[SOLVED] Avast failed update: an annoying popup

[con_nesso]

I installed Avast free on my windows 7 PC and at every start up I receive the following pop up message in a red background alert box (I'm translating from english since message is in italian): "Last time Avast was unable to update your virus signature. Do you wish to update now?".

My PC is always online via LAN and this annoying message appears at every reboot. Is it possible to solve this little problem? Thanks very much!
Giancarlo - Italy

[DavidR]

Does this connection via the LAN actually use any sort of proxy ?

Then you would have to incorporate that proxy into the avastUI, Settings, Update, Proxy Settings.

Are you able to do a manual virus definitions update ?

[ady4um]

The problem might be related to your network not being fully ready?

Try Avast main GUI -> settings -> troubleshooting -> load avast service only after other system services.

Is Avast successfully updating during your normal work day (checks every 4 hours)?

[con_nesso]

My PC is connected to the LAN through a powerline plug adapter: no proxy, just my router adsl.

I tried setting "load avast service only after other system services". At first it seemed to work. I rebooted my PC and for the first time I heard the familiar voice of Avast telling that virus signatures were updated successfully. But this evening, after a new reboot, the old problem is back here: Avast seems unable to perform automatic update at startup. Manual update is OK. I don't know if automatic update every 4 hrs is working since I never used my PC for such a long time continuously.

Thanks a lot for helping!

[giogio]

Question: do you turn ON your router every time you boot your PC?
If the answer is Yes, try to wait 2 minutes before turn on the PC, probably your router is not online yet...

What type of update have you configurated: Always connected or Dial UP?

[DavidR]

Delay Auto Update Check - In avast6 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 (XP file location). Location for Vista, win7, C:\ProgramData\Alwil Software\Avast5\avast5.ini.
If you did a clean install of avast6 the folder names are slightly different, \Avast Software\Avast\ instead of \Alwil Software\Avast5\ other than that it is the same procedure.

- Broadband connections, add this line:
AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=120 and
AssumeAlwaysConnected=1 if not present (or edit AssumeAlwaysConnected=0 to AssumeAlwaysConnected=1)

[InetWD]
AssumeAlwaysConnected=1
AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=120

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

The figure is seconds and the above equates to two minutes, you could try that and adjust upwards if required, 180, 240, etc.

[con_nesso]

No success. I tried waiting 5 minutes after turning on my router, before booting pc, with no result. I modified file avast5.ini in this way:

Code: [Select]

[InetWD]
AssumeAlwaysConnected=1
AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=240
Nothing changed (except that now I have to wait 4 minutes before receiving error message saying that avast wasn't able to update virus signatures).

I noticed that, even if avast is unable to automatically update virus database, nevertheless it is able to automatically detect if its virus signature is updated or not. I am meaning that if I reboot my PC some time after performing a manual update, even many hours later, if there is not any new update available, Avast doesn't display any error message. Doesn't it mean that avast is able to connect to internet and check if there is any update available, but it is not able to download such an update?

[giogio]

1)Wich version have you installed?

2)Have you tryed to reinstall Avast?

3)Have you tryed to connect your pc directly to  your router to exclude a problem with your powerline plug adapter?

4)..or try to install the new beta..

Download links:
Free AV: http://files.avast.com/files/beta/6.0.1279/setup_av_free.exe
Pro AV: http://files.avast.com/files/beta/6.0.1279/setup_av_pro.exe
IS: http://files.avast.com/files/beta/6.0.1279/setup_ais.exe

[con_nesso]

My version is 110905-0.

What do you suggest me to do? Thanks for helping!

[giogio]

We're not asking for virus definition version, but the version of program you've installed.. is the 6.0.1203?

[con_nesso]

Sorry... yes it is 6.0.1203

[scythe944]

I installed Avast free on my windows 7 PC and at every start up I receive the following pop up message in a red background alert box (I'm translating from english since message is in italian): "Last time Avast was unable to update your virus signature. Do you wish to update now?".

My PC is always online via LAN and this annoying message appears at every reboot. Is it possible to solve this little problem? Thanks very much!
Giancarlo - Italy

I guess the question now is what A/V did you have installed before installing Avast?

Have you had avast for a while and have been upgrading or have you recently installed a new version from scratch?

A good clean uninstall with the removal tool (http://www.avast.com/uninstall_utility +follow instructions on that page) and re-install usually helps wonders.

If you have Avast set to direct connection to internet and no funky things are set in your Internet Explorer Connection settings, it should work ok.

BTW, how are those powerline networking devices working for you?  I hate to admit it, but I might get some of those to alleviate myself of running actual Cat6 cables all throughout the house, as much as I want to.

[ady4um]

Avast main GUI -> settings -> updates -> Update parameters -> check "My computer is permanently connected to the internet".

In theory, this is not related to your issue, but might help in troubleshooting.

You say that manual update works. It would be helpful to know if automatic update also works after several hours.

The automatic update starts when booting, but the check for available updates are performed every 4 hours. Leaving your system connected during 24 hours, should give Avast the opportunity to actually update at least once (or more).

Then, by opening the main GUI -> maintenance -> update , you should be able to see when the last attempt to update was performed, and the current installed versions (of the program and the database).

In Avast main GUI -> summary -> current status you should be able to clearly see if you current database is actually the latest available.

If automatic update actually works during the day, then the problem is more related to booting time and processes / services.

If automatic update fails also during the day, then the problem is not exactly the booting processes / services, but the automatic update.

Please test and report back so we can narrow down the problem.

[con_nesso]

I run my PC for 4 hours this morning and after that avast tried to update its virus signatures automatically but with no success: same "red" error box as at startup. I had to update it manually as usual. So it should be proved that it is not a problem of boot, isn't it?

Regarding avast installation, I installed it from scratch as my first antivirus after buying my pc (there was no A/V installed before). Any other idea?

[giogio]

Have you checked this things??

Avast main GUI -> settings -> updates -> Update parameters -> check "My computer is permanently connected to the internet".

and

3)Have you tryed to connect your pc directly to  your router to exclude a problem with your powerline plug adapter?

4)..or try to install the new beta..

Download links:
Free AV: http://files.avast.com/files/beta/6.0.1279/setup_av_free.exe
Pro AV: http://files.avast.com/files/beta/6.0.1279/setup_av_pro.exe
IS: http://files.avast.com/files/beta/6.0.1279/setup_ais.exe