Avast Free: "Virus definitions are not up to date"

[info230]

@DavidR,     and Voila,  there we have it,    all done and updated with up to date virus definitions. It was not as simple though,  I tried twice going into laptop settings > uninstall >  update,     but twice a pop up box arrived after going through the motions that was telling me I needed to connect to the internet to comlpete,   well that was nonsense as I knew I was connected.    I tried downloading direct from the Avast support pages describing how to install as there is a download tab but that didnt do it either 

I went back to the links in the first post that IvanM put up in the thread he started and went ahead via the offline upload link for premium with success.   Avast interface now tells me I am running 23 11 6090 build 23 11 8635809.   VPS   23 1113-2   with virus definitions shpwing as up to date in green.   I was wondering if I needed an activation key but as I already have an up to date subscription it went right ahead and is working,  streaming updates ticked green.   The avast interface opens up a lot quicker from the task bar icon as well.     

Thankyou for being patient and replying to help steer me along.   As I am a basic internet user and do not work with computors and mostly it is for entertainment,   I feel I need premium security to be that bit safer as I do my on line banking for my little business and keeps my e mail traffic safer,  is there any settings in the Avast interface that are worth taking note of,  I usually keep the easy stuff ticked to recommended and run full scans fairly regularly.         

[DavidR]

You're welcome.

Sometimes it can be something broken within the program, often a Repair resolves that, however on occasion it requires something a little more.  A reinstall usually works, but on occasion it requires a clean reinstall.  I didn't want to push to hard in this direction as it can be a little daunting.

I'm just happy that you now have it resolved and gotten a little more knowledgable with the program in the process.

[info230]

Yes thankyou.   It has been a little learning curve now I know the repair and update function in settings but what I did not understad as there was a later version showing in the interface than the one I had,  when I used that update function,  it ran then informed me I was up to date but it did not update me to this latest version.  I couldnt see a way to update the virus definitions without updatig the program without doing this re-install,  so would that have been a bug in that version telling me it was out of date and telling me my laptop was unprotected when it was still working.   I took that notice literally,  sussing out whether a notice  like is a bug oir for real takes experience,  but then bugs would get reported in this forum I sippose so it is worth checking in here as other people would know. 

Although I know I need a security program I have never really been able to understand how they work to know how to iron out any issues.  I just thought that is what the providers of these services done then sent updates out to their customers.    I shall aim pay more attention to this.

[DavidR]

@ info230
Those who reported problems about avast reporting an update is available in this topic, mostly this was related to the VPS (Virus Pattern Signatures) but when they tried to update it stated they were up to date.  That was meant to have been fixed in a program update to fix the bug.  Yours differed in that it also related to the program, so not having the latest program update you may still have been impacted by what was first reported here.

Hopefully now that you have managed to update the program, it should also have included the fix mentioned in this topic.

With Avast Premium you have quite a few modules aimed at protecting you and can be quite daunting getting to know them.  For most people I would recommend the default settings as once you start making changes you can get a bit confused as to where you started.  For that it is possible to restore the default settings.

For me I personally don't feel the need for some of this or I have it covered in other ways. 
For the last 20 years I have used the Avast Free antivirus product with no malware issues.  Even the free version of Avast has come a long way in that time.

[info230]

@ info230
Those who reported problems about avast reporting an update is available in this topic, mostly this was related to the VPS (Virus Pattern Signatures) but when they tried to update it stated they were up to date.  That was meant to have been fixed in a program update to fix the bug.  Yours differed in that it also related to the program, so not having the latest program update you may still have been impacted by what was first reported here.

Hopefully now that you have managed to update the program, it should also have included the fix mentioned in this topic.

With Avast Premium you have quite a few modules aimed at protecting you and can be quite daunting getting to know them.  For most people I would recommend the default settings as once you start making changes you can get a bit confused as to where you started.  For that it is possible to restore the default settings.

For me I personally don't feel the need for some of this or I have it covered in other ways. 
For the last 20 years I have used the Avast Free antivirus product with no malware issues.  Even the free version of Avast has come a long way in that time.

I did read a few others had the same problem,  all seems good.     Yes it is quite daunting as as said, default settings are best otherwise if I start tinkering then I could get in a muddle.

The thing I use that I do want good security for is on line banking really,  the bank mode in Avast is piece of mind,   I use Avast secure browser and I can access  new bank mode either by the drop down menu on top right or bank mode in the Avast interface in protection.    With Avast free security,  do you get still new bank window option in Avast browser would you know    ?

  With my E mails,  I use Outlook which is hostd by an independent firm rather than a web based mail box so everything gets screened before it's delivered.  I am fully aware about dodgy links and not opening stuff or visiting web pages that could invite malware or phishing,  other than that I use you tube, e bay occasionally and facebook,   do you think by having Avast premium that's a bit overkill for my basic use and that Avast free would cover these uses,   TIA

[DavidR]

@    info230
For me it is a bit over kill as much of what it has over Avast Free I have covered and I'm pretty security savvy. 
I use Firefox as my default browser, with various add-ons mentioned in signature under my posts.  For banking and some other areas I use Firefox's private browsing and a number of add-ons.  For the most part I don't use webmail but pre-scan/filter my email, get rid of anything I don't want, spam, junk, notifications, etc. before downloading the remainder.

The choice really is about what 'you' feel comfortable with.

[info230]

@DavidR,     thanks for that,  I do use firefox for most stuff apart from Avast browser for the new bank mode.  I like the fact firefox is open source.
I am not familiar enough with it to have basics with the add ons you pointed out that covers what premium has.   

[Nunzio77]

There is still the problem even with the latest version of Avast Free.
If the definitions are updated as of 11/26/2023 why is it indicated in red that the definitions are not updated (see image)?
Let's leave aside those in streaming, I'm talking about the signatures released.
Automatic update is set.

After restarting the PC the red writing is no longer there and the 231126-02 update appears instead before it was 231126-00 with the red writing.
So it seems that upgrading xxxxx-00 to xxxxx-02 doesn't happen on its own without rebooting your PC.

Please investigate and resolve the bug.

[jan.svoboda]

There is still the problem even with the latest version of Avast Free.
If the definitions are updated as of 11/26/2023 why is it indicated in red that the definitions are not updated (see image)?
Let's leave aside those in streaming, I'm talking about the signatures released.
Automatic update is set.

After restarting the PC the red writing is no longer there and the 231126-02 update appears instead before it was 231126-00 with the red writing.
So it seems that upgrading xxxxx-00 to xxxxx-02 doesn't happen on its own without rebooting your PC.

Please investigate and resolve the bug.

Hello Nunzio77, could you please send us a support package and share the ID? https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/Submit-support-file/#pc

Thanks a lot.

Jan

[Nunzio77]

There is still the problem even with the latest version of Avast Free.
If the definitions are updated as of 11/26/2023 why is it indicated in red that the definitions are not updated (see image)?
Let's leave aside those in streaming, I'm talking about the signatures released.
Automatic update is set.

After restarting the PC the red writing is no longer there and the 231126-02 update appears instead before it was 231126-00 with the red writing.
So it seems that upgrading xxxxx-00 to xxxxx-02 doesn't happen on its own without rebooting your PC.

Please investigate and resolve the bug.

Hello Nunzio77, could you please send us a support package and share the ID? https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/Submit-support-file/#pc

Thanks a lot.

Jan

Thank Jan. This is the ticket ID: LFBIW

[Nunzio77]

@jan.svoboda are there any updates?
Have you received my ticket?

[Nunzio77]

AVG technical support contacted me via email...very strange...I don't have the AVG product, I'm expecting Avast assistance.
Request #19880475

[info230]

@DavidR and Nunzio77.     Here we go again,    Toiday for the third time in the last three weeks,    Avast task bar icon in red telling me virus definitions are out of date.  Run check for updates in Settings > Updates,  it runs the process of checking but does nothing.  Automatic updates is on but the interface does not do automatic updates.

After running a search for Avast VPS updates in Firefox,  I found this page on the Avast pages  -  see link below.   I downloaded VPS updates for 19+.  It doies not need system restart,  it worked instantly to update virus definitions.   I am so not going to keep doing a total uninstall and a clean re load every time this happens.  The odd thing is I opened a new tab and tried to find the page in the link via the Avast websites and cannot find it anywhere but it is genuine as it sorted the problem and updated virus definitions there and then.  I have toolbar bookmarked it so if this happens agai which I expect it will,  I will just run this 19+ update for VPS.  I did send a message via the report a problem in the Avast interface about this.  They must be aware of this by now and hopefully a fix happens soon.

The other odd thing is when I log onto my Avast account page,  it tells me at the top I have 2 messages,   but,   I so cannot see a way to open any message inbox,   there is no tab to do this, not that I can see and been over it three times and the 2 messages line isnt a live tab toclick on that to open them up.


https://www.avast.com/download-update#pc

[Nunzio77]

It's a problem that apparently they can't solve or haven't yet identified the cause...

[Nunzio77]

On that Avast page you pointed to, this is written:

"A feature of most of our programs is the ability to update automatically. If you are connected to the Internet, virus database updates are downloaded and installed automatically without any action on your part. The availability of a new version is checked when an Internet connection is established and every four hours thereafter. If necessary, you can also download update files from these pages, for example if your computer does not have an Internet connection. Updates are generally released on a daily basis."

But apparently it is not working properly and I am also noticing this problem for the Mobile version of Avast for Android. Updates arrive even after 24 hours...