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

[loungehake]

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

This warning in red  is displayed in Update Settings JUST AFTER a virus definitions update.

The Avast icon in the system tray may also continue to show a red spot after a virus definitions update.

[DavidR]

You don't show what VPS version you have ?

Mine currently - 230917-2
Don't forget that there are still the streaming updates, that should take up the slack.

A manual check for updates indicate that is correct,

[loungehake]

I have attached a jpeg of Avast update settings.  The image is of the purported situation after the latest virus definitions update at the time.

[DavidR]

During this time frame there have been a lot of things going on, a bug fix released and a program update, it was recommended to do two system restarts in some posts in the forums.  That would be my first suggestion.

Have a look in your defs folder and that will show the current state of the VPS - I venture it will confirm they are out of date. There has also been a program update - see attached image for my program and vps stats.

[loungehake]

Yup. Seems like a transitory problem. The problem has disappeared.

[DavidR]

Thanks for the confirmation.

[Nunzio77]

For me the problem still persists.
The automatic signature update function should be investigated and checked.
It would be a good idea to ask someone from the Avast team.

[loungehake]

This issue still persists with version 23.10. While not a major problem, it is confusing to see Update Settings indicate that the date and time of the latest Virus Definition updates were only minutes ago and yet that information is displayed in red instead of the expected green.

[Michael529]

This is a silly message. If Avast knows that the virus definitions are out-of-date, then it should update them automatically, as it has been set to do, rather than generate a message of complaint/warning.

[DavidR]

This is a silly message. If Avast knows that the virus definitions are out-of-date, then it should update them automatically, as it has been set to do, rather than generate a message of complaint/warning.

It isn't that the virus definitions are out of date, but that it may be being incorrectly reported that they are. 

This can be confirmed by checking the VPS version number being reported - there are however occasions when they would appear to be out of date such as in image 1.  But these would also be backed up by the Streaming updates.  You can force a manual update, image 2.  This brings it fully up to date image 3.

As I said even with this going on the underlying streaming updates should keep the virus signatures up to date until you get the next VPS Update.

[loungehake]

'Incorrectly reported' is what I consider the issue to be. It would be better if these warnings were not displayed because they reduce the credibility of Avast software in the eyes of the user. How many invisible software flaws might there be?

[DavidR]

'Incorrectly reported' is what I consider the issue to be. It would be better if these warnings were not displayed because they reduce the credibility of Avast software in the eyes of the user. How many invisible software flaws might there be?

I haven't received any warnings, to the screen or UI on this problem you are reporting.

None of the image captures when investigating this gave any warning that the "Virus definitions are not up to date"

[loungehake]

It might be that Avast 23.10 has ceased the behaviour which I called out in this thread. It drew my attention to a system which had not been updated from v.23.9 to v.23.10.

[info230]

@Loungehake,   
I posted this query elsewhere and was directed here by DavidR,  I now have the very same problem the last couple oif days,   The Avast icon in task bar shows a red X and shows'  you are unprotected' when hover pointer on it.  I went into the interface,   looked at virus definitions,   ran the check for virus definitions updates which it did but nothing happened,   it was running the green slider across the bar for a bit then offered no prompt to restart laptop etc for changes to take effect , although the green dot is set on update automatically,   it isnt doing that.    Seems whatever I do isnt sorting this,  I'm only a basic home user so dont understand the high tech side if things.  The version the Avast interface shows I have is 23,10,6086 with the date October 9th 23.  I also read in another thread yesterday that version 9,10 amd 11 are no longer receiving virus definition updates,   confusing huh as I have 10 and I cannot get the darn thing to update virus definitions so am now stuck and dont know what I should do to sort this.

@DavidR  -   I found this thread which is the same problem as you suggested I look up,  I am still none the wiser on what to do to sort this. 

[DavidR]

Did you read  reply #9 above - https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=324890.msg1711054#msg1711054

Are the streaming updates still working (Reply #3 above) ?
If so you are still covered.

You keep saying you have 10 (totally different to the VPS being supported) as you have also said that have Avast 23.10.6806 the 10 in this case is a program update version and has nothing to do with VPS version and unrelated.  This is why I mention the other topic.

Ignore this topic "Virus definition updates for Avast version 9/10/11" as it is totally unrelated to your problem as you have Avast 23. 

The Virus program versions are split XX.XX.XXXX the primary pair represents the year (different to the old numbering).  The second pair roughly equate the updates in that year and the final four a more detailed way of tracking as very minor program updates/bug fix/enhancement.  Then you have the build number/version this is more important/informative to Avast than the user.