Error: cannot connect to server for updates

[Eddy]

Download and install the latest version from the website.

Does this solves the problem?

[qcbloke]

Same here.  Been about two-weeks now without updates. I've tried re-installing, disabling Zone Alarm.  Just about to throw in the towel. A shame, too -- Avast!  has always been top-dog in my books.

[jiugiusto]

Hi,

It seems that this problem is hitting many without any solution.
Is the Avast product owner aware of this problem?

[Eddy]

It seems that this problem is hitting many without any solution.

Most people who are facing this either have wrong proxy settings, wrong firewall setup, firewall mal function (ZA), or are using an old version of Avast.

qcbloke,
with ZA it is not enough to just disable it for checking, you need to remove it completly to find out if ZA it the problem or not.

[marco1978]

I have the same problem too. I didn't changed anything on my PC recently and I don't use any firewall. Everything else works fine: this is evidently an AVAST latest version bug

[Eddy]

Make sure you have set "use no proxy" in your connection settings.

And not using a firewall is not smart to do. I strongly suggest you get one.

Also try this:
start > control panel > add/remove programs > Avast > change/repair > check for updates.

[qcbloke]

Eddy, I feel your frustration.

However, I have downloaded and installed the latest version of Avast, have the correct proxy setting, and excised my trusty ZA -- apparently not the problem so I've re-installed.

This Avast connection snafu began spontaneously two weeks ago during a period when no changes had been made to my PC. Also, during the six-months prior I'd been using Avast , the app had performed and updated without incident. Two + two?

[jiugiusto]

Hi,

I had this problem on my both computers (which have the same internet connection).

It is not about zone larm;

Problem solved in the following way:

On my notebook, I had to do a repair.
Control panel - add remove program - repair avast once you click on removing it

On my desktop, I had to uninstalled, reboot, reinstalled and do a repair.

Since today morning, it seems that it is updating well.

[Daveatthewell]

 
Afraid I've got the same basic problem as everyone else.  Can't be sure when, but it seems about the time I updated the main program to 4.5 a few days back that the error message "cannot connect to server" first started appearing.  I've always been able since then to manually update.
Before registering with this forum, I did an uninstall and a reinstall, updated (manually) to 4.5 and updated the latest definitions 0451 (rebooting as appropriate).
I have McAfee firewall and had no problems before.  Among other progs, McAfee is letting ashserv.exe and ashmaisv.exe access the internet.  I've disabled the firewall and still no joy.  I've tried autodetect and no proxy, all to no avail.  I've tried the repair facility but it tells me it cannot connect to the server at the Downloads window.

I don't particularly wish to remove the firewall, reboot and then try again, which seems to me the last resort, since all else I've tried - and have seen posted here hasn't helped.

There appears to be a genuine problem, with the finger of suspicion pointing at Firewalls in general; so how's about Alwil software investigating a little further before we lay ourselves open by removing (albeit temporarily) our firewalls.

System is Athlon XP running windows XP home.

Regards
Dave

[jiugiusto]

Hi, again,

There is really something weird.
I am having again the same problem on my desktop: cannot connect to server... but it is working fine (till now) on my notebook.
I have the same OS and applications!!

[qcbloke]

Got an Auto-update this morning.  Fingers crossed....

[Eddy]

I am having again the same problem on my desktop: cannot connect to server... but it is working fine (till now) on my notebook. I have the same OS and applications!!

But the systems are not the same. Different hardware, different drivers and therefor Windows is not behaving the same on both systems.

Not saying this is where the problem is, but it can have something to do with it.

Got an Auto-update this morning.

That was a vps update, not a program update.

[Eyael]

Hi there!

It seems like AVAST 4.5.523 didn't like the automatic detection of proxy (automatic detection - use IE settings) as advised in the Help file. I've changed it to Direct connection (no proxy) and was able to connect to the server to download the new AVAST program update at last!

One thing bugs me though: I used to have this option (automatic detection) checked and it'd work fine for program updates (I still use the same IAP and no proxy). Besides I haven't changed my IE settings since I do no use IE (I use Mozilla Firefox) and have denied it access. Why did Automatic detection still work fine for VPS and not for program updates? Some food for thought for AVAST developers I guess!

Hope this post helps some of you.  

[Daveatthewell]

 
Do I look confused?
So I've got auto updates back - I think.  I re-read the FAQ that comes with the main help file and it referred to a file Avast.setup requiring access through the firewall.
Now I had checked ALL blocked applications and there were NONE.  Let's face it .SETUP as an extension is not the same as .EXE and at first it wasn't listed.  I couldn't even find the file on the system to startwith but reverted to a DOS box and the good old DIR command and found it skulking in the AVAST4 Setup folder.  Back to McAfee Firewall Internet Apps screen and strangely AVAST.setup was shown as BLOCKED (I know it wasn't there a few minutes earlier - I'm losing it, I know).  Allowed Full Access and hey presto.  Now for the really strange bit. Avast.setup has disappeared from the file listing again.

Is it me???
 

[DavidR]

avast.setup is not a permanent file it is created just before update, so that is probably why you can't find it to allow it.

Try a manual update and your firewall may ask if avast.setup can access the Internet, say YES. If it doesn't and you can't connect, your firewall/you have already blocked it; so look in your blocked items/programs area and delete it if it's in there. Then try the manual update again.