Author Topic: Avast Free 17 not updating definitions depending on web wired connection  (Read 11087 times)

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Offline nedo78

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Just like version 17.4.2294 and all the previous 17.x versions, also the recent Avast Free Antivirus 17.5.2302 encounters unknown errors while downloading servers.def.vpx and prod-pgm.vpx (the list is not complete; those two files are the ones I was able to notice but I cannot say for sure that there weren't others).

I really don't understand why apparently Avast developers cannot fix this problem which to a non-expert like me has something to do with their servers and the way Windows XP connects to them to retrieve those files (see this thread in full for details).

Offline Eddy

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Change the DNS to the one from Google and all should work.

Offline nedo78

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Sure, that works (and thanks for that Eddie).
But it is highly sub-optimal.
With Google DNSs Avast Free 12 nicely upgraded to Avast Free 17 but then one has to stick to Google DNSs otherwise the software won't get the regular definitions update.
There was no need to specify a certain DNS with respect to the default ones offered by my ISP (like for instance 81.139.56.100 and 81.139.57.100) while I nicely passed from Avast Free 11 to Avast Free 12 a while ago.
I have no need to stick to Google DNSs with respect to the ones provided by default by my ISP.
I would say that Avast developers should fix this and allow the default DNSs provided by ISPs to be again OK with their Avast Free 17 (and future releases) as it was before.

Offline Eddy

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When it come to this, avast doesn't have to fix anything in their software.
The problem is with the (DNS) servers, not with the av.

Offline nedo78

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Come on mate.
I guess you can get what I wrote above. It's summarized below.

Whatever the tech blunder and whose fault is:
- Avast Free 17 has this problem with certain DNSs from certains ISPs while previous version didn't have this problem
- Other A/V do not have this problem at all
...

Offline bruce_b

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Try checking: Use Nested Virtualization Where Available  .. It is under Settings, Troubleshooting .. This may fix the issue as it is supposed to be used when working a Virtual Machine

Dell Dimension 8200 P4 1.8Ghz Windows XP PRO SP3
Avast Free Antivirus 18.8.2356
Toshiba Satellite C855-S5347 Celeron B830 1.8Ghz
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit Version 1909 Build 18363.900
Avast Free Antivirus 20.4.2410 Build 20.4.5312.578

Offline nedo78

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Hi bruce_b,
no such "Use Nested Virtualization Where Available" setting available for me in 17.5.2302.
And the above one "Enable Hardware-Assisted Virtualization" didn't help either (see at the beginning of this thread).
As one can read above, my problem is that servers.def.vpx and prod-pgm.vpx (and I maybe other files as well) are not downloaded in the presence of DNS servers provided by default by certain ISPs.
Avast Free is the first case where I get this type of behavior...
In the same OS system (and all the other OSs which I use as well) all the other software is not picky at all with respect to the DNS servers provided by default by my ISP...

Offline glnz

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nedo - On my XP machine (which I keep updated with the POS hack), Avast is now at 17.5.2302.  After one of Avast's recent sub-updates, in Troubleshooting, the recent "nested virtualization" subcategory under "Enable hardware-assisted virtualization" disappeared; there is now only "Enable hardware-assisted virtualization".  So that is apparently normal for Avast on an XP machine. 
(However, on my Win 7 Pro 64-bit machine, I still cannot turn on XP Mode unless I UNcheck "Enable hardware-assisted virtualization" in its Avast; that has never been fixed.  This remains so even though the "nested virtualization" subcategory still exists in Win 7 under "Enable hardware-assisted virtualization" with both checked.)

I no longer have a problem getting Avast's updates on any machine.  However, a long time ago, I programmed my router to use the OpenDNS IP addresses for DNS lookup.  That's an added safety step that everyone should take.  You might Google for "OpenDNS in router".  I also run the OpenDNS Updater on my XP machine as a startup item.

Good luck.
« Last Edit: July 09, 2017, 03:53:06 PM by glnz »
Various Dell Optiplexes running XP Pro SP3 32-bit, Win 7 Pro SP1 64-bit and Win 10 Pro 64-bit.  Firefox with security add-ons.

Offline bruce_b

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See the screenshot I posted just above. I have the same 17.5.2302 Avast Free version and it is in there.
* * Just looked at my XP PRO SP3 computer and all it has is: "Enable Hardware Assisted Virtualization" * *
Perhaps you need to Uncheck it for it to work . . . The default is Checked (or enabled)
 If not, then maybe someone from Avast with a bit more knowledge will chime in.
« Last Edit: July 09, 2017, 01:37:24 PM by bruce_b »
Dell Dimension 8200 P4 1.8Ghz Windows XP PRO SP3
Avast Free Antivirus 18.8.2356
Toshiba Satellite C855-S5347 Celeron B830 1.8Ghz
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit Version 1909 Build 18363.900
Avast Free Antivirus 20.4.2410 Build 20.4.5312.578

Offline glnz

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Just to complete this matrix: 
On my XP machine, "Enable hardware-assisted virtualization" is checked, and I AM getting Avast updates.  But, as I noted, my router uses the OpenDNS IP addresses for DNS lookup.

Avast should check that its DNS info has been widely disseminated to all ISPs, or whether there might be some man-in-the-middle attacks going on against Avast.  This is a security issue for Avast itself - to make sure there are no DNS hijackings going on to its servers.
« Last Edit: July 09, 2017, 01:48:41 PM by glnz »
Various Dell Optiplexes running XP Pro SP3 32-bit, Win 7 Pro SP1 64-bit and Win 10 Pro 64-bit.  Firefox with security add-ons.

Offline nedo78

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Hi glnz,
thanks for the info.
As said above I am perfectly able to do everything (that is upgrade Avast Free to the latest version and regularly receive definitions updates for it) by using the Google DNSs suggested by Eddy (and I guess the OpenDNS ones as well).

My point is I don't want to stick to DNSs others than the ones provided by default by my ISP.

Avast Free is the ONLY software SINCE EVER which would force me to do something like that (and I use/used a BUNCH of software which regularly gets/got online updates).
I really see no reason for changing the default DNSs provided by my default ISP.
I instead think Avast should fix this one.

Otherwise Avast should state somewhere in their OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION that their A/V might not work with all the DNSs provided by default by some ISPs (while ALL the other software apparently does not have this limitation)...
Is something like that reported somewhere in their official docs?...

Offline bruce_b

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You would need to do a Tracert to the IP where Avast downloads it's definitions from. Then submit the report either to your ISP and perhaps also to Avast so they can see where the connection is failing. Once that is known, then they can fix it.
You can look at the file on your computer to see where in your part of the world Avast goes for the definitions.

server.def file contain the servers accessed by avast
Dell Dimension 8200 P4 1.8Ghz Windows XP PRO SP3
Avast Free Antivirus 18.8.2356
Toshiba Satellite C855-S5347 Celeron B830 1.8Ghz
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit Version 1909 Build 18363.900
Avast Free Antivirus 20.4.2410 Build 20.4.5312.578

Offline Eddy

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Problem can be that the servers listed are changing constantly.

Better is to monitor the data traffic and check to what exact server avast is trying to connect when it tries to update/get a new VPS.

Offline nedo78

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So why is it Avast Free 12 not affected by this, in the presence of exactly the same DNSs which block Avast Free 17 stuff?

Offline Eddy

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When avast 12 was around (almost) no IPV6 was used.