unable to update Avast version 4.7 Home Edition

[lakrsrool]

Thanks Tech for the reply. 

Okay, makes just as much sense for Avast to update the web page when a new version is built but I'll go with that. 

You can't do everything at the same time. If the webpage is the first, will be worse.

Understood however not to be picky  but it is just that the VPS version is over 24 hours old now and the Web Page still has the prior version as current.

Also one other point is that since my AUTOMATIC update does not work and if the Avast web page is actually not current even up until a 24 hour period then it would mean to me that I would not be able to rely on this to know when and if I need to do a MANUAL VPS update and as a result would have to simply run a MANUAL VPS update possibly every hour or so that I am on the net in the event that a new VPS version is availble in order to be current as far as protection is concerned.  Clearly an inconvenience that I hope can soon be solved.

Possibly reset's registry "flag" settings on MANUAL VPS updates

avast never does this.

Thanks for the info, I won't bother to wait for another VPS version to see if the AUTOMATIC update is fixed as a result of running the MANUAL vps update based on what you have said here and will just go ahead and reboot my system hoping that this could help as I mentioned before.  I was going to wait and see if just the MANUAL update made the difference as a consequence of the MANUAL VPS update but won't have to now that you say it won't make a difference.

If by chance the AUTOMATIC VPS update starts working again then I can base it on my reboot and not the MANUAL update as you imply would be the case here.

Not sure why this would be necessary....  The current Avast program Version 4.7.1043 has a version date of September 6, 2007.  Since my AUTOMATIC updates have worked up until 9/22/07 then I wouldn't think this could be a problem. 

Virus database updates aren't the same as program upgrades.
It's necessary: new features, new engine improvements, etc.

I understand that VPS updates are seperate from Avast PROGRAM upgrades.

What I am saying here is that I can't see why a more current Avast PROGRAM version would be a factor in impacting the performance of the VPS AUTOMATIC updates since my CURRENT PROGRAM version has been in use since January 15, 2007 and has been working as far as the AUTOMATIC VPS updates all of this time up until 9/22/07.  Thus the Avast program version should still continue to work as far as Virus database (VPS) updates are concerned.

I just have a feeling that the MANUAL update will fix the problem.  I will probably reboot my computer as well at some point to clear cache and registry settings as another alternative if nothing else works.

Repairing (through Control Panel) your avast installation could help too.

Well you have said already above that the MANUAL update will NOT fix the AUTOMATIC VPS update problem as a consequence of running the AUTOMATIC VPS update.  So since I have not reset anything in Avast or made any changes of any kind I will go ahead and reboot to see if this clears some kind of setting or simply frees up enough RAM in my computer locally to impact the AUTOMATIC VPS update.

I am starting to wonder how long I will have to wait however as far as a NEW VPS version is available

avast checks if there is an available connection each 40 seconds.
If there isn't, wait more 40 seconds to check. Checking does not take more than one second and, of course, does not use the Internet band.
If there is a connection, check for an update. If there is not any new file to download, wait 4 hours to start checking again. If there is an available update, start it and install it. Again, wait 4 hours to check the next time.
Some of this settings could be configurated different, I posted the default values of the avast4.ini file.

The program updates are released but to avoid excessive load on the servers the auto update check happens randomically every 7 days and it's not checking every time you connect to the Internet as with the iAVS checks. Every avast installation has a unique, randomly generated GUID ("general unique identifier") associated with it (it is generated during installation). This ID is random, but fixed. They use this value to determine when the updater pops up on YOUR machine, i.e., the program already knows that the update is there, but it won't tell you until it's your turn.

Thank you for the added info, I was actually aware of how the AUTOMATIC UPDATE is checked by Avast for the VPS versions but did not know about how the Avast program updates are done, thanks again. I actually have the Avast program updates turned off since I have had issues with a newer version as far as compatability with WIN98SE in the past and have elected to stay with the program version I currently have for now.

With that said, my point is that for the VPS versions the AUTOMATIC update will not actually occur until a newer VPS version for the Virus database becomes available and I was just waiting on this to happen to see if just running the AUTOMATIC update manually would have made the difference. But now that you say that the AUTOMATIC update does nothing as far as checking or reseting in flags in the program or the registry that may have been inadvertantly changed then I will go ahead and reboot and hope that when a new VPS version does become available that the reboot will have helped to make the AUTOMATIC update work again since as I have said I have done nothing to change any settings myself and Avast Update settings for my program is set to "automatic" VPS updates as it always has been.

[oldman]

Just for the fun of, if you haven't already checked the ini file, see if this line is present.

VPSUpdate=Automatic

ini is located C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA. The line is in the common section, right below the list of languages.

[DavidR]

when looking for this value, it is in the [Common] section of avast4.ini, mine is set to VPSUpdate=Ask being on dial-up I don't let anything on my system connect automatically to the Internet.

[lakrsrool]

Thanks so much for all of the help it is greatly appreciated.  This is a great forum and in many ways much better support than I ever got in the past when I had Norton AV.

But just as I suspected after I REBOOT my computer without me doing anything else the Automatic VPS worked and updated automatically from VPS: 000777-2 28.9.2007 to VPS: 000777-3 29.9.2007 when I dialed in and connected to the Internet a few minutes ago.

Based on what Tech posted stating that running a MANUAL update would not impact how the AUTOMATIC update will work:

Possibly reset's registry "flag" settings on MANUAL VPS updates

avast never does this.

I have to assume it was the REBOOT that fixed the problem, since I went ahead and reboot my computer taking into consideration that there was no reason to wait and see if the AUTOMATIC update would have made any difference. 

To answer your posts:

Just for the fun of, if you haven't already checked the ini file, see if this line is present.

VPSUpdate=Automatic

when looking for this value, it is in the [Common] section of avast4.ini, mine is set to VPSUpdate=Ask being on dial-up I don't let anything on my system connect automatically to the Internet.

Mine is set to VPSUpdate=Automatic.

This of course corresponds to the setting found PROGRAM SETTING (BASIC) for Virus Database Updates that is set to "AUTOMATIC". And would to have had to have been the setting all along since I have never changed anything on Avast.

Since this would only be related to Avast I don't mind or actually prefer Avast to go ahead and connect to upload the VPS update without a prompt which I presume "Ask" would do.  I'm just happy when things just work as they should and prefer to keep things simple.    Unless DavidR you actually feel there is some inherent risk doing it this way considering the ini file is as I said only for Avast anyway.

Just wondering if either of you or anyone else would be in agreement that the problem had to have been resolved by the REBOOT and COULD NOT have had anything to do with running the MANUAL VPS update based on Tech's post regarding what a MANUAL VPS update does not do (as far as reseting anything as a consequence of the MANUAL VPS)? 

There is no way for me to know for sure either way as far as if the VPS: 000777-3 29.9.2007 version was ready to upload before I rebooted my computer and would then prove that the AUTOMATIC update was still not working up until I rebooted even after the MANUAL update or the VPS: 000777-3 29.9.2007 version was simply available after the reboot and would have worked due to the MANUAL VPS update regardless of the reboot. 

I have to always keep in mind to reboot my computer when I have problems, I just didn't think that this would make a difference with the AUTOMATIC VPS update with Avast, however. 

Again thanks alot guys. 

 

[DavidR]

avast only checks for an update if a connection is actually present, it can't establish a connection. The only difference between automatic and ask is they both check for updates, if one is found and your setting is automatic it will download and install the VPS update.
If set to Ask it will notify you an update is available and you click the notification window to download it if you aren't busy.

Running a manual update won't change any settings, it is a one shot deal like scheduling a boot-time scan (not available with win98), it happens once and if you want to do it ajain you have to select it again.

The reboot can often resolve a number of issues and win98 can at times be a little particular, especially if running short of system resources.

[oldman]

lakrsrool , when you go on line, open task manger and see if avast is listed there. The only time I see it is when avast is checking for updates.