My W2k server thinks it's a SBS Server

[ScottInFlorida]

I just bought a copy of Avast for Windows Server today and received my license.dat file in email in about 2 seconds...cool!

After installing the license.dat file on my Windows 2000 Server without Exchange, (it's just a plain old file and print server, no special tasks), I tried to update my Avast and got an error message.  It said that I had a license for an SBS server and that it was invalid for my server.

Opening the license.dat file in Notepad showed an entry for Windows Server.

Any thoughts on this because I'm pretty stumped!

Thanks in advance.

S>

[DavidR]

Sorry I'm not an avast server user, perhaps sales @ avast.com without the spaces (obviously) should be able to confirm exactly what you need and hopefully be able to correct it if needs be.

I'm just about to call it a night, 1:34 a.m. here.

[ScottInFlorida]

Thanks, DavidR.

I gave up awhile back trying to contact Avast sales at the email address.  I bet I've sent them 10 emails over the past two years and never received a reply.  I usually get better luck here.

Thanks again!

[Lisandro]

I bet I've sent them 10 emails over the past two years and never received a reply.

Shame on avast support...
Hope they pay attention to this forum thread.

[ScottInFlorida]

To be fair to support I just sent the following to them.  I'll let the forum know what the results are.

=======================================================

I purchased Avast for Windows server yesterday and installed the license.dat file.     Attached is my license.dat file.

Now, when I update the program or the definitions I get this error message:


 


Here is the log:

06.06.2007 08:14:17 general: Started: 06.06.2007, 08:14:17
06.06.2007 08:14:17 general: Running setup_av_srv-2d6 (726)
06.06.2007 08:14:17 system: Operating system: Windows2000 ver 5.0, build 2195, sp 4.0 [Service Pack 4] SERVER
06.06.2007 08:14:17 system: Computer WinName: AFC-FS2
06.06.2007 08:14:17 system: Windows Net User: AFC\administrator
06.06.2007 08:14:17 general: Cmdline: /downloadpkgs /noreboot /silent /progress 
06.06.2007 08:14:17 general: DldSrc set to inet
06.06.2007 08:14:17 general: Operation set to INST_OP_UPDATE_GET_PACKAGES
06.06.2007 08:14:17 general: Old version: 2d6 (726)
06.06.2007 08:14:17 system: Computer DnsName: afc-fs2.AFC.local
06.06.2007 08:14:17 system: Computer Ip Addr: 192.168.0.18
06.06.2007 08:14:17 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
06.06.2007 08:14:17 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
06.06.2007 08:14:17 package: Part prg_av_srv-2d6 is installed
06.06.2007 08:14:17 package: Part vps-74700 is installed
06.06.2007 08:14:17 package: Part news-4b is installed
06.06.2007 08:14:17 package: Part setup_av_srv-2d6 is installed
06.06.2007 08:14:17 general: Old version: 2d6 (726)
06.06.2007 08:14:17 file: SetExistingFilesBitmap: 312->162->162
06.06.2007 08:14:17 general: GUID: 49cdc423-57c9-4525-ab9c-4eb421882a9c
06.06.2007 08:14:18 general: Server definition(s) loaded for 'main': 125 (maintenance:0)
06.06.2007 08:14:18 general: SelectCurrent: selected server 'Download21 AVAST server' from 'main'
06.06.2007 08:14:18 package: GetPackages - set proxy for inet
06.06.2007 08:14:18 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
06.06.2007 08:14:18 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
06.06.2007 08:14:18 general: Entered SetupProcessWin32Avast::Do( INST_OP_UPDATE_GET_PACKAGES )
06.06.2007 08:14:18 general: Entered SetupProcessWin32::Do( INST_OP_UPDATE_GET_PACKAGES )
06.06.2007 08:14:18 general: Entered SetupProcess::Do( INST_OP_UPDATE_GET_PACKAGES )
06.06.2007 08:14:18 general: progress thread start
06.06.2007 08:14:18 general: progress start - 1
06.06.2007 08:14:18 general: progress start - 2
06.06.2007 08:14:18 general: Used server: http://download21.avast.com/iavs4x
06.06.2007 08:14:18 general: Server definition(s) loaded for 'main': 125 (maintenance:0)
06.06.2007 08:14:18 general: SelectCurrent: selected server 'Download31 AVAST server' from 'main'
06.06.2007 08:14:18 package: GetPackages - set proxy for inet
06.06.2007 08:14:18 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
06.06.2007 08:14:18 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
06.06.2007 08:14:18 general: Used server: http://download31.avast.com/iavs4x
06.06.2007 08:14:18 general: Used server: http://download31.avast.com/iavs4x
06.06.2007 08:14:19 general: Err:avast! SBS license can be used on Windows Smallbusiness Server only, not on full Windows Server system.


S>
Scott W. Cook
Sarasota Technology Partners
8437 Tuttle Ave., Suite 343
Sarasota, FL  34243
(941) 350-7726
http://www.sarasotatechnology.com
Are your computer systems and data prepared for a disaster?
http://www.mesda.com/newsletter/01/November/200111Cook.aspx

[Lisandro]

avast! SBS license can be used on Windows Smallbusiness Server only, not on full Windows Server system.

I think the problem is quite clear.
You don't fit the system requirements for the avast! SBS version. You have Windows 2000 Server and you suppose to have Windows Smallbusiness Server.
Maybe sales@avast.com com help you on 'changing' your license from one type to another, I mean, change the avast product.
Well, this is what I'm understanding of the problem. Maybe I'm wrong. I'm not a server user.

[ScottInFlorida]

Thanks for reply Tech, and I agree, the problem is clear.

I specifically bought a license for Windows Server, not SBS.  Maybe they sent me the wrong license.dat file?  That very well may be so.

I know the difference between the two products and was very careful to purchase the correct version.  After all, Avast for Windows Servers is $399.00, pretty hard to make a mistake on that.

[DavidR]

I bet I've sent them 10 emails over the past two years and never received a reply.

Shame on avast support...
Hope they pay attention to this forum thread.

I would say it is very unusual not to get a quick response from sales, we have seen it in many forum posts where we suggested contacting sales. We have also seen occasions where despite emails sent by avast.com not getting through to the originator's email address (anti-spam blocking, etc.).

If you have another email address from a different domain name and see if that gets through from sales and your reply. Though as Tech mentions and you recognise, you appear to have the wrong version and sales would be the ones to try and resolve this problem.

[ScottInFlorida]

Tech, I'll forward my email that I sent to support to the sales group and see if I can get a response.

You can see in my screencap that the Avast was very specific on who I should contact, "support@avast.com".



Again, I'll contact sales and see what they thing.

Thanks, Tech....personally, I think this problem is a bug.

[Lisandro]

Maybe they sent me the wrong license.dat file?

Probably... or a bug as you've said...

[ScottInFlorida]

Almost 12 hours since I emailed support and still, no reply.

I guess nothing has changed at Avast.

Great product, crappy support. :'(

[kubecj]

Scott, I see two mails from you, both yesterday on 2PM and 8PM. You were sent the reply on 11AM today. (I'm mentioning our local time relative to CEST zone).

The second one (mail to sales) was processed in less than 3 hours, taking in regard our timezone and usual working hours.

EDIT: The above was just mentioned as an ACK that we're receiving your mails and even replying to them (ie. I just ruled out technical issues on our end, as an admin). See below for Justin's 'sales' explanation.

[justinb]

Hi,

I think there are a couple of issues here:

1. We are getting your email, and replying. You are not getting those replies. Obviously it is beyond our abilities to configure your antispam and / or other filtering technologies.

2. It appears you have made multiple purchases for your clients under your email address, which has drawn to our attention a problem with how we aggregate licenses to a "single customer".

Specifically, our licenses (under the terms and conditions of the end user license agreement and our reseller partnerships) are supposed to be licensed to the end user of the license, not a "reseller" or intermediate consultant, who, under standard third party contract law cannot agree on behalf of a customer to the end user license agreement.

Under that basis, licesne files are aggregated to a single customer (in our registration system this was you); and therefore, the multiple disparate purchases were aggregated into one license file, which it appears did then not work for your system installation.

I have asked our product team to look into that for future release repair; however, as the usage pattern you have used was never designed to be supported (for the reasons stated), I would also recommend that you either become an affiliate or reseller and then license the license files to the end user of the product, which would avoid the multiple disparate aggregations seen in this case.

I am, however, sorry that you experienced the issues that you have, and hope, via our sales group contact with you (which I understand you have received) be able to solve this rapidly.

Please be sure to add avast.com and asw.cz to your email whitelist (or contacts), to make sure you get correspondence from us.

Regards,

Justin.

Justin Bellinger
Worldwide Operations Manager
ALWIL Software a.s.