Avast4.8 stopped working with Win98SE

[Diehard Win98]

I noticed too that the link from GreenEyedLady doesn't work ansmore. 

I am happy that I saved the vpsupd4.exe at my PC. 

It looks like GreenEyedLady's link to the 9/11/15 vpsupd4 simply timed-out.  Here's a workaround that I hope will endure:  Go to https://web.archive.org/web/,  then in the top box enter http://www.files.avast.com/iavs4pro/vpsupd4.exe (copy the link, don't go to it).  Then click browse history.  You'll see the gamut of archived vpsupd4 files.

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Thanks @ Diehard, your Workaround works!

[Diehard Win98]

There have been nearly 1500 views on this topic in its first month.  So contrarians take note, there is still interest in Win98! 

It is arguably NOT folly to run Win98 with an outdated Avast4.8 virus database.  Newer viruses are targeting current operating systems: The files they infect likely don't even exist in Win98.  Members on the Microsoft MSFN forum in 2013 made a fairly strong case to run Win98 bare-ass (no anti-virus program).  http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/162097-does-win9x-need-antivirus-anymore/.  I know, you're not 100% convinced, but sometimes you can't have it all.

Scenario: Your Avast4.8 update with Win98 failed so you came here.  Then you found the 9/11/15 vpsupd4 didn't work.  You can't go back in time, the failed current update left virus database remnants.  You're stymied.  But you still want real-time protection; some is better than none.  Here's how (not the way I did it, but rather the no-brainer method):

Before starting, read all the steps, download all the needed files.  Set your Swapfile to  be managed by the OS: It may expand up to 1.5Gb if you have <256Mb of RAM.  Be aware that the Swapfile is slowing down the system: To speed things up, get a used/refurb 7200RPM 8Mb IDE hard drive,  and/or put the Swapfile on a separate hard drive from the OS.

(1) Copy your license key.  Uninstall Avast4.8
(2) Re-install Avast4.8.1368.  If it fails, run AvastClear, re-install 4.8.  You now have a 2009 virus database.
(3) The 4.8 re-install wants you to reboot, but instead shutdown.  Disable your internet hardware connection.
(4) Boot-up.  After everything initializes go to 4.8 program settings->updates (basic).  Set virus and program updates to manual.  Configure your 4.8 preferences.  Re-enter your license key.
(5) Install the 9/11/15 vpsupd4.  If you have a slow machine, consider installing a 2014 or earlier vpsupd4 from that 9/11/15 link instead (things will run faster if the database is smaller, the Swapfile won't expand as much).
(6) Shutdown.  Enable your internet connection.
(7) Boot-up.  You will be running the 9/11/15 (or earlier) virus database forever, but it probably won't matter.   4.8 only checks your license key when you update, so your license key will never expire.

If you’re still paranoid, go back to my previous post on using ClamWin Portable as an adjunct.
Unless/until  someone finds a "magic" fix for 4.8, this is the best you can do in Win98.

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Fried, very astute

The .dat, .dll, and .bin files in the DATA folder also change, but not as often.  The .db and .ini files I think are machine specific.

If you try to insert the 10/2/15 400.vps into a DATA folder that held a very old version you might have problems.

If/when I find that free cloud-based service that will hold my upload more than few days, I'll include all the DATA folder files.

I wonder if this is what has really broken 4.8 on 98? The swap file size during a VPS update seems to reach about 1.5GB, very large, yet the limit for 98 is 2GB, so not yet at breaking point. Also, files up to 2GB are no problem (FAT32), even up to 4GB with the right patches, so ~200MB is nothing remarkable.

If 4.8 can handle these large VPS files under W2K+, then in theory, it should also be able to under W98, unless either different binaries are actually installed for the two OS (with different capabilities/limitations) or an updated dll (or such) breaks compatibility.

Joe.

[Diehard Win98]

EPILOG:  Sometime in mid-February 2016 Avast re-configured VPSUPD4.  My guess is they deleted the low-threat virus definitions.  As of 3/1/16, it has been trimmed-down to about 110Mb; it was this small back in early 2014.  This makes it once again usable in Win98/ME.  And, the smaller database will make the OS run faster than just before 10/3/15 when Avast48 balked.  Doing an online update works as well, although if you haven't updated for a while best to use VPSUPD4.

I was still using Avast48 on my Win2K build, and discovered by chance that the database size had dropped.

Given the rate that VPSUPD4 had been growing lately, it will be around 2019 or later before the database exceeds 200Mb and becomes unusable again for Win98/ME.  Thank you Avast for the reprieve!



 

[Pondus]

Given the rate that VPSUPD4 had been growing lately, it will be around 2019 or later before the database exceeds 200Mb and becomes unusable again for Win98/ME.

If you still run Win98 in 2019 then i think you need to ................    

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Hello Diehard,

this is a really good news. Today I updated the virus database sucessfully and deinstalled Clamwin.

Thank you very much for your hint to the reduced version. I never would have seen this, because I use Avast only on my old Win98 machine. 

And many thanks to Avast for doing that

[REDACTED]

You might want to switch to Avast 7.0.1474 - it will work on Win98 with the latest definitions Ok.
(Tested on my Win98)

P.S. Did you ever actually had any virus on Win98 lately?
I had have once; and (in the best scenario - that is to say - in favor to the virus) - the virus loader could not load itself (due to the incompatibility with the Win98 system)
It was really a great laugh!

[igor]

I'm afraid Avast 7 certainly won't work on Win9x - since Avast 5.0 the system requirement has been Windows 2000 SP4 at least (and Windows XP SP2 since Avast 9.0).

As for Avast 4.x - even though the virus database got reduced, please keep in mind that Avast 4.x is long past its support and is only getting a part of the detections the higher versions are receiving (because its "engine" is not capable of new types of detections). So the detection capabilities of Avast 4.x are significantly lower than current versions of Avast and it really doesn't provide full protection.

[bob3160]

IMHO, Windows 98 - Windows XP really shouldn't be exposed to the internet.
OK to use offline online you're looking for trouble.

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Has anyone else noticed, that since 31st of March there are no new virus updates? My avast says everytime that it is up to date.

When downloading the newest vps4update.exe the date is 31. of March too. But the other files for newer avasts are with April date. Does anyone know the reason for that? Has Avast stopped updatinf virus database for avast 4.8?

[Pondus]

Has anyone else noticed, that since 31st of March there are no new virus updates? My avast says everytime that it is up to date.

When downloading the newest vps4update.exe the date is 31. of March too. But the other files for newer avasts are with April date. Does anyone know the reason for that? Has Avast stopped updatinf virus database for avast 4.8?

https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=185244.0

https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=185244.msg1305529#msg1305529

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Today I noticed the virus signature works again. 

Naturally I had to download the full vpsupdate4.exe file because too much time has been spent since 31st of March. But that doesnt matter.

Happy again and never change a running system 

[Lano]

Yes, it is. Thanks Avast!

[Diehard Win98]

Since I started this thread, here is the conclusive end:

Avast stopped virus definition updates for Avast4.8 in December 2016. But they put out one last update on 3/3/17. You might be able to find that offline vpsupd4.exe if you do a Google search.  The Avast virus definitions update site doesn't show it.

Win98SE users have only two options for Antivirus software: (1) Use Avast4.8 with the final definitions, or (2) use ClamWin.  ClamWin came out with Clam Sentinel which was supposed to be a real-time shield, but it is too slow for most Win98SE machines.  If you use ClamWin alone, you have no real-time shield.

I think you can install the 2009 or 2010 Avast4.8 setup file and do an offline virus update.  If you try an online update, it will balk because the license key has expired, plus it will take forever anyway. 

If the offline update fails, you'll have to find somebody with a more recent virus update installed.  Then copy the \data and \setup folders to your machine, replacing the old contents.   The offline update might work if you set your system clock  back to before the license key expired, I don't know?