Avast 5 Will not update definitions

[jack157]

Hello Tech!
Thanks for replying.

Tried 'direct no proxy' setting and sorry but it made no difference, but after I tried that I then tried to open IE to post this message and I just got a blank page, the tool bars loaded but the page was blank apart from a connection error pop up, I tried the automatically offered diagnose connection button and it reported no problem detected. I then switched Avast 5 back to the 'use IE settings' option which of course made no difference to Avast ability to connect but unfortunately IE was now also still unable to connect as well. () Tried the Avast created system restore point but it would not work, and worse I now had a crippled Avast 5 that would not do anything at all tried a previous restore point which I had used two days ago without problem and now that wouldn't work either.

Can't really say how I got to where I now am, but after a fraught hour of re-installing repairing, uninstalling and restoring backwards and forwards eventually got 4.8 re-installed OK, but at first the scanner was not working, everything else seemed OK so tried repair and that fixed it.

Completely at a loss what to try next. 

Jack

[Lisandro]

I suggest an installation from the scratch:

1. Download the latest version of avast! Uninstall Utility and save it.
2. Download the latest avast! version and save it.
3. Uninstall avast from Control Panel (if possible). If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after that.
4. Run the avast! Uninstall Utility saved on 1. If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after you've run it.
5. Install avast! using the setup saved on 2. Boot.
6. Register your free copy or add the license key for Pro.
7. Check and post the results.

[jack157]

Hello Tech!

Thanks for that, I will try again with the Avast uninstaller, but I am not at all sure that it will make any difference as in the interest of trying to keep the post short there is something I didn't tell you, which is as follows.

As I had tried five or six times to install and get updates to work, I decided I had to get rid of anything that might be causing the problem. So now you will begin to see what a devoted fan of Avast I am, or maybe just think I am crazy. 

I decided that I wasn't going to be beaten by this, so download yet another fresh copy of Avast 5 stored it on my external drive then reformatted my main C drive and did a clean install of XP. Then with only IE8 installed, no other programs at all installed, not even a firewall or anti-spyware installed the fresh copy of Avast 5 to it default settings, except I declined the Google Chrome option (I have tried Google Chrome and do not like it much).

Then with nothing else installed except IE8 and Avast 5 I registered and it updated the registration to Feb 2011, but again I did not see the definitions update process, so after a long enough wait I decided to do it manually and of course it just sat there as before switching the cannot 'connect message' on and off.

I am not able to try your suggestion right now but will do so when I have enough spare time to allow for it not working again.

All suggestions/advice appreciated, I really want Avast 5 and feel very frustrated by this.

Thanks
Jack

[jack157]

Hello again Tech, just had a thought.

Do you know if Avast 5 varies in some way as to any services it needs running that are different to the needs of 4.8. For instance does it rely on anything from Goggle or Windows, that is different.

If there is something different I can have check it and compare the settings to my laptop which is quite happy with Avast 5.

There has to be something different in 5 otherwise it would update just as 4.8 does when re-installed on the same system with nothing changed.

Jack

[Lisandro]

Do you know if Avast 5 varies in some way as to any services it needs running that are different to the needs of 4.8. For instance does it rely on anything from Goggle or Windows, that is different.

Google? For sure not.
Windows? I think not. Mail and Web services depend on avast service, and this depend on RPC of Windows (as in 4.. Firewall is independent.

[jack157]

Well I'm just about ready to quit on Avast,  I've lost track of the hours I've spent on this today. I've uninstalled IE8 (mainly out of desperation) and I'm now back to IE7 but it has made no difference at all. I feel sure there is something that just needs checking or unchecking for it to connect.

Very strange that 4.8 has no problems at all but 5 just can't connect. Having uninstalled 4.8 using the Avast removal tool and downloaded a fresh copy of Avast 5 I have compared as best that I can everything I can think of against my lap top which is working fine on Avast 5 but I can't see anything that I can think of that is set differently.

Each time it doesn't connect after about a minute I get a message similar to ... cannot connect to download967.avast.com (74.86.232.44:80) the down load number changes each message and so does the IP address in bracket. I am presuming the :80 is the outgoing port on my computer.  Anyway I tried typing variation of that into my address bar and it took me an Avast download page, where I navigated to the manual download page and downloaded the updates manually but when I ran the download I then got this message.

Can not install VPS updates.
Please report the following
error codes.
Version: 5.0.418
SI:  0x00000002
ST: 0xFFFFFFFF
LE:  0x00000000

Now if somebody was able to tell me what that means it might give a clue where to look for the problem.

Jack

[Lyverbe]

Well I'm just about ready to quit on Avast

Unfortunately, same here.  Avast has been my anti-virus for years, but version 5 just won't work for me.  Got to turn of Web shield to get internet working, got to turn off Mail shield to get mails working and no matter how hard I've tried, I just can't get updates either from the Avast interface ("Cannot connect to server") or from direct download from the site (crash on install)

ZoneAlarm shutdown, DMZ activated on router, Peerblock off, all shield off in Avast, played with "Internet Options" settings as suggested, did a clean install (with Safe Mode and all)... it just won't work.

My definition file is now 13 days old.  I can't stay with Avast if it won't protect my system.  I just can't.

[olddog]

.... I just can't get updates either from the Avast interface ("Cannot connect to server")....

ZoneAlarm shutdown, DMZ activated on router, Peerblock off, all shield off in Avast, played with "Internet Options" settings as suggested, did a clean install (with Safe Mode and all)... it just won't work.

You do not need DMZ activated on router, nor any of the Avast Shields turned off in Avast to update it.

Zone Alarm "shut down" unfortunately does not mean it isn't blocking. In fact if Avast! Antivirus Update (C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\Setup\Avast.setup) is not specifically allowed in Zone Alarm, then "Cannot connect to server" is the message you will get. If you have been playing around shutting down Zone Alarm then even if the above is shown, the setting may no longer be active.

I suggest you get Zone Alarm back running properly, and your router back to normal settings, then delete any settings in Zone Alarm Program Control->Programs that refer to Avast, then reboot. When Zone Alarm asks for permission for an Avast process, tick remember and allow it. You should wind up with three entries in Zone Alarm with ticks in the Access columns for both Trusted and Internet.

Avast! Antivirus Update (C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\Setup\Avast.setup)
Avast! Antivirus (C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastUI.exe)
Avast! Service ( C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastSvc.exe)

Windows Task Manager should show two entries for Avast - AvastSvc.exe and AvastUI.exe



 

[NON]

I also suggest to check "avast.setup" process remains or not before you try to update. If this process remained (this means avast! fails updating before), avast! never succeed to update automatically / manually even with correct settings.
This process is protected by self-defense, so you have to stop self-defense to shutdown it.

[Lyverbe]

You do not need DMZ activated on router, nor any of the Avast Shields turned off in Avast to update it.

I know, but it was to say that I've tried everything to make it work, allowing all possible ports to access Internet, ruling out the possibility of having the router or ZoneAlarm being the culprits.

Zone Alarm "shut down" unfortunately does not mean it isn't blocking. In fact if Avast! Antivirus Update (C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\Setup\Avast.setup) is not specifically allowed in Zone Alarm, then "Cannot connect to server" is the message you will get. If you have been playing around shutting down Zone Alarm then even if the above is shown, the setting may no longer be active.

I suggest you get Zone Alarm back running properly, and your router back to normal settings, then delete any settings in Zone Alarm Program Control->Programs that refer to Avast, then reboot. When Zone Alarm asks for permission for an Avast process, tick remember and allow it. You should wind up with three entries in Zone Alarm with ticks in the Access columns for both Trusted and Internet.

I really doubt shutting down ZoneAlarm would still block some ports.  But hey, I tried what you suggested.  After ZoneAlarm asked me the confirmations to allow Avast, I went further by forcing complete access.



But I still get "Cannot connect to server".

Windows Task Manager should show two entries for Avast - AvastSvc.exe and AvastUI.exe

...and it does!

Unfortunately, there's no clear message of what the real problem is when it's trying to connect.  Invalid username/password? server unreachable? unable to open port x? host not found? file not found?  It would certainly help more than just "Cannot connect to server"

[essexboy]

Have you tried this ?

Go to Control Panel and select Internet Options
Select the Connections TAB
Select LAN settings button
Ensure there is no tick in the Proxy Server box
Select OK and restart Internet explorer


And for Firefox there are instructions on this page and you want the setting to be no proxy

[Lyverbe]

Have you tried this ?

Go to Control Panel and select Internet Options
Select the Connections TAB
Select LAN settings button
Ensure there is no tick in the Proxy Server box
Select OK and restart Internet explorer

Of course.  Like I said, I did try pretty much everything already.

And for Firefox there are instructions on this page and you want the setting to be no proxy

Don't know what Firefox setting has to do with Avast's connections, but I changed the settings as said.  Still cannot connect to the server.  I've always been able to ping the downloadxxx.avast.com server, but I just can't connect to it.

[essexboy]

Could you run this programme for me, it is purely analysis

To ensure that I get all the information this log will need to be attached (instructions at the end) if it is to large to attach then upload to Mediafire and post the sharing link.

Download OTS  to your Desktop

• Close ALL OTHER PROGRAMS.
  
• Double-click on OTS.exe to start the program.
  
• Check the box that says Scan All Users
  
• Under Additional Scans check the following:
• Reg - Shell Spawning
• File - Lop Check
• File - Purity Scan
• Evnt - EvtViewer (last 10)

• Under the Custom Scan box paste this in

netsvcs
%SYSTEMDRIVE%\*.exe
/md5start
eventlog.dll
scecli.dll
netlogon.dll
cngaudit.dll
sceclt.dll
ntelogon.dll
logevent.dll
iaStor.sys
nvstor.sys
atapi.sys
IdeChnDr.sys
viasraid.sys
AGP440.sys
vaxscsi.sys
nvatabus.sys
viamraid.sys
nvata.sys
nvgts.sys
iastorv.sys
ViPrt.sys
eNetHook.dll
ahcix86.sys
KR10N.sys
nvstor32.sys
ahcix86s.sys
nvrd32.sys
symmpi.sys
adp3132.sys
mv61xx.sys
/md5stop
%systemroot%\*. /mp /s
CREATERESTOREPOINT
%systemroot%\system32\*.dll /lockedfiles
%systemroot%\Tasks\*.job /lockedfiles
%systemroot%\system32\drivers\*.sys /lockedfiles
%systemroot%\System32\config\*.sav

• Now click the Run Scan button on the toolbar.
  
• Let it run unhindered until it finishes.
• When the scan is complete Notepad will open with the report file loaded in it.
  
• Click the Format menu and make sure that Wordwrap is not checked. If it is then click on it to uncheck it.
  

Please attach the log in your next post.

To attach a file, do the following:

• Click Add Reply
  
• Under the reply panel is the Attachments Panel
• Browse for the attachment file you want to upload, then click the green Upload button
  
• Once it has uploaded, click the Manage Current Attachments drop down box
  
• Click on to insert the attachment into your post

[jack157]

Hello Essexboy!

As Lyverbe sort of jumped in on my post, but has so far not replied to your offer of help and 4 hours have elapsed would you mind if I ask for your help/advice.

I have followed your instructions and here is the Mediafire attachment link of the my OTS log. (Hope I got it right and the link don't take you somewhere unpleasant  )

http://www.mediafire.com/?wowohmdnlmn

Really appreciate your help with this.

Thanks
Jack

[Lyverbe]

Here's the log.

Thanks for helping us with this.