PACKAGE BROKEN / ERROR WHILE CHANGING

[Mickey Way]

OK.  Before going through the process of remove and install, it occurred to me to try a system restore since the problem has only been happening for a few days.  One of the problem days had a listing of "application kill", so I set the system restore to the previous day.  Today, the automatic update worked as advertised.  I don't know if this is THE fix, but I'm going to watch it closely and I'll report back the results in a few days.

[Lisandro]

OK.  Before going through the process of remove and install, it occurred to me to try a system restore since the problem has only been happening for a few days.  One of the problem days had a listing of "application kill", so I set the system restore to the previous day.  Today, the automatic update worked as advertised.  I don't know if this is THE fix, but I'm going to watch it closely and I'll report back the results in a few days.

Good to know. Anyway, you can repair your installation and update/correct your installation:
Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > avast! antivirus > Remove. Then choose Repair function in the popup window (Repair).

[Mickey Way]

Well folks, after four days all is well.  It seams something was boogered up in my computer and the system restore was the solution.  I love that feature of XP.  Avast autoupdate worked every day as normal.  Thanks to everyone for your support.

[Lisandro]

I love that feature of XP.

It saved me some times... but, remember, it's not a full backup and it can let you on the road... no restore points, failure to restore, etc.

[Mickey Way]

Well, I was wrong, it didn't work.  The red broken package window is back.  The repair button in the control panel still does not work, plus another error message during the repair "There was an error while changing product configuration".  So, I pretty much give up.  Something is causing Avast autoupdate to fail in this computer.  Manual update is the only way for some reason.

[Tarq57]

Under "program settings", try playing around with different setting s as illustrated. (Direct connection works well for me.)

[Mickey Way]

Hello again, Tarq.  That is my current setting for all of my computers.  The thing that is grinding my teeth is that all three computers are set up exactly the same in every way, so it is something about this specific computer fouling up.  This one was a new build back at the beginning of March.  Brand new board, brand new OSD.  All was working fine until a couple of weeks ago.  Neither of the other two computers, which are much older, ever did this.  The only thing left is compete reinstall of the OS.  Maybe something nasty got past Avast and is affecting this system.

(If I were a superstitious person, I'd say the case is jinxed...it has a history of murdering innocent boards and harddrives...the next time I open this case, I'm going to salvage all the parts, then take it out in the woods and put a few bullets in it!!!)