Author Topic: avast! Free not updating  (Read 3564 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

REDACTED

  • Guest
avast! Free not updating
« on: March 14, 2016, 04:31:50 PM »
Hi all.  The main Status tab of my avast! Free GUI reads, 'Everything up-to-date,' (see attached screenshot) but the stated version is 2014.9.0.2021, which is quite out of date.  When I try to update manually it fails with:

Code: [Select]
Last encountered error:  Unknown error
(see attached screenshot)

How might I troubleshoot/resolve this?

Thanks in advance.


Offline Eddy

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Maybe Bot
  • ***
  • Posts: 31080
  • Watching (over?) you
    • Malware removal, Biljart and other things.
Re: avast! Free not updating
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2016, 04:44:46 PM »
Perform a clean installation of the latest version.

Offline essexboy

  • Malware removal instructor
  • Avast Überevangelist
  • Probably Bot
  • *****
  • Posts: 40589
  • Dragons by Sasha
    • Malware fixes
Re: avast! Free not updating
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2016, 04:57:23 PM »
Download Avast Uninstall Utility to your Desktop.
Download the correct version of Avast 
Avast Free
Avast Pro
Avast Internet Security
Avast Premier
Disconnect from the net
Uninstall Avast via control panel

  • Run the uninstall tool and accept the reboot to safe mode
  • Once complete reboot your system
  • Reinstall Avast
----------

REDACTED

  • Guest
Re: avast! Free not updating
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2016, 05:48:55 PM »
Thanks.  That appeared to have worked.  I guess I'll have to monitor it for a few weeks to ensure that it updates properly.

More importantly though, is there any way to determine why this occurred, so I can avoid it in the future?

Thanks again.

Offline DavidR

  • Avast Überevangelist
  • Certainly Bot
  • *****
  • Posts: 88895
  • No support PMs thanks
Re: avast! Free not updating
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2016, 07:08:17 PM »
I don't think that there is anything specific that you need to avoid to prevent it happening again.

My best guess is that trying to update such an old version of avast from the UI (Manual Program Update) could be fraught with potential issues, mainly the big differences in versions with different features and functions.

Provided you don't leave it so long between program updates or go for a clean uninstall of the new version hopefully you should be good.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

REDACTED

  • Guest
Re: avast! Free not updating
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2016, 03:45:09 AM »
Thanks.  I'm not concerned so much with why the manual update failed.  I'm wondering why the automatic updates ceased to fail.  This is a system I've used pretty much every day for ~3 years now, with no errors/warnings from Avast (none that I can remember at least).  As in the screenshot, the main Avast screen always read "No problems.  Everything up-to-date," while in reality the program and virus definitions had not been updated in over a year.

Might there be some logs I can examine to help determine the issue?  If not I guess I'll just monitor this new installation to ensure that updates are occurring automatically.

Offline Eddy

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Maybe Bot
  • ***
  • Posts: 31080
  • Watching (over?) you
    • Malware removal, Biljart and other things.
Re: avast! Free not updating
« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2016, 08:38:19 AM »
Who knows what went wrong.
There are so many 0's and 1's in a application.
If only one 0 thinks he is a 1 things go wrong. ;)

It is not possible to found out what went wrong since a lot of avast (and other) files have changed.
Just be happy that it is working again and keep an eye on it to if it keeps working.

I don't know if it will help you, but some people have a list of things to do/check e.g. weekly or monthly with/on their system.
Some things on such a list can be :
- Check if av is working and up-to-date
- Remove all temporary (cached) files
- Check for application updates (not all will automatically tell you if there is a update)

Offline bob3160

  • Avast Überevangelist
  • Probably Bot
  • *****
  • Posts: 48523
  • 64 Years of Happiness
    • bob3160 Protecting Yourself, Your Computer and, Your Identity
Re: avast! Free not updating
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2016, 01:55:04 PM »
Thanks.  I'm not concerned so much with why the manual update failed.  I'm wondering why the automatic updates ceased to fail.  This is a system I've used pretty much every day for ~3 years now, with no errors/warnings from Avast (none that I can remember at least).  As in the screenshot, the main Avast screen always read "No problems.  Everything up-to-date," while in reality the program and virus definitions had not been updated in over a year.

Might there be some logs I can examine to help determine the issue?  If not I guess I'll just monitor this new installation to ensure that updates are occurring automatically.
To get to the reports and logs, this may help:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntW8zGicUfk
Free Security Seminar: https://bit.ly/bobg2023  -  Important: http://www.organdonor.gov/ -- My Web Site: http://bob3160.strikingly.com/ - Win 11 Pro v22H2 64bit, 16 Gig Ram, 1TB SSD, Avast Free 23.5.6066, How to Successfully Install Avast http://goo.gl/VLXdeRepair & Clean Install https://goo.gl/t7aJGq -- My Online Activity https://bit.ly/BobGInternet

REDACTED

  • Guest
Re: avast! Free not updating
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2016, 03:42:19 PM »
Thanks for that.  Alas since I uninstalled my previous version, it appears those logs were uninstalled as well.  Good to know anyway, thanks.

Offline bob3160

  • Avast Überevangelist
  • Probably Bot
  • *****
  • Posts: 48523
  • 64 Years of Happiness
    • bob3160 Protecting Yourself, Your Computer and, Your Identity
Re: avast! Free not updating
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2016, 05:24:11 PM »
Thanks for that.  Alas since I uninstalled my previous version, it appears those logs were uninstalled as well.  Good to know anyway, thanks.
My pleasure. :)
Free Security Seminar: https://bit.ly/bobg2023  -  Important: http://www.organdonor.gov/ -- My Web Site: http://bob3160.strikingly.com/ - Win 11 Pro v22H2 64bit, 16 Gig Ram, 1TB SSD, Avast Free 23.5.6066, How to Successfully Install Avast http://goo.gl/VLXdeRepair & Clean Install https://goo.gl/t7aJGq -- My Online Activity https://bit.ly/BobGInternet