Author Topic: updates notifications are gone  (Read 39660 times)

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Jack 1000

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Re: updates notifications are gone
« Reply #45 on: May 12, 2011, 08:27:37 PM »
I thought about a simple solution last night,

As you all know who have been following this thread, some users are concerned about the reported extreme time interval between an Avast Program Update release and the pop-up program notification in the system tray.  Reports of having to wait for months for the system tray program update notice has occurred for many.

The issues are the millions of people who don't come to the forum, and don't open up the Avast GUI on a regular basis, are totally dependent on the pop-up program update notice appearing.  We have learned there is a seven day spread for the program pop-up notice to prevent server overload.  However, we believe that program update pop-up notice should occur within 2 weeks of being present in the GUI.  If the first number of the software has changed, maybe extend it up to 1 month.  But not more than that.  As program updates are set to "Ask" by default, it is the responsibility of Avast to provide system tray program update notifications in a timely manner after release.

My proposal is why not simply have Vlk or somebody post in a new version's sticky thread, "We have begun the pop-up notification process for Avast version 6.xx"  Users should expect their program update pop-up notifications within the next two weeks.  Users may also update at any time by opening up the Avast GUI, and clicking on "Update Program" accordingly.  Thank you for choosing Avast."

This would be great, and people would know when to expect system tray program notifications.  I think it would work!

Jack

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Re: updates notifications are gone
« Reply #46 on: May 12, 2011, 11:29:41 PM »
Quote
The issues are the millions of people who don't come to the forum, and don't open up the Avast GUI on a regular basis
How will creating a sticky post on the forum help those that never come to the forum ???
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Jack 1000

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Update Notifications Are Back! (At Least For Me!)
« Reply #47 on: May 12, 2011, 11:58:48 PM »
Hey Avast,

Just got the Program Update pop-up in the System Tray about the latest version, and updated through the GUI.  All is well!  Thank you Avast! Let's make sure to keep up this process.

Jack

ady4um

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Re: Update Notifications Are Back! (At Least For Me!)
« Reply #48 on: May 13, 2011, 01:12:25 AM »
Hey Avast,

Just got the Program Update pop-up in the System Tray about the latest version, and updated through the GUI.  All is well!  Thank you Avast! Let's make sure to keep up this process.

Jack

That's good news :). Now, since the changelog history of stable official releases has been already updated yesterday, I'll wait for about 2 weeks so to check if I see the program update tray notification.

Someone (DavidR, thanks) suggested the possibility that I simply did not notice that the tray notification appeared. It would be "too much" a coincidence that I would not have seen ANY program update tray notification for so long (from last year), after so many stable releases.

But, since it is still a valid possibility (yet, not probable in my particular case, since I've been trying to "catch" it for several months), I would like to confirm with other users what I think is a normal expected behaviour.

Suppose for a moment that I've missed the program update tray notification, then shouldn't I expect to see the same notification, say, tomorrow, or by the next boot, or by the next database update?

I mean, if it is "so simple" to miss the tray notification (which I don't think it is *that* easy/simple, but...), then those users that are not opening the GUI and are not coming to the forum might potentially miss it too, hence leading to many not-up-to-date programs.

Can anyone confirm (or otherwise) that the program update tray notification will appear again in case I missed it (for this same release, not only for the future next one ::) )?

In any case, I am still waiting (and hoping).

Offline Lisandro

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Re: updates notifications are gone
« Reply #49 on: May 13, 2011, 02:59:19 AM »
Can anyone confirm (or otherwise) that the program update tray notification will appear again in case I missed it (for this same release, not only for the future next one ::) )?
I've thought it will appear each boot after you got alerted for the first time.
But, indeed, I do not know. I generally download the new versions some minutes after it is out and alerted on forums.
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Re: updates notifications are gone
« Reply #50 on: May 13, 2011, 03:05:42 AM »
I'm still waiting for my version of AIS to alert me.
I can see from the UI that a new version is available but haven't yet
seen an alert.
Will see if it alerts me in the morning after I reboot this system.
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Offline DavidR

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Re: updates notifications are gone
« Reply #51 on: May 13, 2011, 03:22:24 AM »
Since you can see it in the UI that a new version is available, isn't there the ! exclamation point on a yellow triangle over the avast icon ?

The reason I ask is the Status Bar monitoring is meant to monitor the Program update too. That to me means it 'should' throw up that ! exclamation point on a yellow triangle over the avast icon.

Unless there is also a seven day interval before doing that before it is considered out of date.
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Jack 1000

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Re: updates notifications are gone
« Reply #52 on: May 13, 2011, 03:24:47 AM »
Quote
The issues are the millions of people who don't come to the forum, and don't open up the Avast GUI on a regular basis
How will creating a sticky post on the forum help those that never come to the forum ???

Good catch Bob!

Actually, it might have helped the OP who could have started his countdown, knowing that Avast had activated the pop-up notifications.  But you're right. Forum information won't do anything for the millions who don't use the forum or know about it.

I was really surprised to get it today.  What I think happens in response to the questions is that once you get the pop up notice, it will reappear like every 4 hours or after each reboot until you update. if you miss the first instance.  Back when I had 5.0, and I think when Avast moved to 5.1, I had a user who said she had seen the pop up notice about four times in a 12 hour period.  I think when you first get the update notice, if you don't update, Avast will update your definitions every four hours, BUT instead of the "Your Virus Definitions Have Been Automatically Updated" pop up, if you got the program update pop-up at least once, you will get the Program Update pop-up in place of the "Your Virus Definitions Have Been Automatically Updated" message until you update the program.

There is a quick check everybody.  Just right-click the Avast Ball in your System tray and select "Show Last Pop-Up Message."  Provided that you might have gotten the pop-up notice and missed it, and you have NOT gotten any pop-up notices for malware blocks AND have not rebooted since the last message, it will tell you what the last message was.  (Note that if you have Sandbox set to Auto, (like I do) and Avast told you it sandboxed something as the last message, you will get that.)

The only thing is, AFAIK, you can only go back to the last pop-up message, no matter what it was.  I have asked on the board previously, and there is current no way to retrieve older dates and times of other pop up notices.

Jack
« Last Edit: May 13, 2011, 05:34:55 AM by Jack 1000 »

Offline bob3160

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Re: updates notifications are gone
« Reply #53 on: May 13, 2011, 02:18:31 PM »
I was notified this morning by email from Cnet.com since avast! is on my watch list.
Still no notice from avast! itself and the show last pop up is grayed out.
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ady4um

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Re: updates notifications are gone
« Reply #54 on: May 13, 2011, 04:42:16 PM »
Since you can see it in the UI that a new version is available, isn't there the ! exclamation point on a yellow triangle over the avast icon ?

The reason I ask is the Status Bar monitoring is meant to monitor the Program update too. That to me means it 'should' throw up that ! exclamation point on a yellow triangle over the avast icon.

Unless there is also a seven day interval before doing that before it is considered out of date.

I have not seen (yet?) the yellow exclamation sign over my Avast tray icon.

I want to provide more current information, in case it helps, and also so we can compare our situations.

Since my previous latest report, I have seen database updates tray notifications. I have already rebooted since then, and I have received new database updates tray notifications since my reboot.

In the past (last year), when I saw a database notification, I also saw a program notification when it was also available. This behaviour was the default ("ask" for "program"). These default settings also include the "Status Bar monitoring". The program tray notifications were displayed in a "timely" manner (last year). I don't remember if an exclamation sign over the tray icon also used to appear in the past, simply because usually I would click over the program update notification so to update the program in that same moment.

Although the settings have not changed, I haven't seen the program update tray notification for several months (since last year), and I have been manually updating, several months after the official releases. In most cases since last year, I waited until I saw more than one official release published so to manually update; and in all of those occasions I have NOT run the update immediately after the latest release, but after waiting for several weeks with no program update tray notification.

The only case I indeed saw a yellow exclamation sign over Avast's tray icon is when I intentionally stop a specific shield. In my current status, I have stopped 2 shields, and I have unchecked those same 2 shields from the Status Bar monitoring (this is not a new recent change in my settings).

I wonder if these settings have (wrongly) something to do with the program update tray notifications not being displayed.

So currently,:

_ in the main GUI there is a clear sign about real-time shields being "off" (which is not exactly accurate, since only 2 are intentionally "off");

_ the system is "secure" (since the monitoring of those same 2 shields is also "off");

_ there is a clear exclamation sign about the current version not being the latest available (in the "summary" section);

_ and in the "maintenance" section of the GUI the text is clearly saying that a newer version of the program is available.

But, there is no yellow exclamation over the tray icon, and no program update tray notification has been displayed.

If I missed that program notification (which I don't think I did), then according to what some users are suggesting here, I should have seen a new notification together with the new database updates (which I indeed saw), and/or when I rebooted, or when the latest database update notification was displayed even after my latest reboot.

So, AFAI can see, the current behaviour is the same as it was for the last several months (and several stable official releases).

I'll keep counting until I see the program update tray notification, and if anyone else can help testing this issue (whether the program update tray notification shows up at all; or if it shows up after not updating in the first notification), I think many "normal" :P Avast users will appreciate it.

Jack 1000

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Re: updates notifications are gone
« Reply #55 on: May 13, 2011, 07:37:36 PM »
Quote
The only case I indeed saw a yellow exclamation sign over Avast's tray icon is when I intentionally stop a specific shield. In my current status, I have stopped 2 shields, and I have unchecked those same 2 shields from the Status Bar monitoring (this is not a new recent change in my settings).

From the best of your recollection, do you remember why you stopped those shields?  Or why would you want to stop a protection shield?  Did you need to install a software, hardware, or OS service pack, or some other huge update where you turned off the shields?

Have you ever done a Repair of Avast, just to see if that might fix an update parameter for Program Update notifications in the System tray, that might have been corrupted for a long time?

Jack

PS.  Also, Ady4um, what country are you from?  Avast might be able to use that information to see if your country's specific server might not be getting the program pop-up notifications in a timely manner.
« Last Edit: May 13, 2011, 07:42:35 PM by Jack 1000 »

ady4um

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Re: updates notifications are gone
« Reply #56 on: May 15, 2011, 08:01:06 PM »
From the best of your recollection, do you remember why you stopped those shields? Or why would you want to stop a protection shield? Did you need to install a software, hardware, or OS service pack, or some other huge update where you turned off the shields?

Well, the shields should NOT be the problem, specially if only PART of them are disabled. The reasons are not so important (and I don't want to get into that, simply so we can focus on the main topic).

Just to test the possibility of some kind of (strange) relation between some shields being "off" and the program update tray notification, I restarted the 2 shields that were "off", and I resetted the Status Bar to include those 2 shields.

After additional database updates and reboots (not related to Avast, and not related to any problem), finally today I saw the program update tray notification :) :D :o 8).

Quote
Have you ever done a Repair of Avast, just to see if that might fix an update parameter for Program Update notifications in the System tray, that might have been corrupted for a long time?
I already explained that I already did a complete uninstall and clean install of Avast a few months ago (Feb 2011) with no changes in regards to the program update tray notifications.

Quote
what country are you from? Avast might be able to use that information to see if your country's specific server might not be getting the program pop-up notifications in a timely manner.

Certainly, the possibility that the problem is related to Avast's server(s) crossed my mind several times. That's one of the reasons I opened this topic. After confirming that this was not happening "just to me", some combination of
A_ the program itself; and
B_ Avast's server(s) related issue

might be the problem.

I don't know if the same server is always providing the updates to the same geographical areas, or any of many other possibilities. It doesn't matter so much. The fact that database updates and their notifications were normal might be a sign. Also the program update availability was correctly displayed in the GUI, and (complete) manual program updates were successfully run, so those might be also signs.

The only detectable issue was the program update tray notification.

From "the final user" point of view, the specific location is somehow irrelevant. If there is (was) some problem in some Avast server, then for this particular case, ALL the servers should be checked. If some server(s) has (have) some problem, evidently Avast has no specific knowledge about it (for months now), so they should check ALL their servers to find in which of them might be some problem causing this results.

Anyway, for the first time in months, I indeed received a program update tray notification. With some of the questions pointed out during this long topic, I did NOT update the program YET. I want to check if the program update tray notification would appear again until I run the update. This may happen in my next reboot, or together with the next database update notification, or after 24 hours, or a combination of those.

The second behaviour I would like to test is the possible relation between some shields being "off", the Status Bar for these specific shields being "off", and the program update tray notification NOT being displayed (or maybe it will). This important check might have to wait for the next stable release, but the time/moment to this check/test depends on whether the tray notifications will keep appearing and when.

Evidently, this "relation" between shields and tray notifications should NOT exist, but since I resetted all the shields to the default, I currently can't really know. In any case, we are currently in a better position than before.

I'll keep posting any relevant info in this same topic, until I finally decide to update the program.

Any additional user that has the possibility to test the several combinations of some shields being "off" and the program update tray notification being displayed (or not), will help to put this issue finally behind us, for several millions of Avast users.

Jack 1000

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Re: updates notifications are gone
« Reply #57 on: May 15, 2011, 10:13:05 PM »
Quote
Anyway, for the first time in months, I indeed received a program update tray notification. With some of the questions pointed out during this long topic, I did NOT update the program YET. I want to check if the program update tray notification would appear again until I run the update. This may happen in my next reboot, or together with the next database update notification, or after 24 hours, or a combination of those.

The second behaviour I would like to test is the possible relation between some shields being "off", the Status Bar for these specific shields being "off", and the program update tray notification NOT being displayed (or maybe it will). This important check might have to wait for the next stable release, but the time/moment to this check/test depends on whether the tray notifications will keep appearing and when.

Evidently, this "relation" between shields and tray notifications should NOT exist, but since I resetted all the shields to the default, I currently can't really know. In any case, we are currently in a better position than before.

I'll keep posting any relevant info in this same topic, until I finally decide to update the program.

Any additional user that has the possibility to test the several combinations of some shields being "off" and the program update tray notification being displayed (or not), will help to put this issue finally behind us, for several millions of Avast users.

Glad that you got your pop-up notification!  However, you're right, don't mark "solved" yet, because the questions you raise are excellent and would be a good source of study to further understand how the program tray notification updates work.

My advice would be, if you are not testing for the Program Updates to leave all shields set to on, because strange as it may seem, shields being on may be a direct relation to program updates going through in a timely manner.  If you test, make (and keep) a note of any settings that you change AND what their original settings were so you can put them back when done with the testing.

Keep us posted.  It will help all of us learn about the pop-up tray update notification in more detail.

Jack
« Last Edit: May 15, 2011, 10:16:19 PM by Jack 1000 »

ady4um

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Re: updates notifications are gone
« Reply #58 on: May 18, 2011, 02:12:42 AM »
This post is longer than usual, because I am reporting back all my findings, so maybe all the tray notification issues can be resolved.

Since my latest post in this topic several days ago, I've been testing several conditions in relation to program update tray notifications.

First, as I already commented before, the program update tray notifications are currently being displayed, which is already good news.

About whether they are displayed more than once, my current experience is that they are displayed according to the same rules that the database updates are subject to. To be more clear, I'll give here one of those rules, as example.

Normally, Avast checks whether there are new database updates according to the first time it gets connected to the Internet after booting, and then it repeats this check in a fixed differential time (every 4 hours is the current default, if I'm not mistaken). Avast then displays a database update tray notification, but only in the case where there is an actual database update (at least, this is the default).

So, according to the above described defaults, the PROGRAM update tray notifications are displayed every 4 hours, until the user accepts to perform the program update. In this situation, the program update tray notification appears every time, no matter whether the database is actually updated or not. This *is* the expected correct default behaviour of the program update tray notifications 8).

Last year, this behaviour was the same as the above described, until my program update tray notifications were not showing up AT ALL, until several days ago, when they reappeared.

BUT (there "must" be a "but" :) ), the DATABASE update tray notifications are currently NOT being displayed. To clarify, I'll take again the above example.

For "some" of the update' checkings of Avast (those every 4 hours), the database *is* indeed updated, and for some, there is no new database to update. This is naturally expected. Last year, when

_ there was a new program update available; and,
_ the database was just updated,

then 2 tray notifications were displayed simultaneously; one for the usual database update, and one for the program update availability.

Currently, the tray notification for the new program update availability is indeed being displayed every 4 hours, but the database tray notification is NOT being displayed ??? ; no matter whether there was only a *check*, or an actual database was effectively updated.

I also changed my settings back to what they were before, with 2 shields in "off" state, and the Status Bar not monitoring those same 2 shields. I changed back those settings to my original preferences only after testing the above described behaviours with the defaults.

After changing my settings, all the above described behaviours were still the same 8). I tested booting behaviours, connecting to the Internet behaviours and frequency of updates' checks. I found no difference.

Whether the program update tray notifications will continue "for ever", or whether they will disappear after some time (say, 2 weeks after the first notification, or after the official first availability), or whether they disappear after some "number of notifications", is not part of my testings. For now, they are indeed showing up.

To me, it is not YET clear, if the database updates tray notifications will appear in some future stable release together with the program update tray notifications, as they used to be displayed last year. Currently, in the context of tray notifications only and before performing the program update, there is no noticeable difference if an actual database was updated, or only the check was ran and there is no new database update.

The second issue still not resolved is if:

_ the shields settings (on/off); or,
_ the partial disabled Status Bar monitoring; or,
_ the status of "Summary -> Current Status -> Real-time shields:" being "off" (as if "ALL" the shields were "off"); or,
_ any other setting (in Avast program or at the severs side); or,
_ any of the above possible combinations;

are somehow interfering / influencing / changing the tray notifications behaviour.

Yes, I tested some of the possibilities. But the first time, in months, that the program update tray notification was displayed, was coincidentally after a couple of days I resetted my shield' settings as default.

So, to resume my recent observations posted in this post:

_ The program update tray notifications are being timely displayed until I'll accept to actually update (which I haven't done YET);

_ I don't know if for the next stable release, the program update tray notification(s) will be displayed again as normal/expected, while I'll be using non-default shields' settings;

_ No yellow exclamation mark is being displayed over the tray icon as DavidR suggested it should be until I accept the program update (I'm not saying I want the exclamation mark, or that I was actually expecting it, but that *IS* indeed the current default setting as he pointed out);

_ Until I decide to actually apply the new program update, only the program update tray notification is being displayed for every update check; meaning that the database update tray notification is not being displayed when an actual database is indeed being updated.

Is like if the previous *database* update tray notification that was being displayed "alone" during the last few months, was interchanged / replaced by the *program* update tray notification being displayed "alone" now, at least until I finally decide I'll apply the program update (and I'll still have to see/test what happens then).

Just to be sure, I haven't applied the program update yet, so to give an additional opportunity to receive suggestions and/or feedback here to keep testing before updating, and to give some more time to Avast Team and to the Avast Servers to (maybe and hopefully):

_ display BOTH tray notifications when they BOTH should;
_ display only the program update tray notification when only *that* corresponds;
_ display only the database update tray notification after applying the program update and when a database update would be preformed;
_ and no tray notification should be displayed at all when only an update check is performed but not database and no program updates were found.

Of course, those are expected behaviours according to the default "update" settings.

If anyone have any questions or suggestions or requests, or I was not clear enough, please don't hesitate to ask here, before I finally decide to apply the program update (I'll wait some additional days, unless I see some more important issue).

Offline bob3160

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Re: updates notifications are gone
« Reply #59 on: May 18, 2011, 02:30:41 AM »
I have to date received 2 notifications of an update.
1. Desktop running Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit (using avast! IS)
1. Netbook running the same operating system. (using avast! Free)

I also have another desktop and a Notebook with the same OS
that never received any program update notifications. (using avast! Free)

The settings on all 4 machine are identical (default)
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