Author Topic: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?  (Read 129385 times)

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Offline DavidR

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Re: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?
« Reply #45 on: November 24, 2013, 05:27:23 PM »
<snip>
Last comment: Since this is a MAJOR update in V9.....it would seem that Avast would assign a tech apps to the Forum thread.  The Moderators and Super Posters do a great job but there is WAY too much speculation going on and I think it is in Avast's & clearly the communities best interest to have a Avast Team Apps engineer on the dialogues as well.  Just my two cents. 

Those flagged as Moderators are avast employees, check the information on the left of posts, if they are avast! team that is another indication of who are part of Avast Software.
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Offline schmidthouse

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Re: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?
« Reply #46 on: November 24, 2013, 06:26:54 PM »
It is an important mechanism for us (present already since avast v7) that has already "saved" us a couple of times...

Wow,

I am an IT guy and have Avast Free on several of my home PCs and we license Avast on our business PCs.....all on V8.
I am also a Moderator on many other A/V forums and recommend Avast to tons & tons of people....on web and personal.
I've been monitoring the V9 threads and I'm shocked by this......but it rings very familiar.
Prior to Avast I was a HUGE AVG proponent......right up until they did the same thing and literally bricked thousands of PCs with a new "update".  The key seems to be the A/V companies want to reach out from what they are good on to things they are not to become a one-stop shop.  Prior to AVG was Symantec (which is a total PIG) that defined A/V (Norton) in the day and now I would not use if they paid me to.  The above statement not only does not give me a the warn-n-fuzzies that I think it was intended but scares me to not sleep at night.

I HAVE NOT given up on Avast but after reading what V9 was trying to do.....clearly a full re-write/architecture.....I am holding off for 6+months to upgrade.....and not recommending this to all others.....because it is frankly not worth the risk.  The code has too many glitches and there are too many excuses and posts from "non-Avast Team" on speculation not facts.  I also find the lack of documentation troubling as well.  It all adds up that V9 was not ready for prime-time and the "community" is doing the "bug discovery".  New programs always have bugs but A/V re-writes should be much more solid than this.

I will keep monitoring the progress and I am still a fan of Avast and not giving up.....just not jumping into the deep end of the pool with V9.

Last comment: Since this is a MAJOR update in V9.....it would seem that Avast would assign a tech apps to the Forum thread.  The Moderators and Super Posters do a great job but there is WAY too much speculation going on and I think it is in Avast's & clearly the communities best interest to have a Avast Team Apps engineer on the dialogues as well.  Just my two cents.

I spend much time reading through the Threads and gleaning interesting facts and Fiction.
Speculation, yes I think there are unresolved questions that very few know the answers too.
 I also find that unsettling. ???

thekochs

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Re: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?
« Reply #47 on: November 24, 2013, 06:28:55 PM »
<snip>
Last comment: Since this is a MAJOR update in V9.....it would seem that Avast would assign a tech apps to the Forum thread.  The Moderators and Super Posters do a great job but there is WAY too much speculation going on and I think it is in Avast's & clearly the communities best interest to have a Avast Team Apps engineer on the dialogues as well.  Just my two cents. 

Those flagged as Moderators are avast employees, check the information on the left of posts, if they are avast! team that is another indication of who are part of Avast Software.

Good to know......thx for the clarification.

Offline schmidthouse

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Re: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?
« Reply #48 on: November 24, 2013, 06:32:33 PM »
Just a thought.
When SAS or others flag this file/Reg entry in discussion and the user Removes/quarantines it, is the a detrimental effect.
Would it be replaced with next vps update?
Anyone know??

Offline abruptum

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Re: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?
« Reply #49 on: November 24, 2013, 06:52:33 PM »
Just a thought.
When SAS or others flag this file/Reg entry in discussion and the user Removes/quarantines it, is the a detrimental effect.
Would it be replaced with next vps update?
Anyone know??
I removed emupdate from start  up and rebooted.Received normal 131124-0 VPS update with sound,without VPN ad.
I don't have emupdate at start up and SAS doesn't detect it anymore.
So far everything is OK.I believe that reg key (start up item) was a bug.

henri44

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Re: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?
« Reply #50 on: November 24, 2013, 06:56:02 PM »
Hello,

Following this new program when Windows starts (emupdate \ dc2941bb-94e1-4b20-4bfe-1d4dd1b6efbb.exe)
- Desinstalled of Avast itself with the "avastclear" tool
- Cleaning with CCleaner and Wise Registry Cleaner
- Install new Avast
- Automatic update with popup and voice VPS 131124-0

stop and restart computer

first observation:
- No folder "emupdate" C: \ Program Files \ Avast Software \ Avast \ setup \
- So no entry in the start of W7 (msconfig and CCleaner)

to follow...
« Last Edit: November 24, 2013, 07:00:29 PM by henri44 »

Offline schmidthouse

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Re: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?
« Reply #51 on: November 24, 2013, 06:57:43 PM »
"that reg key (start up item) was a bug"
I can't say we know that for sure, at least I havn't come across any definitive explanation from Avast.

CitizenOfTheWorld

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Re: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?
« Reply #52 on: November 24, 2013, 07:06:41 PM »
So why does this emergency update mechanism try to connect to a google (74.125.225.128) server?
I'm running v8, it's been said to exist since v7, this is the first time I've seen it, thanks to Comodo.

Could this be about what Snowden was talking about?

For my initial query, as to the nature of this issue, and the info I gathered to frame it, (screen captures are available), see topic: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=140818.0
« Last Edit: November 24, 2013, 07:42:48 PM by CitizenOfTheWorld »

Tetsuo

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Re: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?
« Reply #53 on: November 24, 2013, 07:14:20 PM »
So why does this emergency update mechanism try to connect to a google (74.125.225.128) server?
I'm running v8, it's been said to exist since v7, this is the first time I've seen it, thanks to Comodo.

Could this be about what Snowden was talking about?

Good question. Good luck with the reply, I didn't get any "official" one (http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=139876.0).

Offline abruptum

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Re: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?
« Reply #54 on: November 24, 2013, 07:19:30 PM »
So why does this emergency update mechanism try to connect to a google (74.125.225.128) server?
I'm running v8, it's been said to exist since v7, this is the first time I've seen it, thanks to Comodo.

Could this be about what Snowden was talking about?
I believe it has something to do with VPN ads instead of normal VPS update notifications.
Of course I am just guessing since we didn't see any answers from Avast team members.

Offline ky331

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Re: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?
« Reply #55 on: November 24, 2013, 07:22:39 PM »
Unless/until we know the PURPOSE/FUNCTION of this emergency update, we'll never be able to say... definitively... whether the repetitive startup key was a "bug", or a FEATURE.   The fact that some people here have removed the startup entry without noticing a detrimental side-effect... while others have repeatedly rebooted/rerun the startup entry likewise without noticing a detrimental side-effect... offers neither proof nor refutation of the validity of their respective action:  There may be a hidden, unanticipated consequence of choosing wrongly here, that will only surface at some point in the future.     

As such, I am again pleading for Vlk to tell us, once and for all --- based on the purpose/function of this emergency update --- whether we should leave or remove the startup entry.   Speculation by users here --- who have not analyzed the binary code --- while perhaps interesting, offers no proof.
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CitizenOfTheWorld

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Re: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?
« Reply #56 on: November 24, 2013, 07:49:34 PM »
Unless/until we know the PURPOSE/FUNCTION of this emergency update, we'll never be able to say... definitively... whether the repetitive startup key was a "bug", or a FEATURE.   The fact that some people here have removed the startup entry without noticing a detrimental side-effect... while others have repeatedly rebooted/rerun the startup entry likewise without noticing a detrimental side-effect... offers neither proof nor refutation of the validity of their respective action:  There may be a hidden, unanticipated consequence of choosing wrongly here, that will only surface at some point in the future.     

As such, I am again pleading for Vlk to tell us, once and for all --- based on the purpose/function of this emergency update --- whether we should leave or remove the startup entry.   Speculation by users here --- who have not analyzed the binary code --- while perhaps interesting, offers no proof.

Yes, Or one could simply scrap avast, move on to another program, and instead of promoting it to friends, as avast seems to want, could do quite the opposite!  Just making a point, in light of no real support, or so it would surely seem!

I can be patient, to a point!
« Last Edit: November 24, 2013, 07:51:41 PM by CitizenOfTheWorld »

GTX66

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Re: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?
« Reply #57 on: November 24, 2013, 08:00:13 PM »
I did not know what it was and I did not notice that it was starting with Windows so I just deleted it? Why can't an emergency update be pushed they same way the rest of them are? I agree with  Ky331 about this. Users should be made aware? I have an account with Avast and they have my email address?
« Last Edit: November 24, 2013, 08:02:57 PM by GTX66 »

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Re: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?
« Reply #58 on: November 24, 2013, 08:54:15 PM »
People is making such panick only because they also use 10 other security programs and they alerted them that something has been added. For other 99% of users, it doesn't even matter. And that's the whole point of Emergency Updates. So they can push small important updates without the need to do a proper full program update.
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CitizenOfTheWorld

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Re: Emergency Update 2013-11-21?
« Reply #59 on: November 24, 2013, 09:05:03 PM »
RejZoR, security is serious business for me, so when something new comes up, a wise man takes notice.  It has nothing to do with multiple programs running that monitor, unless of course there is a conflict between them.  Also anyone that puts their full faith in any one particular company, does so at the risk of being used by the money machine, of power, called capitalism.  And yes I'm an American, not that it really matters, just that I know these are not the words of a typical American.