having issue trying to update

[suzyg20]

Everytime I try to run an update I get this error message:

Information about current update:
Last encountered error: The system cannot find the path specified.

Total time: 15 s

HELP!

Thanks!

[Lisandro]

Which is the full path of the avast installation?
Generally: C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\

Can you post the last (50) lines of the following log files?

C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\log\Setup.log
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\setup.log

Besides this: which is your operational system, firewall, other security programs, etc.

[suzyg20]

05.12.2006 20:12:27 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server 'FailSafeServer' from 'main'
05.12.2006 20:12:27 general: SelectCurrent: unable to find any suitable server in 'main'
05.12.2006 20:12:27 internet: while trying to get file 'servers.def.vpu', error 0x00000003 has occured, try 1
05.12.2006 20:12:27 internet: tried 1 servers to get file 'servers.def.vpu', but failed (0x00000003)
05.12.2006 20:12:27 file: GetNewerStampedFile:GetFileWithRetry failed: C:\DOCUME~1\Susan\LOCALS~1\Temp\_av_proI.tm~a02868\onefile, servers.def.vpu, error: 0x00000003
05.12.2006 20:12:27 package: Download servers.def, servers.def.vpu failed with error 0x20000011.
05.12.2006 20:12:27 general: compatCopyFile( C:\DOCUME~1\Susan\LOCALS~1\Temp\_av_sfx.tm~a01864\servers.def, C:\DOCUME~1\Susan\LOCALS~1\Temp\_av_proI.tm~a02868\onefile ) failed with error 0x00000003
05.12.2006 20:12:27 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server 'FailSafeServer' from 'main'
05.12.2006 20:12:27 general: SelectCurrent: unable to find any suitable server in 'main'
05.12.2006 20:12:27 internet: while trying to get file 'servers.def', error 0x00000003 has occured, try 1
05.12.2006 20:12:27 internet: tried 1 servers to get file 'servers.def', but failed (0x00000003)
05.12.2006 20:12:27 file: GetNewerStampedFile:GetFileWithRetry failed: C:\DOCUME~1\Susan\LOCALS~1\Temp\_av_proI.tm~a02868\onefile, servers.def, error: 0x00000003
05.12.2006 20:12:27 package: Tried to download servers.def but failed with error 0x00000003.
05.12.2006 20:12:27 general: progress end - 1
05.12.2006 20:12:27 general: progress end - 0
05.12.2006 20:12:27 general: progress thread end
05.12.2006 20:12:27 general: Err:The system cannot find the path specified.

that's the best I could do.
I'm running XP and I have ZoneAlarm and Spybot Search & Destroy installed as well

[DavidR]

In your log details Windows error 00000003 = The system cannot find the path specified, which confirms the original error.

Try a repair of avast. Add Remove programs, select 'avast! Anti-Virus,' click the Change/Remove button and scroll down to Repair, click next and follow. You need to be on-line to do this.

The servers.def file would appear to be corrupt or 0KB or missing, C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\servers.def . You can try and download the servers.def file, http://files.avast.com/iavs4x/servers.def (right click the link and select Save As or Save Target As, save to your HDD) and replace the original. Instructions and location in this post http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=504.msg169873#msg169873. Or delete the servers.def file and try a manual update, it should download another copy.

[alanrf]

Replying to DavidR

The servers.def file would appear to be corrupt or 0KB or missing

Sorry David, it is none of those.

Read the log - it says it cannot download the servers.def file.

We've been here before (many times - many, many times).

Something here is preventing the avast update process from working properly.

The palliatives suggested may help,  probably better to suggest the delay avast update option.


Reply to suzyg20

Are you up to date on Windows updates?

Might you be using Windows Defender on your system?

Do you use any system "clean up" utility like CCleaner?

[Lisandro]

Something here is preventing the avast update process from working properly.

Sometimes, Windows updates, sometimes, Windows Defender... sometimes the services dependences...

Do you use any system "clean up" utility like CCleaner?

Why would this interfer? 

[DavidR]

@ alanrf
Yes I saw that, but I also thought it used the servers.def in the setup folder, if missing or corrupt then download it as a fall back.

05.12.2006 20:12:27 general: InvalidateCurrent: invalidated server 'FailSafeServer' from 'main'
05.12.2006 20:12:27 general: SelectCurrent: unable to find any suitable server in 'main'

This is were I assumed it couldn't use the existing servers.def.

I don't think delaying the update will have much of an effect as suzyg20 stated it didn't work whenever she tried.

Everytime I try to run an update I get this error message

So I assume this means she ran a manual update, but I guess we will need some more answers from suzyg20.

[alanrf]

David & Tech

while I have to agree with the avast team that there is not "one issue" that contributes to the update failures ... there is something or somethings out there we can get to grips with ... it just takes some work and it just bugs the heck out of me.  The avast team (understandably) want to focus on the new stuff that will move avast forward, I want to kill a problem that still seems to affect far too many users.

This particular problem (The system cannot find the path specified) seems to be quite specific.   It means, typically, that avast has tried each server and failed, it deletes each server from the servers.def (logically if not physically) as it fails each of them.  It gets to the end - finding it has an empty servers.def file - and tries to download a new copy of the servers.def file and fails.  Of course, all of these downloads are expected to be into the system defined temporary Windows folder and, finding the file not there it finally gives the message "The system cannot find the path specified".       

I have already established (to my satisfaction - if nobody else's) that during throttling of Windows update functions in the monthly Windows update cycle avast can experience problems in updating in less powerful systems.  I am seeing this become a more chronic problem in less powerful systems as time goes on (something I doubt affects the developers of avast - software developers, as I know all too well, can always persuade the purse-holders that they must have the most up to date equipment on their desks).

Windows Defender, now that I am running it on my system, I see is just the latest addition to the Windows update functionality.

CCleaner is just an example of one of those pieces of software that (quite understandably) geeks - yes, most of us contributing regularly here are geeks - see as essential system maintenance.  But, it runs at startup and can affect the use of temporary files (which it is trying to cleanup) at startup when avast is trying to create temporary files as part of the avast update process.

I think that the avast team could probably do us (and themselves) a great favor by deciding that avast update functions would only proceed (say) 5 or 10 minutes after system startup (or network establishment) when all the other "must run at system startup" functions have largely quiesced.   There could be a UI option to say "run updates immediately at startup" for those folks who like to turn on their systems and then go make/buy coffee or go to the bathroom ... whatever. 

I rather suspect we would see considerably less time spent on update issues in this forum.

[kubecj]

Avast setup does not delete servers from the servers.def file. In fact nobody except the 'release generator' on HQ computer can do that.

Sorry, but I still haven't found a 'bug' in a setup process. Most of the problems described here are recurring - wrong settings of firewall, wrong settings of proxy, sometimes process blocking or so.

There was some bug with empty servers.def file, but I believe it was fixed by colleague few releases ago.

[alanrf]

kubecj

Then kind sir please note I said logically if not physically and explain why your software, having failed to make contact with every server in the servers.def file, then tries to download a new copy of it (and fails).

Please explain why it fails at that point in this particular case (The system cannot find the path specified) and works a few minutes later when the user does a manual update on the same system.

 

[alanrf]

By the way ... I hope that internally to avast you had a good explanation for the empty servers.def file ... you certainly never let us in on that little screw-up .. or was that the user's fault too?

[alanrf]

Tech & David

you read it in this thread - kubecj told us you need never recommend downloading the servers.def file again.

[Lisandro]

CCleaner is just an example of one of those pieces of software that (quite understandably) geeks - yes, most of us contributing regularly here are geeks - see as essential system maintenance.  But, it runs at startup and can affect the use of temporary files (which it is trying to cleanup) at startup when avast is trying to create temporary files as part of the avast update process.

avast temporary file is avast.setup which is never deleted by CCleaner as it is not placed in any temporary folder... so... are you sure that CCleaner will interfere even when automatically run at startup? I can't understand.

I think that the avast team could probably do us (and themselves) a great favor by deciding that avast update functions would only proceed (say) 5 or 10 minutes after system startup (or network establishment) when all the other "must run at system startup" functions have largely quiesced.   There could be a UI option to say "run updates immediately at startup" for those folks who like to turn on their systems and then go make/buy coffee or go to the bathroom ... whatever.

I will never suggest this as a security solution? 5 or 10 minutes? Why?
There is an option to delay the update by the avast4.ini file. They could make a GUI, for sure it will be easier.

Tech & David
you read it in this thread - kubecj told us you need never recommend downloading the servers.def file again.

Can you rephrase? Doing that solve a lot of updates troubles in the past.
Is Kubecj recommending to do not download it? Where?
You can download servers.def from here: http://download1.avast.com/iavs4x/servers.def
As far as I know there have been significant changes since version 4.7.871 handles the servers.def, and respective problems related with it.
It was a boring problem in the past... http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=22073.0

[kubecj]

kubecj

Then kind sir please note I said logically if not physically and explain why your software, having failed to make contact with every server in the servers.def file, then tries to download a new copy of it (and fails).

Please explain why it fails at that point in this particular case (The system cannot find the path specified) and works a few minutes later when the user does a manual update on the same system.

Please provide me with the log and I will explain you the behaviour.
But setup definitely tries to download new servers.def file as the first operation. If it has no connection, it will fail 80+ times. There is nonzero possibility that the network error is misinterpreted as 'file not found' or something like that.

The empty servers.def _was_ a bug, but was fixed few releases ago.
If somebody still has occassional problem with it, there _no_ reccomendation against  'fixing' avast by downloading servers.def from our server.

[Lisandro]

If somebody still has occassional problem with it, there _no_ reccomendation against  'fixing' avast by downloading servers.def from our server.

Thanks