Cannot Update Signatures in AVAST Free 17.4.2294

[REDACTED]

I recently noticed that my Avast Free antivirus 17.4.2294 was not updating its antivirus signatures. I tried changing various settings but to no avail. I then uninstalled using the Avast Clear tool and tried to reinstall but the installation failed, so downloaded and installed the offline installer. The installation appeared to go well, but I still can't update. I get the errors in the images below - downloading servers.def.vpx - then "unknown error"

I'm running alongside Malwarebytes 3 premium latest build and CryptoPrevent 8 - I was running these together until recently without apparent problems. Could anybody suggest what I could do to resolve the situation? Thanks in advance

[Pondus]

Server may be offline

Does avast give any errors, saying it is not updated?

Do you recive stream updates?

[REDACTED]

High Pondus, thanks for your interest. I may be that I'm being stupid, I was getting a notification that definitions were out of date and then the error messages I posted above - but now, when I click on Update, I see the information posted in the attached image 5 -so does that mean I'm up to date? In the About Avast screen, I see the attached image info image 6. I thought that suggested a signature file dated in May, but perhaps I'm misreading it?

[Eddy]

No you are not up-to-date.
Look at the date of the VPS and what date it is on the calender.

[REDACTED]

OK, I'm not as stupid as I thought - I wondered if I was misreading the date, but obviously not. After trying to update again, I eventually got the message in the image 7 below. Could you suggest what steps I might take to put this right?

[Eddy]

Check the log files and see if there is anything in one (or more) of them that could be related to the problem.
Without it, we can only guess.

If I would have to that, I would say the Gremlins have gotten wet

[REDACTED]

I never get my gremlins wet - I had just hoped for some advice on where to start looking. But hey, ho.......

[Eddy]

Well, start with checking the log files.

[REDACTED]

Well, start with checking the log files.

I did start with checking the log files - can't spot anything. It seems I'd be better asking for advice elsewhere, I'm sorry to have troubled you.

[Eddy]

Without information there is not much what we can do for you.

Change the DNS in your router to the one Google provides and check if it changes things.

[REDACTED]

My router and local DNS settings were already set to Google's. I supplied the error messages I received and details of the other security software installed. I omitted that I am running W7 Home Premium x64. Nothing jumps out at me in the logs.

I did find a satisfactory solution though - I ran the Avast uninstaller again and downloaded and installed Bitdefender,  which updates to the latest signatures without complaint.

[Eddy]

That is not a solution but a workaround.