dial-up access and virus definition updates

[duguidaj]

How should I best manage updating virus definitions as I have only dial-up access to the internet

[SafeSurf]

Are you using Home/Pro or AIS?  I have used both dial up (d-u) and high speed for Home/Pro and my d-u is pretty slow but it can be done for updates as long as you do it at least every 3 days....preferrably every day.  Avast releases the updates incrementally, so that they are in smaller amounts during the day and evening (depending on where you are in the world).

If you are having a problem with your first update after installing Avast, this is a larger update, try to pick a time when d-u traffic is faster (non-peak time) to avoid being dropped.  You may have to attempt the update several times on the initial one only.  After this, you should be fine.

[DavidR]

How should I best manage updating virus definitions as I have only dial-up access to the internet

As a dial-up user on the avast 5.0 free version I suggest that you leave them on the default settings (more or less). However, in the avast Settings, Updates, set the Update Parameters to I only connect to the internet using a dial up modem, see image.

I also delay the update check so that if needs be I can quickly connect collect email and disconnect, etc. without the update check happening at that time, to that end I delay mine by 10 minutes (600 seconds), see example below.

- In avast5 you need to edit (using notepad) avast5.ini the [InetWD] section of the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Alwil Software\Avast5\avast5.ini

- Dial-up connections, add this line:
RASWaitSeconds=600 and
UseRAS=1 if not present (or edit UseRAS=0 to UseRAS=1)

[InetWD]
UseRAS=1
RASWaitSeconds=600

When complete save the changes, avast's self-defence module will ask for confirmation, etc. answer Yes.

[duguidaj]

With only dial up access to the internet, will it be best to enable automatic updates of virus definitions or to disable automatic updates and initiate virus definition updates manually?

[SafeSurf]

I would have your Settings for updates set to "Ask when update is available" or "Manual" and this way you can do them when you have a better connection and not likely to be dropped, and it is convenient for you while you.  If you do have it set to manual, just make sure you do them often enough (at least every other day) as to not have a huge download that you get dropped trying to get the update.  If this doesn't work for you, then try the automatic. 

[DavidR]

With only dial up access to the internet, will it be best to enable automatic updates of virus definitions or to disable automatic updates and initiate virus definition updates manually?

No, I would leave the settings as they are, I'm on dial-up and this causes no real issues as the incremental virus definitions updates are measured in KBs rather than MBs.

My feelings are that you should leave the default settings on all areas of avast for a while whilst you get to know what is going on with the program and then you will know how it affects the way you browse, etc. Then you can consider any tweaks based on your experience rather than supposition.

Setting the delay as I suggested makes this even easier as it gives time for your dial-up connection to establish load whatever your home page/s are; so the update would happen behind the scenes when you are likely to be browsing/reading a page.

Did you apply the modification as I suggested and if so how did it work out for you ?

[Lisandro]

With only dial up access to the internet, will it be best to enable automatic updates of virus definitions or to disable automatic updates and initiate virus definition updates manually?

No, I would leave the settings as they are, I'm on dial-up and this causes no real issues as the incremental virus definitions updates are measured in KBs rather than MBs.

+1 Automatic updates of virus definitions is a must have.

[norel]

I think it might depend on how much you're online. If you're online quite a bit every day you can probably set it to update automatically and you won't notice much of a performance hit since each update will complete fairly quickly. If, on the other hand, you aren't online much it would probably work out better to set it to tell you when updates are available and let you download them manually.

[SafeSurf]

Everyone makes a good point here in this thread and I respect their opinions.  I have 3 PC's: one is dial-up only, one is broadband, and the other is a test PC that can be either dial up or broadband.  I have not noticed any problems with dial-up using it on automatic updates without changing any settings.  But again, everyone's use on the machine is different and everyone's setup is different, so you may have to experiment and see what works best for you. 

[duguidaj]

Thanks to all responders to my posts on this topic.  I am greatly impressed by the extremely prompt and helpful responses I have been getting on this forum.  Since installing avast free version recently I have been doing virus definition updates manually and this is proving much quicker than manual updates in ZoneAlarm Security Suite (I have much less RAM  than ZoneAlarm recommend).  I have kept ZoneAlarm for its other features but switched off its anti-virus anti-spyware function.

My Avast manual updates have each taken less than 10 minutes.

Several days can pass without me going online or even having the computer switched on.

For engine and virus definitions, I have selected the update setting “ask when an update is available”.  Does this mean that Avast will notify me (on the summary screen and/or with a pop-up message?)  when an update is available?

In view of the comments received, I shall also try enabling automatic updates, initially without editing the Avast software as suggested by DavidR.  I doubt whether my computer knowledge and skills are adequate  to safely intervene in such ways.  Am I right in thinking that David’s proposed modification is relevant to automatic updates and not to manual updates?

[VikingBabe]

AVAST's  incremental, quick updating was one of the major reasons that helped "sell" this fine program to me.  I have a 26.4Kbps dial up (rural) and previous anti virus programs, I have used, would bogged down my computer to a near crawl...  (And this is a Core 2 Duo 2.2 with 3 gigs RAM!)  

Because I do go online nearly every day or evening,  my AVAST free updating is set on automatic which it does pretty quickly.  I downloaded the recent 5.0.545 Free version yesterday to replace the older 4.7.1098 version I did have.    Everything runs as it should.
      

[DavidR]

<snip>
For engine and virus definitions, I have selected the update setting “ask when an update is available”.  Does this mean that Avast will notify me (on the summary screen and/or with a pop-up message?)  when an update is available?

Yes it would notify you there is an update available, though as you have said by not having your system on every day or for a couple of days, that is almost a given, there will be an update available. So to me in your case it makes sense to use the auto update.

In view of the comments received, I shall also try enabling automatic updates, initially without editing the Avast software as suggested by DavidR.  I doubt whether my computer knowledge and skills are adequate  to safely intervene in such ways.  Am I right in thinking that David’s proposed modification is relevant to automatic updates and not to manual updates?

The mod to the avast5.ini is for the auto update 'check' only it delays that check, then if an update is available it will download it in the background, which it just has on my system whilst typing this and lets you know an update has been completed (see image).

The Manual check overrides the mod as it is a command to check for updates 'now,' one of the differences is that manual updates don't have any CPU % restriction like the Auto update does (depending on your CPU type), so it could use more CPU % and slow general performance if your system isn't very fast.

The mod to the avast5.ini isn't complex just using notepad it is a breeze, take it very slowly a step at a time, print the above instructions if need be so you have it to hand.