Cannot connect to download66.avast.com

[Lisandro]

Why you think it will go away in a few days?

Gremlins 

To update troubles, basically, check:

1) If the servers.def file is corrupt or 0KB (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 and replace the one in the avast setup folder.

2) If your subscription allows the update right now (i.e., if it is not expired).

3) If your firewall settings and allow avast.setup to connect.
    If you're not sure, just turn off your firewall (to be sure the update failure is not due to it).
    Maybe you should 'remove' avast.setup entry, try to update, receiving a new alert from the firewall, allowing it and checking it to remember.

4)  Check your proxy settings into avast!:
     Left click the avast icon > Settings
     Update (Basic) > Details > Proxy
     Make sure your browser is not set to "Work Offline" (this option is generally in the File menu).
     If it doesn't help, try switching from "Auto-detect" to "No proxy" (I'm assuming you're not connecting to the Internet via proxy).
     You can run proxycfg -d in a DOS window to make your computer connect direct, without proxy. You can run proxycfg -h for help.

[alanrf]

Tech,

I know you are not a developer of avast but ... just applying some logic.

The user has stated - this time round on the problem and almost exactly 2 months ago for the exact same problem that manual VPS updates work fine.

If manual updates work fine (and the user has told us that no changes are made between startup and performing a successful manual update) then how:

can the servers.def file be corrupted?

can the firewall permissions be preventing access for the automatic update but not the manual update?

can a proxy (that the user says this time and last time does not exist) only affect the automatic update?


daddymo3

Why do I think it might just go away?

Because you told us that you did nothing and the problem just started happening.
Because you had an identical problem exactly 2 months ago and although you followed Tech's advice to re-download the servers.def file I doubt that really did anything to fix the problem then and ...

see my comments here:

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=25511.msg208686#msg208686

[Lisandro]

can the servers.def file be corrupted?

It can. It does. avast will download the entire file, something happens, the download get corrupted...

can the firewall permissions be preventing access for the automatic update but not the manual update?

I see the parent application, any different rule, a firewall update...

can a proxy (that the user says this time and last time does not exist) only affect the automatic update?

Well... I think not.

[alanrf]

Sorry Tech, but your suggestions - to me - stretch credibility.

can the servers.def file be corrupted?

It can. It does. avast will download the entire file, something happens, the download get corrupted...

Sorry, if the user can do a manual update ... I'm not buying that story.

can the firewall permissions be preventing access for the automatic update but not the manual update?

I see the parent application, any different rule, a firewall update...

It is the same application in avast doing the connection for both, parent application is irrelevant ... can't buy that one either.

[Lisandro]

Sorry Tech, but your suggestions - to me - stretch credibility.

I'm not here to share credibility. If there is a problem, there is a problem.

Sorry, if the user can do a manual update ... I'm not buying that story.

Neither I'm defending avast. Just I don't know what is happening. The only difference between manual and auto updates should be that avast.setup is spawned directly by the application from which you invoked the update. In the auto update case, however, avast.setup is executed by ashServ.exe, the avast service. The service runs under the LocalSystem account, i.e., not under the account the user is currently logged on.

This changed in the latest build. In the previous versions, all avast.setup's were being executed by aswUpdSv.exe - the 'avast iAVS4 Control Service'. This service is used only when invoking manual updates from non-administrative accounts.

[alanrf]

Tech,

you are a contributor without parallel here, my comments are not intended, in any way, as a personal attack on you.

Neither I'm defending avast. Just I don't know what is happening

That's very honest ... and I want to be very clear that I think that avast has nothing to defend and I am not attacking avast.

I believe that, for some users, there are instances when avast is being prevented from performing its normal startup processing.  If I knew precisely the conditions in which this happens I could, no doubt, play the hero by coming up with the answer.  I do not know precisely the conditions.

The only reason I got involved in this issue was because one of the folks I support had and could easily reproduce this issue during Windows update week.  We have taken care of that by delaying the start of the Windows Automatic Update service on his system - thus allowing avast startup to complete without competition from that - no more avast update problems.   

However, I do strongly believe that avast should not be making a problem of this kind a concern for the user.  How about the concept of fault tolerance?  We have seen quite a few reports here where automatic updates at startup report failure and then the user can perform a manual update minutes later.

How about avast working this way?

I cannot perform my update, how about I wait and try again in a couple/few minutes.  If I still cannot perform my updates then I will concern the user.

[jimmmy47]

Hello, just got in the forum and I want to ask something about Avast.  I just downloaded the free home edition and it seems to be working fine although I have not deleted nor disabled my McAfee antivirus.   This morning on Connected to the web I got a Warning Internet Mail Virus with no delete option only send and don t send , then I performed a scan and found nothing.   What is this if anyone can help, it would be very much appreciated.           thanx for your time  ,jm47

[alanrf]

jimmmy47

welcome to the avast forum.

Your post appears to have nothing at all to do with this thread. 

Please see the "New topic" button on this page as a way to get your concern discussed rather than confusing this discussion.

[Lisandro]

Tech, you are a contributor without parallel here, my comments are not intended, in any way, as a personal attack on you.

I never think so... Just that this update issue is without answers, I mean, official answers and I myself can't guess anything different.
It's ok between you and I 

That's very honest ... and I want to be very clear that I think that avast has nothing to defend and I am not attacking avast.

Ok... maybe the way I've posted before could show some 'angry' for my side... it's not. There is an issue... I can't find a solution... Alwil is not helping us on this one 

The only reason I got involved in this issue was because one of the folks I support had and could easily reproduce this issue during Windows update week.  We have taken care of that by delaying the start of the Windows Automatic Update service on his system - thus allowing avast startup to complete without competition from that - no more avast update problems.

I have the same problems while Windows is automatic updating... from time to time... avast updates goes very slowly or crash sometimes...

How about the concept of fault tolerance? 

What is that?

[daddymo3]

I just tried,#1 of reply #15(changing the servers.def file)
I hope I did it right.(copy and paste)
The other 2 options were already tried.
Let me know if copy and paste is an acceptable way to change the file.

thanx again for all responses

[Lisandro]

Let me know if copy and paste is an acceptable way to change the file.

Copy and paste should work... but I suppose you've donwloaded a new file and overwrite the old one.

Please, post the last 50-80 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

[DavidR]

As Tech mentions copy and paste should work, you should however, have noticed windows would have asked 'do you want to ever write the existing file' or words to that effect. If you didn't then you probably haven't changed the old one.

[upland]

Hi
I had the same trouble.  The only fix I could find was to turn off the firewall as briefly as possible (took 3 minutes) and do the upload of the new definitions then turn the firewall back on.
Guinea pig

[Lisandro]

Hi
I had the same trouble.  The only fix I could find was to turn off the firewall as briefly as possible (took 3 minutes) and do the upload of the new definitions then turn the firewall back on.
Guinea pig

Which firewall do you use?
If you configure well the firewall, it should work... you don't have to disable it...