious this problem is: Earlier today, I woke up in front of my laptop, after having left it on all night. My laptop overheats frequently, so it'll often shut down when left on for extended periods of time. But that's not the big issue. The real problem is it overheated right when avast was trying to update virus defs. After letting it cool down and restarting the laptop, avast pops up saying the last attempt to update definitions failed. I go to manually update, but it encounters an error; "The Package is Broken. Same thing happens when i try to update program(program currently up to date, just tried as a way to fix the error). So my question is: what do i do now? Should I wait for the next virus def update, reinstall avast, or something else?

[DavidR]

As the error would state in the attempted Update, something like use the full update or words to that effect.

This is what it means - Manual update of VPS - avast! Virus Definitions Update - Manual Download VPS Update (virus definitions, vpsupd.exe, approx 93.4 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.

[AzureKite]

Thank you David, but before I read your response, I tried updating the program and defs one last time after leaving the computer alone for awhile. To my surprise, it said the virus defs were up to date (130718-3). same with program(8.0.1489). But when I checked the other services(ex. software updater), I had problems. Software updater was disabled, and when I tried enabling it under settings, it said "failed to connect to service". secureline also said it "encountered a technical problem". I don't use these services frequently, but i don't want things to escalate. Are these problems related to the 1st, or not? and regardless, what should i do?

[mchain]

hi AzureKite,

(Stepping in for DavidR whilst he is away)

The root problem seems to be the overheating issue with your laptop.  Take care of that one and these other issues may/should go away.

Have you used canned air to clean your vents on the laptop?  Do not use a vacuum cleaner as that could make things worse, not better, due to excessive static electricity issues.

Routine maintenance for laptops, desktops, tablets, etc., calls for blowing out all vents, removal of dust, etc., every six months or so. 

What canned air looks like:  http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=3012916011

What a laptop cooling pad looks like:  http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=2243862011

As always, any system being blown out for dust removal must be powered down and off when this is done.

If your system is  more that four years old, consider renewing the CPU paste under the CPU heatsink.  CPU paste will dry out and crack over time and cause the CPU itself to shut down to prevent fatal heat damage.

If not ready to tackle this CPU paste issue yourself, best to take your system to a trusted local computer repair shop for this routine maintenance.  The other stuff you can do and see if that improves your system instability problems.

[EDIT:]  A good program for monitoring hardware system temperatures here:  (Speedfan v. 4.49)  http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php
Routine removal of dust will extend the life of your laptop by more than several years.

[AzureKite]

    I appreciate your input, and I'll definitely acquire some compressed air later, but now my problem is with avast, the computer overheating merely triggered my problems. Usually when my comp does this, its when programs aren't updating/being altered, and everything runs fine upon reboot. This was an isolated incident.
   For the Software Updater, I wonder if resetting the database under settings would fix my problem? The only reason I haven't tried it is because it says this action can't be undone. Never used the secureline  before, so that doesn't impact me too much, and I can check each software manually for updates in the worst case scenario. But once again if  these things indicate serious problems in my avast free program, I'd like advice on how to rectify them.

[mchain]

NP.  I'd imagine DavidR will pop up soon to give the help you require.

[guestja]

Azurekite,
You might want to try a repair of your installation. You can find the option by going to the control panel and then the  "add/remove programs" (may be called different depending on your operating system) , select avast and then "repair". If you can't find it check the Avast Help section.

[DavidR]

1. Thank you David, but before I read your response, I tried updating the program and defs one last time after leaving the computer alone for awhile. To my surprise, it said the virus defs were up to date (130718-3). same with program(8.0.1489). But when I checked the other services(ex. software updater), I had problems.

2. Software updater was disabled, and when I tried enabling it under settings, it said "failed to connect to service". secureline also said it "encountered a technical problem". I don't use these services frequently, but i don't want things to escalate.

Are these problems related to the 1st, or not? and regardless, what should i do?

1. You're welcome.
It is possible that the next VPS (virus definitions) update cleared the pre-existing update 'broken package' error, though not always and even the Repair can at times just trigger the broken package error and use the full update response.

You are fortunate that the next VPS resolved it or the download link for the full VPS update would have been the next step.

2. I don't think that the other issues mentioned are directly related and error shouldn't disable the software updater as that has a GUI option to enable/disable. I can't see the 'package is broken' and update error being directly related. Try opening the Software Updater > Settings > expand the Database reset (troubleshooting) section and use the Reset database now button. if that doesn't resolve it you can try the repair as suggested.

Since you have the free version, the SecureLine is a premium service, whilst it is built in to the free version, should you wish to use it you would have to pay for the secureline service.

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Heat really is a killer, it makes your system unstable and crashes can cause corruption in software that is running and avast is obviously going to be running.

The advice suggested by mchain should be followed up. I use a notebook cooler for when I use my win7 netbook if the starts to get a little hot (summer months), but it isn't getting a lot of activity as this desktop is my main system..