Is the package still broken?

[sijon1]

I have had avast! 4 Home Edition installed and running for
a few days. The automatic update had succeeded two times
but then the next update reported error: "... The package is
broken". Then, before I had tried any repair (which I was
adviced to do) another automatic update was done and with
no errors this time.

Is everything OK now, or do I still have to do a repair?
Is it possible to see if the database is in the right state?

My network connection requires login every morning,
I have to bring up Internet Explorer and login before
the network can be accessed. This takes a few seconds.
Can this disturb the automatic update?

Best regards,
Sven Ingvar

[DavidR]

The repair should only need to be done once if it resolves the problem.

What type of connection do you have, dial-up or broadband ?

If the connection isn't dully established the auto update check may fail as it can't connect to the servers so it may be best to extend the duration before the auto update check.

This can be don by editing the avast4.ini file, C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Data\avast4.ini assuming you installed avast in the default location.

Find the [InetWD] section:
For Dial-up add the line RASWaitSeconds=60, if it does exist change the value to 60 (one minutes)

For Broadband add the line AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=60, if it does exist change the value to 60 (one minute)

[InetWD]
RASWaitSeconds=60
OR
AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=60

[sijon1]

Thank you! I will try the modification you suggested
for a broadband connection.

But it so happened that the last update succeeded before
I had done any repair at all. Is a repair necessary in this
case?

Best regards,
Sven Ingvar

[DavidR]

The package failure error is something different to an update failure associated with a connection issue.

If there was a reboot after the package error that may have resolved it so I would say there is no need now as you aren't getting an error that a repair may resolve. However, trying a repair won't hurt anything.

Welcome to the forums.

[sijon1]

I did not find any [InetWD] section in the file so
I tried the "Ask when update is available" option
and it seems to work fine!
Sven Ingvar

[DavidR]

There should be an [InetWD] section and it should have at the least:

UpdatePeriod=240
AssumeAlwaysConnected=1 (this if you have set Update (Connections) to My computer is permanently connected to the Internet)
OR
UseRAS=1 (I only connect to the Internet using a dial-up modem)

If there is no [InetWD] section you could adjust any of these Program Settings and it should create it, there is nothing to stop you creating it either. It comes after the [Simple] (or [Chest] section if you have modified the default settings) and before the [Quick] section, though I don't believe the order is and issue provided you don't place it in the middle of a section.

[sijon1]

There should be an [InetWD] section and it should have at the least:

UpdatePeriod=240
AssumeAlwaysConnected=1 (this if you have set Update (Connections) to My computer is permanently connected to the Internet)
OR
UseRAS=1 (I only connect to the Internet using a dial-up modem)

If there is no [InetWD] section you could adjust any of these Program Settings and it should create it, there is nothing to stop you creating it either. It comes after the [Simple] (or [Chest] section if you have modified the default settings) and before the [Quick] section, though I don't believe the order is and issue provided you don't place it in the middle of a section.

OK, I have added the line AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=60
as well as chosen the option "Ask when update is available"
and now it seems as if the updates can be performed without
errors. Thank you!

If there has been an update error "The package is broken" and
then the update succeeds the next time, what happens then?
Is the the unsuccessful update repaired with the successful
update or is there something missing in the database?

[DavidR]

If you get the package is broken, I would as a matter of course try a repair and if it still reports package broken, try a reboot. The final step a reinstall - uninstall, reboot, install, reboot.

A repair will validate avast and try to rectify any problem it might find (it may not find a problem), so successful repair report should resolve a package is broken, but nothing in life is guaranteed (except ***** and taxes) so you may have to take other steps.

There really are too many permutations to what may cause a package is broken, I'm just an avast user like you and I'm not privy to those.