Why does the virus data base sometimes show a smaller number when it gets update

[javilleg]

Hello everyone, I just bought a 3 PCs and 3 years avast! Internet Security License  the last week. But there's one thing that I just can't get through my mind. I checked the last 100903-1 virus database definition was 2,972,182 but today's database update (100906-1) is just 2,677,191 !!! Is quite smaller!!    Why is that? Is is becasue there's some hidden virus in my PC that is just corrupting avast! or what?

please, somebody please help me, I have checked the full scan system over and over again and it doesn't show any threat, please, somebody help me!!!

[kubecj]

Spring cleaning! 

http://blog.avast.com/2010/09/06/spring-cleaning-in-our-virus-database/

[DavidR]

You know I never bother to check that and haven't in over six and a half years of using avast as it is a pretty meaningless figure.

New signatures are added daily, database optimisation, some signatures are modified, some of which may be merged to catch more than one variant of malware. So that could account for changes, but the main thing to consider is the wording under that figure.

Edit: I guess my database optimisation would fall under the category of spring cleaning

[javilleg]

Thanks a lot guys!!! that really help me out!! see ya!!! 

[DavidR]

No problem, glad I could help.

Welcome to the forums.