Virus Definitions Invalid date

[Ttail]

Trying to update my Virus definitions. When I do I get the following

Virus definitions are up to date
Release date was invalid date
(Ver.200414-0)

So what is the significance of this ? how do I fix it ?

[DavidR]

What does it show in your C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\defs folders ?

Does you defs folder match what you have posted ?
If so try am manual Engines and Virus Definitions update (from the avast tray icon).

If it still reports you are up to date, try an Avast Repair.
Avast UI, Menu > Settings > General > Troubleshooting - Repair App.  After the repair, restart your system and check again.

[Ttail]

I have just updated AVAST definitions. the version number has changed but the Invalid date message is still there it now reads:

Virus definitions are up to date
Release date was Invalid date
(ver.200415-0)



So what does the line Release date was invalid date mean.

[DavidR]

I think this could be a time zone bug (possibly), I think I have seen this before in the forums recently.  What is your Time Zone?
You could try the Avast Repair I mentioned before.

If the defs sub-folder matches what it says in the interface I (personally) wouldn't be too concerned, so long as I'm getting the updates. 

I don't see any streaming updates in your image.  Are your virus updates set to Automatic and Streaming updates set to Enable ?

[rocksteady]

There have been several reports of this problem since the last version update. Some of us have managed to get this normalised by doing a manual update of defs via the UI "Update". May need a PC "Restart" (not shut-down - startup) for good measure.

[Ttail]

I only have Automatic update enabled. Not Streaming. Will try streaming as well. Time Zone is UTC +10

[DavidR]

I only have Automatic update enabled. Not Streaming. Will try streaming as well. Time Zone is UTC +10

Streaming updates is meant to be a default action (only when virus updates are enabled), why yours is off I can't say (user adjusted perhaps) ?

I would say you should enable it as you get very frequent, small updates (3KB or so), this keeps ypu up to date virus database wise until you get the next Engines and Virus Definitions update.

[Zitrus]

Same thing with Avast on my PC since two days.
I did several repairs and restarts and deinstallation and new installation of Avast Free Antivirus - always the same.
I think it's no problem with my computer since i have done nothing important when this problem arrived - must be up to Avast Free Antivirus.

[bob3160]

I don't see it here,

[Zitrus]

I've now uninstalled Avast Free Antivirus for the 3rd time, this time in addition to the native uninstaller extra with avastclear.exe. And then after a new PC restart in save mode, I deleted all the folders created by Avast. After a new (conflicting) installation of Avast, the virus definitions are now correctly displayed as up to date.

What I still disapprove of very much is that Avast has taken control of Firefox's certificate management and that this cannot be stopped by switching off HTTPS + QUIC/HTTP3 scanning in the Avast settings under Web shield.

In addition, the attempt to install Avast this time with the offline installer did not work - only led to error messages when trying to call the installed Avast - it only worked then with the old online installer avast_free_antivirus_setup.exe with date August 19, 2016.

Postscript:
The reason for the whole mess with the notificatons about invalid date of the definitions was so far unclear to me. I hadn't made the slightest change to my computer and Windows configuration before and when it occurred.
I have now looked at the timeline again - it started pretty exactly with the update from Avast version 19 to version 20. The thing about the attack on Firefox started just before that with one of the last versions 19.

[rocksteady]

Have you tried clicking [Check for updates]? as I mentioned in my earlier reply#4.
That seemed to get my automatoc def updates and dates working again. (unless it was a coincidence).

[Zitrus]

Have you tried clicking [Check for updates]? ...

After a new (conflicting) installation of Avast, the virus definitions are now correctly displayed as up to date.
But even before this new installation I tried everything possible, even to click "[Check for updates]" several times - without success!
Only the 3rd un-installation and radical removal of Avast in the file system and the subsequent (conflict-ridden) re-installation brought success.
... Avast's stubbornness has wasted too much of my time and this has been the most blatant negative culmination of difficulties with Avast Free Antivirus for me so far...

[DavidR]

I will look for another antivirus program because Avast's stubbornness has wasted too much of my time and this has been the most blatant negative culmination of difficulties with Avast Free Antivirus for me so far.

What is this Avast stubbornness that you speak of ?

Those that have responded (promptly) in this topic are Avast users just like yourself.
Have you tried to contacted Avast by another method (support ticket, etc.) ?

[Zitrus]

What is this Avast stubbornness that you speak of ?

I didn't want to annoy anyone with this criticism in this forum, sorry
By stubbornness I meant, among other things, that all attempts to repair the invalid definitions date by clicking "check for updates" failed. That "repair app" in "setting"/"troubleshooting" was also unsuccessful. That normal un-installation and re-installation didn't change anything. At last the un-installation, then avastclear.exe, then the removal of all of Avast's folders and files and then the following re-installation was successful.
And even this new installation did not work with the offline-setup: trying to open the surface of the newly installed Avast only resulted in an error message. Only the online setup with "avast_free_antivirus_setup.exe" (file date 2016-08-19) then led to the goal.
And that Avast-FAV does not take over my saved settings even after several attempts - I have to enter it again manually.
I don't want to write about previous minor problems now, there were, but they could be solved more quickly.
All of this cost me several hours. The cause of these errors is not with me, because I had not changed the slightest thing about my computer constellation before the errors occurred, except for the automatic update from Avast 19 to 20
Isn't it understandable that I am angry that a piece of software caused me a lot of trouble? But it is of course in no way directed against the members of this forum.

Those that have responded (promptly) in this topic are Avast users just like yourself.
Have you tried to contacted Avast by another method (support ticket, etc.) ?

I know that this is a forum of Avast users - a good and helpful one. And I thank everyone who wanted to help me with their answers. I am sorry if in my annoyance I might have formulated the criticism of Avast Free Antivirus v20 in such a way that someone in the forum had to feel addressed. Sorry for that - it wasn't meant to be. It should only be a criticism of this antivirus software. But it is true, these passages in which I expressed my anger have do do nothing here, in a forum of users - so I will remove this from my posts.

I didn't contact Avast because I think a forum is faster.

Sorry again and meanwhile my Avast FAV is working so far.

[Asyn]

Side note, you can submit your feedback in "About Avast".