updates notifications are gone

[SafeSurf]

what do you guys all think about the issue that many are having that Avast Program Update Pop-Up notifications have not been showing up for many users, even after a long time when a new version is ready in the GUI?

I have no problems using various OS's on multiple machines through several years with Avast.

[ady4um]

what do you guys all think about the issue that many are having that Avast Program Update Pop-Up notifications have not been showing up for many users, even after a long time when a new version is ready in the GUI?

I have no problems using various OS's on multiple machines through several years with Avast.

SafeSurf, I've been using Avast for a long time too. If I may, I think what Jack is asking about, is for opinions/experiences/seen behaviours, from experienced users, just like you, about the specific program updates tray notification not being displayed. If I understood correctly, I think his intention is to find out if other users are seeing the notification message in the tray area "some time" after a new release is out, or maybe "never". "How much time after a new release, for the tray notification to appear, is adequate/acceptable".

In my mind, at least for now I already have my answer, and this seems to be a problem for several users since several releases ago, and I hope I can set this topic as "resolved" right after the next stable release.

What I don't know (yet) is, if this issue can be tested during the upcoming beta (sometime in the future), or we have to wait specifically for the next stable.

[bob3160]

There is one other solution.
Accept that the virus data base always gets updated on a regular basis
and simply update the program manually when you see that a new version is available. 

[Jack 1000]

There is one other solution.
Accept that the virus data base always gets updated on a regular basis
and simply update the program manually when you see that a new version is available.  

Sure Bob,

That will work for people like us who are familiar with the program updates and the responsibilities of what to do.  However, as previously stated, there are potentially thousands to millions of Avast users who only open the GUI on a very rare basis.  I think most just want a realistic time-frame between the update notice inside the GUI, and the pop-up Program Update notice in the System Tray, and many users are not getting that.  Like I said, the last time I got a System Tray Avast program update was from like 5.0 to 5.1.

Jack

[Jack 1000]

SafeSurf, I've been using Avast for a long time too. If I may, I think what Jack is asking about, is for opinions/experiences/seen behaviours, from experienced users, just like you, about the specific program updates tray notification not being displayed. If I understood correctly, I think his intention is to find out if other users are seeing the notification message in the tray area "some time" after a new release is out, or maybe "never". "How much time after a new release, for the tray notification to appear, is adequate/acceptable".

In my mind, at least for now I already have my answer, and this seems to be a problem for several users since several releases ago, and I hope I can set this topic as "resolved" right after the next stable release.

What I don't know (yet) is, if this issue can be tested during the upcoming beta (sometime in the future), or we have to wait specifically for the next stable.

Yes,

The above are exactly my points.

Jack

[SafeSurf]

We usually hear about the problems here on the forum.  People who do not have problems do not report them in general.  Given that this is not a common issue, I would recommend that on the next "unstable" release (not the current version), you submit a mini-dump file to Avast to analyze while you are having the problem so they can analyze it to see what is the problem.

Here is additional information on how to invoke a memory dump file:  http://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=71.

Please, zip and upload the C:\Windows\Memory.dmp file to this anonymous ftp server and name it uniquely: ftp.avast.com/incoming.  Avast will analyze it and respond back to you in the new thread you create or to your email.

[Zyndstoff (aka Steven Gail)]

Yesterday I was doing some other stuff on a friends PC when all of a sudden the "New program version available" pop up appeared.

He had the 6.0.1044 free installed and the pop up for 6.0.1091 showed yesterday.

So my conclusion: it works (for v6 at least), but it may take a very long time...

[Jack 1000]

We usually hear about the problems here on the forum.  People who do not have problems do not report them in general.  Given that this is not a common issue, I would recommend that on the next "unstable" release (not the current version), you submit a mini-dump file to Avast to analyze while you are having the problem so they can analyze it to see what is the problem.

Here is additional information on how to invoke a memory dump file:  http://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=71.

Please, zip and upload the C:\Windows\Memory.dmp file to this anonymous ftp server and name it uniquely: ftp.avast.com/incoming.  Avast will analyze it and respond back to you in the new thread you create or to your email.

Did a search for about a year or so ago, when I got help for doing a memory dump and was nervous about going into Reg Edit.  I think Vlk told me to do these steps, and they worked:  Reg Edit is not something that most computer people should mess around with unless they really know what they are doing:

This is what Vlk told me a while back when I had Avast 5.0.

Jack, we tried to reproduce the issue on multiple computers but weren't able to do so. To help us analyse the problem, it would be useful if you could create a dump file of the AvastUi.exe process.

How To Upload An Avast Memory Dump File

The steps are as follows:
1. disable avast self defense module (settings -> troubleshooting page)
2. download the following program http://public.avast.com/~vlk/hangrep.exe
3. run the hangrep.exe program, select AvastUi.exe in the list and create a memory dump (save it somewhere) - the file will be 5-30MB big.
4. re-enable avast self-defense disabled in step 1
5. compress the dump file and upload it to ftp.avast.com/incoming (please note that you will only have write access to the ftp site, not read, so you won't be able to see even the item you uploaded.)

Thanks.

Vlk

*****************************

Would those steps still work?

Jack

[Zyndstoff (aka Steven Gail)]

5. compress the dump file and upload it to http://ftp://ftp.avast.com/incoming (please note that you will only have write access to the ftp site, not read, so you won't be able to see even the item you uploaded).

I think that is still okay. Please note that the correct adress is ftp://ftp.avast.com/incoming - without the "http://"

[Jack 1000]

5. compress the dump file and upload it to http://ftp://ftp.avast.com/incoming (please note that you will only have write access to the ftp site, not read, so you won't be able to see even the item you uploaded).

I think that is still okay. Please note that the correct adress is ftp://ftp.avast.com/incoming - without the "http://"

Thanks!  Corrected it in the steps above (I hope!)

Jack

[Jack 1000]

For those who aren't having any problems and want to do our update notification test with the pop-up message, note that Avast 6.0.1119 is in Beta. However, assuming whatever the next release build happens to be, those without problems in the current build, who want to time when the next official release comes out, to the time of the pop-up notifications in the system tray, may want to start timing when the notice of the update appears in the GUI.  For those running the test without problems with the current version, don't download the Program Update, and see when you get the pop-up notice.  (If you have problems or bugs, the test is moot, because you would than likely benefit from updating the program in the GUI.)

Avast techs may want to note on the forum those participating in the test as best they can.  To recap, we have had several users who claim they have had no system tray pop-up update notifications, since any version of 6.0 was officially released, except maybe one or two people running Windows 7.  (Steven from Germany, reported that his server picked up the pop-up notification.)  Let's see what happens.

Jack

[SafeSurf]

<snip> note that Avast 6.0.119 is in Beta.

Jack...you may want to modify your post with the correct version # to 6.0.1119. 

[Jack 1000]

<snip> note that Avast 6.0.119 is in Beta.

Jack...you may want to modify your post with the correct version # to 6.0.1119. 

Thanks!  Done that! 

Jack

[ady4um]

Well, as I already comment in this same topic, I follow Avast's releases close enough. The new, next stable release AFTER 6.0.1091 was already announced in its topic. In my Avast GUI I'm not seeing (YET) the new release, which is fine, since it is consistent with the changelog, which was not (YET) updated.

All that is fine with me, but I am going to watch the next steps. I will "monitor" when the new stable release appears in the GUI, and when it appears listed in the changelog history.

After those steps, I hope users will resist the temptation of manually updating the program. Instead, I hope that enough users will patiently wait for the tray announcement in their desktops about the new program update, and only THEN they apply it.

I wish that all those users, including myself, can see the tray notification in a "timely" manner, and that the problem some users are seeing (actually, NOT seeing the program update tray notification) is actually gone.

But, in case the program update tray notification still won't show up, I hope enough users can come to the forum to report it (and then finally Avast can resolve it).

Let's be patient, watch closely, and hope for the best  .

[ady4um]

Well, as promised, I keep following Avast development closely.

In Avast GUI, both "Summary" and "Maintenance" sections show that there is a new stable version available, as usual. The antivirus database update tray notifications are still being displayed and the antivirus database is automatically updated, as usual.

The changelog history is not updated (yet), but that's OK; I won't start counting until I see the changelog updated. SADLY many forum users are updating the program using the GUI, instead of waiting for the program update tray notification to show up.

Once again, the Avast users that come to the forum, and/or open Avast GUI, *can* update manually (so no need for other additional users to point this possibility yet once more time, thank you ).

Let's hope enough experienced Avast users can "act" as newbies or as "common" or "medium" users, so to really test the program update tray notifications, whenever they should be displayed.