AVAST! 4.1 DEC03 BETA NOW AVAILABLE!

[Vlk]

Hi all,

I'm delighted to announce that we now have a public beta version of the upcoming avast update available. Anyone who'd like to participate in this program is encouraged to do so -- it's actually very simple - if you already have avast installed, you don't even need to reinstall it!

The build number of this beta is 4.1.313.

The main single enhancement of this version is the availablity of new language packs. Namely, besides English, Czech, Spanish and Italian (that have already been supported for some time), this new version adds the following options:

- Portuguese
- German
- Polish
- Dutch
- Hungarian

There are also some new improvements in the program itself, such as enhanced EXE packer handling (mainly fixes in AsPack unpacker),extra checks for incompatible AV software and silent mode in the mail heuristics module.

The updater has also been improved dramatically - the new version features dynamic round-robin selection of updating server, changes in the base package engine, support for mirroring etc.


How to install the BETA
As already said it's very easy. All you have to do to start using this BETA is download the following tiny file: http://www2.asw.cz/beta-dec03/servers.def , put it to your <avast>\setup directory, and invoke avast program update (if your browser just displays the contents of the file in a window instead of leting you save it to disk, you can just replace the contents of your existing servers.def file with this one using the copy and paste method  - it's a text only file so no stuff should get lost... .

How to switch to a newly-available language
Fisrt update to the Beta version as described above; let the machine reboot, then go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, 'avast antivirus', choose Change and tick the language packs you'd like to install. Then click Next - new files will be downloaded and installed for you. Another reboot will likely be required after the updating process completes. When the system restarts, you're almost done: just start avast, go to Settings, Languages, and select the new language. That's it.



It would be great if you could share with us your experience with this version. Please note that this is actually a very short beta program - we expect the official release of this code to take place next Thursday (December 18th) - on avast4's first anniversary!

Thanks,
Vlk

[Walker]

I've installed it.. .. that bit went OK   and no immediate probs.

Can you say.. .. will this version better support Pegasus mail.   I have sent an e-mail to 'support' and still waiting for another reply from a chap called 'Vlk', but no luck  :'(

Old Walker.

[Walker]

I realise it's beta, but first comment.. ..

Any speed increase in XP shut downs we have gained over the last releases, seems to have been lost again  :'( . It's worst than it used to be.. .. nearly 30 secs to shut down a P4 3gig!.

Any chance to address this as the test progresses?  

[Lisandro]

I'm trying right now...
Thanks Vlk for our beloved Languages... Thanks Igor for his patience too  

[Lisandro]

I'm delighted to announce that we now have a public beta version of the upcoming avast update available. Anyone who'd like to participate in this program is encouraged to do so -- it's actually very simple - if you already have avast installed, you don't even need to reinstall it! The build number of this beta is 4.1.313. The main single enhancement of this version is the availablity of new language packs. Namely, besides English, Czech, Spanish and Italian (that have already been supported for some time), this new version adds the following options: - Portuguese - German - Polish - Dutch - Hungarian

We are delighted too  

There are also some new improvements in the program itself, such as enhanced EXE packer handling (mainly fixes in AsPack unpacker),extra checks for incompatible AV software and silent mode in the mail heuristics module. The updater has also been improved dramatically - the new version features dynamic round-robin selection of updating server, changes in the base package engine, support for mirroring etc.

Untill now, everything is ok   No troubles, no update bugs, no RAM issues...

How to install the BETA
As already said it's very easy. All you have to do to start using this BETA is download the following tiny file: http://www2.asw.cz/beta-dec03/servers.def , put it to your <avast>\setup directory, and invoke avast program update (if your browser just displays the contents of the file in a window instead of leting you save it to disk, you can just replace the contents of your existing servers.def file with this one using the copy and paste method  - it's a text only file so no stuff should get lost... .

Worked fine... Indeed, the browser invoke just a window and not a download.

How to switch to a newly-available language
Fisrt update to the Beta version as described above; let the machine reboot, then go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, 'avast antivirus', choose Change and tick the language packs you'd like to install. Then click Next - new files will be downloaded and installed for you.

avast! does not ask for a reboot to me... Just start downloading the 2.319.456 bytes file and already in my Language... Probably because I have a 'Beta' version of it  
Definitevely, just one boot for me...

Another reboot will likely be required after the updating process completes. When the system restarts, you're almost done: just start avast, go to Settings, Languages, and select the new language. That's it. It would be great if you could share with us your experience with this version. Please note that this is actually a very short beta program - we expect the official release of this code to take place next Thursday (December 18th) - on avast4's first anniversary! Thanks, Vlk

Ok, thanks in advance for 18th December update  

[igor]

Technical: well, I'm sure I was not the only one to be patient.

Walker: Do you know when the speedup has been gained? I don't remember the history exactly, but I'm not sure whether there were any changes in this release that could cause this... i.e. couldn't it be caused by something else?  

[drahnier]

installed without a hitch. and so far everything appears to be ok.

i`ll be going to install the german version on my girl friend's pc as a first christmas present ...

__________
drahnier

[Walker]

Walker: Do you know when the speedup has been gained? I don't remember the history exactly, but I'm not sure whether there were any changes in this release that could cause this...

Igor,

There was comment about this in one of the forum threads, I've searched with all relavent keywords and cannot even score on the search (except my last msg.,) and there has been a lot of discussion on this!

Anyhow, a month or two ago XP would shut down in 7 secs without Avast and 19 secs with Avast. Over the last month or so shut down with Avast was reduced to 14 secs. Today with the Beta it is 19 secs. OK only secs.. .. but it's bl**dy annoying when your waiting for it and considering things were getting better.

i.e. couldn't it be caused by something else?  

Oh no.. .. let's not even go there eh.   You tell me your expected/acheived shut down times with and without Avast running over the last few versions and I'll delve into my PC if required  

But what about full Pegasus support  

Walker.

[igor]

I'm not saying anything... just from my personal experience, Windows are pretty random and undeterministic - I wouldn't judge anything from 5 secs difference; but as I said - it's really my personal opinion.
7 seconds vs 19 seconds, that certainly is a difference... though I'd say it can easily be a result of different startup order, shutdown order... updated Microsoft Jet drivers... or the avast! database itself - whatever.

Anyway - I was just asking if the speedup occurred at a specific version; I'm not aware that there were many changes regarding the shutdown speed previously (but I can be wrong, of course). But if there were such a change, it can be simply checked whether this change was not recently modified. Otherwise - if the speedup/slowdown occurs randomly across the avast! versions - I wouldn't blame the new version for it (i.e. I'd say "nothing has changed").

As for searching the board - did you change the time restriction (60 days back by default)?

[Walker]

Igor,

I totally agree with everything you say.. .. however this XP shut down issue is an old chestnut.. .. it's not just a whim from one use, it has been brought up many times.

Whilst I am quiet happy to pass on the details or do any testing you would like on this issue, I feel it is something that you should already be aware of and have some kind of test data of your own.

I am more than prepared to accept that these are my personal findings on one specific (well two actually   ) machines, but bviously, it would not be to difficult for you to run a simple time test with and without Avast running.

Now.. .. what about Pegasus  

[igor]

Well, I personally use Win2000... it shutdowns in 10 seconds once, and takes a minute the other time. I guess it's due to the network connections though.

The Pegasus support is a subject for Vojtech... let's wait if he has some info for us.

[Walker]

OK Igor, the reference to 'you' running a test should have been 'Alwil' for perfect correctness  

[Lars-Erik]

One stupid question :-)

After replacing the "servers.def" file it now only includes the server with the dec03 beta path.  Do we have to copy back the original "server.def" file to receive future updates again?

Or will we still receive future updates automaticly anyway?

[MWassef]

do not forget to fix the help button issue at the SMTP setup page mentioned here..  

[Lisandro]

do not forget to fix the help button issue at the SMTP setup page mentioned here..  

In Portuguese version is fully corrected this issue