so frustrated - Kaspersky

[sophiarosehips]

Hi all,
I am having a problem with Kaspersky Anti-Virus. For the last two days it's been telling me it can't update, it can't connect to the server.

On their troubleshooting site, it says this may be due to my host file. It says to either delete most of the lines in the host file but one, or dl a new host file.
http://support.kaspersky.com/us/faq/?qid=208281335

When I find my host file in Windows and try to open it, (I tried to do so using Notebook--no idea which program I should use) I get some text describing the host file, not a bunch of deletable lines.

When I try to dl the host file, the old host file is not visible in its location (even though I found it there) and I get an error message saying I'm not allowed to dl it to that location and I should contact my administrator. I have the only account on this computer, and I'm listed as the administrator.

GAH.

Please guide a frustrated and somewhat clueless person to fix what's wrong with her computer. I thank you in advance.

Sophia

 

[billyb0b]

The hosts file can be a likely culprit but usually not an issue. It sounds like there may be some malware on your machine that is blocking this.

Have you tried running malware-bytes anti-malware?

 

[dawks]

A normal healthy hosts file will look like this (and cannot/should not be deleted)

# Copyright (c) 1993-2009 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
#      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server
#       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host

# localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
#	127.0.0.1       localhost
#	::1             localhost

As said, you may have some form of Malware blocking your AV programs access to updates. Try downloading and scanning your system with another program. Malwarebytes, or Spybot, or Microsoft MSRT...

Try flushing your DNS cache (Start > Search CMD > Right Click 'Run-As Admin' > ipconfig/flushdns). Also consider changing DNS servers top OpenDNS or Google DNS if you haven't already (more secure, reliable than standard ISP DNS)

 

[KeithP]

You could try manually downloading the updates instead of letting the app do it:
http://www.kaspersky.com/kav_latest_versions

Microsoft makes a free product (formerly know as System Sweeper) that creates a disc that you can boot from to check your system from malware. You might try making a disc, on your computer or a friends system to check your computer.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/what-is-windows-defender-offline

-KeithP

 

[sophiarosehips]

Hi all,
Thank you so much for the advice! I tried the flushing thing, didn't fix it. Did a full scan with malwarebyte, didn't find anything. I'll try downloading the updates manually next.

Thanks again!

Sophia

 

[sophiarosehips]

You could try manually downloading the updates instead of letting the app do it:
http://www.kaspersky.com/kav_latest_versions

Hi Keith,
Sorry to be a dunce about this, but I tried to dl the latest version and there are a couple of issues. One, it looks like the same version I have (12.0.0.374)--would basic daily updates not change the number? and also when I try to install it, it wants me to uninstall the existing Kaspersky, and I'm nervous about doing that. I don't know what I'm doing and I'd hate to do something to really screw up my system. I guess I just need to know it's the right thing to do.

Is deleting lines in this host file out of the question (see the link in my OP)? I wonder about it since that's what the Kaspersky site says to do. But then, I don't know how to do it, so...

Thanks again for the help, guys.

Sophia

 

[Ketchup]

Sounds like you are trying to re-download the program, not just a definition update. But if the program is not updating, that may not be a bad idea.

 

[sophiarosehips]

Hi guys,
I just checked my pc (I was on my laptop when I wrote you before) and it is ALSO not connecting to the proxy server or whatever. Neither machine has been able to update Kaspersky since June 3. I have a request for customer service in to their website. But it seems weird that this is happening on both machines. It must be somehow related to my account?

Sophia

 

[Ketchup]

If your subscription is not up, I would do a reinstall on one and see what happens. I would also check their forums and see if this is a wide-spread issue.

 

[Ketchup]

If your subscription is up, there are many good free options out there as well.

 

[YBS1]

Try changing your update server location in settings from auto to russia/usa/whatever, try different ones. If that fails, run uninstall and choose repair when asked repair/remove. I would have suggested to do this first if not for it happening on both machines, as corrupted databases frequently will prevent update from running.

 

[sophiarosehips]

Hi all,
Thank you so much for all your advice and help. The Kaspersky people got back to me and had me uncheck "use proxy server" under my update settings. And it worked, so I'm all set. What a pain! But it really means a lot that I have a place to go for advice like this. Thanks again!

Sophia