Avast(Free) dies during update. Major panic!!!!

[Gargamel360]

Worth doing a uninstall / install??

Yeah, I'd say so, given it fixed others up who posted without a hitch.

You might try a repair first, though.

[bb2011]

Success! Done a full uninstall, reboot then install (repair option did not work). The program updated after the reboot automatically and all now looks well.

As asked previously, it would be good to know what length of time W2K will be supported for as my license runs out in November, no support - no renewal

Cheers!

[JeffChao284]

Downloaded the latest file from the download link in this thread, run the file vpsupd.exe and get an error message,

setup.ovr - Application error
The exception unknown software exception (0xc06d007e) occurred in the application at location 0x7c59bcb1.

clicking OK or Cancel then gives the message 'VPS database is already up to date'

Done the usual reboot & same story next time round.

Update within the program fails 'Failed to update. The avast! service is not running'. Attempting to start the avast service in control panel gives an error too.

Worth doing a uninstall / install??

Well the offset "0x7c59bcb1" goes within the range of Kernel32 and SMSS.exe, it looks like a something maybe mismatched with the latest VPS update that opens an exploit in both files, and because the offset on my system for Kernel32 is from 7c570000 to 7c624000 which is the offset range, and from this offset it is up on the early part of the file which usually contact files related to the Security exes that would permit Avast to load the updaters and some scanners, sorry if this seems a bit confusing, but WinDBG is your best friend to ordeal these kind of service issues, but it seems Kernel32 does not like this latest update to the AvastSvc Service file, nor does some of the security service loaders.

[Roly]

I'm a llama.?
Well, guess that does not make me one of the 6 giga humans oxygen thieves that use more than their share of the planets resources.
Sadly, not true.

[Ian Seale]

As users, we bitch a lot on forums (no? just me?) but thanks to Ivor for:
1) communicating with us
2) letting is know we weren't going mad and
3) being part of the solution and fixing the problem

For those of you coming to this thread for the first time, if you are using Win 2000 SP 4 download and install the manual update, run it, go into Avast controls to start the program and run Fix - all will be good.

http://www.avast.com/download-update

[delta925]

I have just wiped the semi-working installation of 6.0.1203 I did yesterday then rebooted and installed 5.1.889 again including setting to update the definitions automatically but never to update the program.

The definitions updated to version 110807-0 automatically without problems.

Just to be sure I rebooted to check all shields were still working.

Thank you to the Avast team for resolving the issue and please keep supporting Windows 2000.

[Pablooo]

WARNING: I also had the win pro 2K/SP4 crash problem.  Like a fool I called for technical support at 877-877-9362 (India). I was told the problem was in my computer and after a remote scan was offered a fix for $149.  I declined and was told my computer was unstable and I was at risk of irreversible failure.  After reading the forum I updated as suggested and did a full scan.  Everything is fine again.  Beware of the technical support offered at 877-877-9362. Its a scam PS...please keep supporting Win 2K Pro/Sp4,
thanks.

[avadas.de]

Hello,

regardless of the pro and cons of the tech support hotline: Why should avast! support Windows 2000 any longer? In my personal opinion the support should have dropped with Microsoft dropping the support on it. It is a fact that it is an out-of-date operating system and that Windows XP is available on the market for roundabout 20-25 EUR (at least in Europe at Amazon). Nobody can really bring up an argument which can really support Win2K operating systems, not even system drivers. The successor is based on almost the same driver model and should support even more old hardware.

Furthermore...what is the point of running a security application on an unsecure basement?

[delta925]

Hello,

regardless of the pro and cons of the tech support hotline: Why should avast! support Windows 2000 any longer? In my personal opinion the support should have dropped with Microsoft dropping the support on it. It is a fact that it is an out-of-date operating system and that Windows XP is available on the market for roundabout 20-25 EUR (at least in Europe at Amazon). Nobody can really bring up an argument which can really support Win2K operating systems, not even system drivers. The successor is based on almost the same driver model and should support even more old hardware.

Furthermore...what is the point of running a security application on an unsecure basement?

Not everybody has the means to upgrade their current computer system or simply does not need to.

This laptop is a Pentium 3 1GHz and the maximum memory that can be installed is 512MB.
However apart from struggling with some video files it runs just as fast as some newer systems with XP never mind Vista. Also it is very stable.
Should it fail I have another identical one that cost £25, all I have to do is move over the hard disk ( a 3 year old drive not a 10 years old one ) and memory to be back up and running.

Running Windows 2000 with Avast antivirus, Comodo Firewall and Spyware Terminator and using Firefox as my browser I have not picked up any gremlins while friends with XP have. Also I don't get bugged by the continual XP updates which gradually seem to slow the system down and use more memory.

For my needs I would gain nothing from paying out £££ for a newer system just so I could run XP or Vista.

[delta925]

Earlier I told my friend all was resolved and he should have no problems.

However he just phoned to say Avast had locked out all shields.
I talked him through downloading the full definition file and installing it.

When he rebooted all Avast shields were running again so I too can confirm this repair method works.

[avadas.de]

Hello,

For my needs I would gain nothing from paying out £££ for a newer system just so I could run XP or Vista.

you would gain security.

EDIT:

I want to take back my former statement, that it makes no sense to run a virus scanner or other security application on an outdated system like Windows 2000. This statement was touched by a little bit of sarcasm and I'd like to hereby clarify it: Of course it is recommended to install a virus scanner on those kind systems, however my general note about this is still valid and if you think about it there is also a little bit of truth in it. The operating system is outdated and doesn't receive any security patches anymore. Furthermore it is very common that a lot of third party companies drop support for older operating systems sooner or later.

[=SKY=]

Basically you don't need to run a virus scanner on this system, it's insecure anyway

Never heard such a m*ss!

Guys, he (avast.de) isn't an official member of the avast-team!!!

He's just a reseller.
When we want have a good discussion about the support of W2k, imho we should do that with the avast-team.
For example, we could open a thread in the off-topic-forum or somewhere else here.

I use W2000 Pro since over 10 years. Never had a virus.
That's a bad fact for a reseller.

[Lisandro]

Basically you don't need to run a virus scanner on this system, it's insecure anyway

Misinformation. False.

[INGBEAN]

@~SKY~:

The statement of avast.de in relation to the OS "Windows 2000" is an old story.
If you take a look to their forum (http://forum.avadas.de/), then you will find requests from "W2k"-users and the most common answer is: "go to XP!"...

Now my opinion:
Thank you to the avast!-team for resolving the issue and please keep supporting Windows 2000.

Regards from Austria!
INGBEAN

[avadas.de]

SKY,

if you have no good technical arguments, but only "he is just a reseller" (wondering what that fact has to do with my sentence anyway), maybe you should not take part on this discussion. It is a fact that Windows 2000 is not officially supported by Microsoft since many years and that it doesn't receive any security updates anymore. Of course you can try to cover that with some security application and maybe you are lucky with that. The system is and will stay insecure.
Please come up with good arguments on that rather than discussing if only officially avast! team members can come up with real facts. I am just wondering how someone can expect from third party software developers to still provide support for that outdated operating system, when even the official vendor doesn't do it. You might have noticed that more and more companies dropping support on Windows 2000 in the meanwhile, even avast! with the Internet Security suite.
By the way...this is my private opinion, not the one of AVAST Software or my employer (tough I have the strange feeling, that they might share it...but that's just guessing), therefore please read exactly what I write rather than just reacting angry because I might have hit a true point...I think that is really "bad" here. See my above corrected statement, since the former one was touched by a little bit of sarcasm and may be misunderstood.

If you take a look to their forum (http://forum.avadas.de/), then you will find requests from "W2k"-users and the most common answer is: "go to XP!"...

Maybe you should take a closer look...just like here we are only reminding users, that they running an operating system without any support and that in the meanwhile the price for XP is so cheap, that they might consider an upgrade. We try to solve their problems anyway. I can understand that some people will see it as us trying to make money or even try to solve problems by going the easy road, but that is not our intention. Those people will also receive our help with their problems with avast! and Windows 2000, but since a lot of users are unaware of the fact, that Windows 2000 is no longer supported by Microsoft, we put an additional reminder to them.