Avast AV crash after update

[8-bit]

I have Avast AV for Linux installed and upon doing a definition update, Avast crashed.
I investigated this and found that the remedy is to change the value in /proc/sys/kernel/shmmax.

I tried it and it works.
But the question is will this harm puppy?
What it does is increase the memory block available to a program's data.

I put this script into /root/Startup.

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash
echo 128000000 >/proc/sys/kernel/shmmax

I thought I would pass it along for those that are using avast4workstation-1.3.0.tar.gz

[nooby]

Hey 8-bit I wish someone could answer this one too .

But the question is will this harm puppy?
What it does is increase the memory block available to a program's data.

[DPUP5520]

No it will not harm Puppy I have an almost exact same fix for avast in PupRescue and it works fine n doesn't harm anything.

[Sylvander]

1. How should I install "avast4workstation-1.3.0.tar.gz"?

2. And how to make the script file?

[DPUP5520]

sylvander, I saw you tried the link I posted for you, is that the only error you got was an invalid argument?

edit: did you restart your computer after installing and try running from menu? it should ask you for your registration key, run avast first not avast update. I just reinstalled on a fresh 528 install and it still works fine.

[Sylvander]

. "sylvander, I saw you tried the link I posted for you"
Er, I think I actually had to search for the avast.1.3.0.pet because you didn't supply a link.
Here's the post that set me searching.

2. "is that the only error you got was an invalid argument?"
Yes...
Here's my report of that.

3. "did you restart your computer after installing"
No...
I thought this was un-necessary in Lupu-526.

4. "and try running from menu?"
No...
Tried looking for it in the menu, and couldn't find it.
All I could find was "Menu->Utility->Avast! update".
So I ran the avast command in a terminal.

5. "it should ask you for your registration key"
Quite so.
I wondered why it didn't.
Began to wonder if that program only installed an update program, not a virus scanning program.

6. "run avast first not avast update"
OK, I now see "Menu->System->System status and config->Avast! antivirus"...
Clicked that, it was reported that a stale file was deleted...
It didn't ask for a password.
Then the Avast! program window appeared, and I was able to scan the Windows partition.

[DPUP5520]

The reason a restart is required is because the "avast fix" script for the updater is in the startup folder. I tried to supply the actual link but when I did my post blanked out on me for some reason. I think it may not have asked you for a registration key because some settings/config file from your old avast may not have been deleted when you deleted your old version and installed 1.3.0 after but I assure you the 1.3.0 pet is not an update it is the full avast av program minus the av database (its like 40mb).

Edit: btw glad to see you got it working for you.

[Sylvander]

1. "the "avast fix" script for the updater is in the startup folder"
(a) Ah, OK, I see the avastfix.sh script file in the root/Startup folder.

(b) Is this placed there by the "Menu->Utility->Avast Update" program?
I must have manually saved the session changes after running that.
I've since rebooted.

(c) Does this mean that updating the Avast virus definitions [by clicking on the update button within the Avast Virus Scanner] will no longer be problematic?

[DPUP5520]

1. "the "avast fix" script for the updater is in the startup folder"
(a) Ah, OK, I see the avastfix.sh script file in the root/Startup folder.

(b) Is this placed there by the "Menu->Utility->Avast Update" program?
I must have manually saved the session changes after running that.
I've since rebooted.

(c) Does this mean that updating the Avast virus definitions [by clicking on the update button within the Avast Virus Scanner] will no longer be problematic?

No it was placed there by me manually, if you untar the pet you will see it in the startup folder in there.
Yes it does in fact mean that as long as you keep that file in the startup folder you will never have a problem updating the av signatures with avast-1.3.0

[Sylvander]

Any idea what the "Avast update" item in the Menu system does?

Update the Avast virus scanner?
Or update the virus definitions?

[DPUP5520]

It updates the definitions, or so it is supposed to but since I can't actually see it (I can't get the terminal to pop up to show it even using rxvt -e doesn't work for some reason) so I always update the definitions from inside the avast gui.

[Sylvander]

1. I used the "Find" facility to find the "avast-update.desktop" file, and from the content, found that the program to run is...
/usr/bin/avast-update

2. So I navigated in Xfe to /usr/bin, and ran a terminal window there, and ran inside it the command avast-update.
Here's the seemingly successful result:

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]# avast-update 
Checking for virus signature updates...
An update for /root/.avast/400.vps is available.  Fetching update...
Update done: /root/.avast/400.vps dated 2011-11-05 10:19 /root/.avast/400.vps.
#

3. Then tried to run the Avast scanner by clicking on the entry in the Menu.
It didn't run!
So I..
Manually entered the command:

Code: Select all

echo 128000000 >/proc/sys/kernel/shmmax

Then...
Ran the avast command in a terminal and got:

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# avast
/usr/bin/avast: line 178: 22822 Killed                  $AVAST_PREFIX/bin/$programname "$@"
# 

4. Any idea what went wrong?

5. I'll reboot without saving the session, and see if all is well once back in.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. Yes, changes have been discarded, and the Avast scanner is running once more.

7. The following 3 successive commands worked just Fine.
There was no update available this time around because at the previous attempt, the updates were downloaded just fine, and I could see that the virus database info within the program had confirmed the update.

Code: Select all

# echo 128000000 >/proc/sys/kernel/shmmax
# avast-update 
Checking for virus signature updates...
No updates available at this time.
# avastgui

[Jasper]

Presumably with the outdated vrus definition set "reinstated"?

Have you updated the defs and scanned?

[Sylvander]

1. "Presumably with the outdated virus definition set "reinstated"?"
(a) Yes...
After reboot without saving the session...
The outdated virus definition set was back as it had previously been.
i.e.
111104-1, 04/11/11
------------------------

(b) It's now at...
111105-2, 05/11/11
After the update completed today, once back in from reboot.

2. "Have you updated the defs and scanned?"
(a) Yes...
Presently scanning my D: partition [sda5].
One error reported as shown by the screenshot below.
My wife made that DOC file as a template for me to use to type new letters.
What should I do about that corrupted OLE archive?
My wife recons I should just delete it; she'll make a new DOC file if necessary.
Avast says it cannot delete this type of file.
Xfe deleted it with no difficulty.
Repeated scan produced no warning = zero viruses.

(b) Yesterday I scanned my C: partition [sda1], with definitions that were up-to-date [only just then updated] at that time.
.

[Jasper]

Hi,

(a) Is windows used very much and which version is it?
How long does it take avast to scan your C and D partitions at both medium and maximum settings.

(b) How might Windows acquire malware:
emails (if not via Puppy)?
CDs/DVs?
Downloads?

(c) Are you happy that your active Windows malware protection is amongst the very best (perhaps freeware) available?

(d) Do you clone or backup your C and D partitions and, if yes, how frequently?

[Sylvander]

1. "(a) Is windows used very much and which version is it?"
It's Win2000Pro, and is almost never used.
e.g.
(a) Emails:
I only use it to fetch the very few emails not deleted in Puppy->smm.
smm displays the text of emails viewed whilst they are still on my Blueyonder POP3 server.
I delete them using smm after I've dealt with them there.

(b) Family Tree:
May need to view it now and then.

2. "How long does it take avast to scan your C and D partitions at both medium and maximum settings"
(a) Haven't timed them, so can only estimate.
C: takes much longer than D: because the partition contents occupy so much more space.
Perhaps:
C: = 10 minutes
D: = 4 minutes

3. "(b) How might Windows acquire malware:"
Very unlikely to acquire malware, since I have lots of protection, seldom use Windows, don't do risky stuff in there.
Any necessary risky stuff is done in Puppy.
(a) "emails (if not via Puppy)?"
For the few remaining emails I actually fetch...
I use Mailwasher to view the text content [having already viewed them in Puppy->smm], satisfy myself all is OK, then download them using "Outlook Express", then open them there.
If I suspected anything amiss, I have image and Xfe and snap2 backups I can restore.

(b) "CDs/DVs?"
Don't work with these in Windows; only various Puppies

(c) "Downloads?"
Don't work with these in Windows; only various Puppies

(d) Browsing the web:
This is yet another thing I generally don't do in Windows, only in Puppy.

4. "(c) Are you happy that your active Windows malware protection is amongst the very best (perhaps freeware) available?"
Yes...
They would be among the best available at the time...
But since I don't use Windows hardly at all, they tend to not be updated.
Instead, I scan [now and then at times that seem appropriate] using Puppy->Avast.

5. "(d) Do you clone or backup your C and D partitions and, if yes, how frequently?"
(a) Again...
Recently I haven't been making the various Windows backups so frequently as I used to do, because I haven't been using or updating Windows so frequently as before.

(b) Here's a screenshot of my Xfe backups of the pupsave files for various Puppies.
Notice the folders are named with dates.
111025 = 20011,Oct,25th.

[Jasper]

Hi,

An Avast! update once a week (say, every Saturday) with C and D scan will be sufficient.

After a few months with nothing found, reduce the interval to say,monthly,

My regards

[Sylvander]

xxxx OK xxxx

My thanks [kindly thoughts] for your assistance.