Do the Virus Signature DB Updates Stop?

[RolandSmit]

Funny, today (01-01-2006) my logviewer says (last line):

27-12-2005 14:40:22   SYSTEM   2024   The virus database (VPS 0552-0) was automatically updated. 

So I think: during 5 days no virus DB update?
When I update manually, the programs says: you're up to date! (0552-4)
Program 4.6.744

So the logviewer doesn't register any more. I checked all settings. (size of logviewer is unlimited)

Any idea?

[DavidR]

Did you check the about avast to see if the last automatic VPS Update in the log matched what about avast displayed (before you did a manual update)? This would confirm that your auto updates were working and it was the log that was wrong, rather than the log was right and the auto update wasn't working correctly.

Ensure that the Logging is set to record updates, is there anything in the Windows Event logs?

I have logging set to 'Notice' and both the avast! Log Viewer and the Windows Event log correctly records the auto updates.

[Lisandro]

I have no idea what you are refering to in "the 'Settings' link in my signature".

I mean the link that you'll see if you click the word Settings in my signature, this link: http://snipurl.com/7elb

But I can't imagine what's wrong with your computer...

[lakrsrool]

^ Tech, the link you posted: http://snipurl.com/7elb takes me to the "Understanding Avast4.ini file.  I'm not sure if this was your intention, but I cannot find anything on "My Signature" settings after perusing all 7 pages.  Maybe I missed it, but I'm thinking even if I can find it I'm wondering if your instructions: "you can check your avast settings" tells me enough to know what do do unless of course there is further explanation if I ever find what you are refering to. 

[Lisandro]

^ Tech, the link you posted: http://snipurl.com/7elb takes me to the "Understanding Avast4.ini file.  I'm not sure if this was your intention

Yes, it is.
I'm not saying your problems will be solved, but just could give you some light.
I thought on section [AAVM] and values SuppressUpdatedInfo and SuppressUpdateErrorInfo
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=1647.msg10268#msg10268

unless of course there is further explanation if I ever find what you are refering to. 

Sorry, I'm not sure this will answer your trouble, indeed, it's strange not having the update popup but, again, registry recovery (or roll-back) won't change the avast4.ini settings or avast behavior in this specific point. At least, it shouldn't change in normal conditons. 

[lakrsrool]

Tech wrote:

... on section [AAVM] and values SuppressUpdatedInfo and SuppressUpdateErrorInfo

Both of these settings DO NOT EXIST in my Avast4.ini file.

NOT getting the update POPUP on VPS updates happened to me for about 2 weeks back when the new Avast version was released.  Then after about two weeks the POPUP started showing up again without my making any changes to Avast settings of any kind (and the green Avast version update POPUP stopped showing up).   The POPUP's for VPS updates started showing up again on December 21, which was 2 days after my VRDB update on December 19.  Problem is it stopped showing up again after I restored an old version of my Registry so I'm back to what it was before December 21 for about 2 weeks. 

In attempt at trying to come up with a reason why the VPS POPUP stopped showing up for awhile and then started showing up again, maybe it had to do with the VRDB update?    So I"m hopeful that the VPS POPUP will start showing up again  maybe after my next VRDB update. 

[Vlk]

lakrsrool, I think I understand what's going on. Let me explain the rules:

1. there's never two avast pop-ups displayed at once
2. the "new version is available" (the green popup) is considered as having higher priority than the "virus database has been updated" (the blue one).

That is, the green one always supersedes the blue one (if both conditions are true - i.e. virus database has been updated and there's a new version of the program available on the Internet).

If you're not happy with this, you can actually suppress displaying of the green one - which will cause the blue one to be displayed. This is done by going to the Avast settings, Updating page and changing Program Update from Ask to Manual.

Hope this helps,
Vlk

[lakrsrool]

Thanks, Vlk and everyone else who logged messages.

I did know about the setting to stop the (green) NEW VERSION POPUP and kind of figured that this might be an approach to take.

But I also had posted how after about 2 weeks of getting the NEW VERSION POPUP and not getting the (blue) VPS Update POPUP then I was getting exactly the opposite without my changing any settings.

I had initially thought possibly this change was due to a registry setting since I had backed up to a previous setting, but I was told that this is not the case.

I then posted the idea that maybe it had to do with the VRDB update since the change to where I started getting the VPS Update POPUPS instead of the NEW VERSION POPUPS started soon after the VRDB Update.

So I decided to wait for my next VRDB Update to see what would happen.

Sure enough the same day that I had another VRDB Update I now get the blue VPS Update POPUP instead of the green VERSION POPUP.

So somehow Avast changes in some way after a VRDB Update.

Anyway I"m a happy camper (as long as I don't have to go back to a previous register setting again), which apparently does cause somekind of change.  The fact is I had changed back to a registry setting that predated the VRDB Update, so for whatever reason this impacted Avast causing the green POPUP to return until I had another VRDB Update.  I also wanted to wait until the VRDB Update occurred on the scheduled time rather than a manual because that is what had happend the first time and I wanted the same scenario to happen again in order to make an accurate test as to whether Avast would repeat what happened the first time.  (I thought I'd post this because it is an interesting phenomenon).

Actually I think that his is really cool, the user will get the NEW VERSION POPUP for awhile (no more than 3 weeks) and then Avast returns to the green VPS POPUPS (since it appears both POPUPS cannot work simultaneously).  This way we can have the best of both worlds. 

Another WINNER for AVAST!!!