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AVG Update and Link Scanner Issues

February 1st, 2009 Leave a comment Go to comments

I regularly suggest AVG as a free anti-virus solution. I have actively used it for well over 8 years now and have never found myself struck by a virus it couldn’t clean or stop.

Recently two annoyances have crept into AVG. The first is easily solvable, a corrupt update.

If you get a message saying “Invalid update control CTF file”. This means that AVG has found that its update file is corrupt. The quickest way to sort this is to delete the update files:

  • Open the “AVG User Interface”
  • Tools > Advanced settings (via the menus)
  • Then “Update” and “Manage”
  • Press “Delete temporary update files”
  • Run the update again.

Easy enough to fix.

The second annoyance is the Link Scanner. I can understand what it is attempting to do but in my preference I do not wish AVG to add additional traffic to my already clogged internet connection! The trick to sorting this is to remove the link scanner at installation. This might mean uninstalling AVG to reinstall but to get rid of Link Scanner its worth it. Simply select a “Custom installation” and then when it gets to “Component Selection” uncheck LinkScanner .. done!

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  1. February 2nd, 2009 at 01:45 | #1

    Thanks for the AVG Free recommend. I just wanted to add a correction about LinkScanner. Since the problems of repeated pagescans by LinkScanner’s SafeSearch function came to light last summer, we have changed the way in which the program works so that these repeated pagescans no longer happen. The protection afforded by LinkScanner has not changed, and we continue to recommend the technology as a valuable additional layer of protection against drive-by downloads and other invisible exploits.

  2. Joshua Buckaloo
    January 4th, 2010 at 18:18 | #2

    The problem I am having is updating the link scanner so that I may turn on the active surf shield. It wont let me update the link scanner, says its outdated. I have tried everything, from refreshing the internet browser(like it says) to just trying to update my AVG, witch jsut says no new updates available. PLEASE HELP!

  3. January 5th, 2010 at 00:05 | #3

    @Joshua Buckaloo

    You could try a manual update, goto their site.

    Download the files you want (LinkScanner DB for instance).

    Open the AVG interface, select Tools then Update From Directory. After that navigate from where you download the update file and select it.

    Hopefully the update should succeed. If not then try the AVG forums, maybe an uninstall and reinstall would be more successful? Have you got the latest AVG9!

    Good luck.

  4. March 9th, 2011 at 13:40 | #4

    hello,
    my problem with the “link scanner update” was resolved with “delete the temporay update files” and them updating again.
    Thanks ;-)

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