Update Unavailable

Hello ###### walsh and RussB,

Most certainly this issue occurred because you haven't uninstalled BitDefender 2008, prior to install our 2010 version. In order to solve this issue please follow the steps bellow :

1. Save first the uninstall tool from the next link :

http://www.bitdefender.com/uninstall

2. Now, start your computer in Safe Mode :

- restart the computer;

- repeatedly press the "F8" key several times before Microsoft Windows begins

to load (you need to press "F8" until you will be displayed a text menu);

- select "SAFE MODE" in the text menu and press "Enter".

- wait while Windows loads in Safe Mode; this process ends with a confirmation

message; click "Yes" to acknowledge.

3. Run the BitDefender uninstall tool and restart your computer in Normal Mode when you will be asked.

4. Download the BitDefender installation kit from the next link :

http://download.bitdefender.com/windows/de...us_2010_32b.exe

5. Run it in order to install BitDefender and register it with your license key when you will be asked.

Test to see if the same issue occurs.

Thank you.

Hi Alex,

I've been reading these forums for months now, and I would like to start by saying that you appear to be very prompt in your responses and efforts to assist people having problems, and for that I think many people are very appreciative. With that being said, I must say that the bitdefender 2010 product (at least as an upgrade) seems to be an incredible failure to your loyal customer base. I think it's time that bitdefender stepped up and did something to make this right with everybody and attempt to compensate them for this disaster. I think bitdefender should offer to extend the license of *everyone* who has upgraded to 2010 by at LEAST an additional 6 months, free of charge, for the many months of constant issues. This entire community has essentially become unpaid employees of bitdefender -- all of us running your tests and effectively becoming your production lab to work out the bugs, kinks, and issues and test possible fixes and report the results back to you. These expectations are more inline with an opensource product, but certainly not for a pay product that should be polished and user-ready by the time it releases. Before you begin to think that I'm being unreasonable or simply ranting due to frustration, please allow me to explain...

I purchased the 2009 Total Internet Security to run on my Windows XP SP3 desktop, which appeared to be running great, as was earlier versions of the product as well. Updates always worked with 2009 and below. The application never became unavailable, or simply stopped running and protecting my computer without a reboot to (temporarily) resolve. The regularly scheduled scans always worked as expected, with no weird dialogue boxes constantly popping up to tell me why something new was broken. It just worked, as should any product that you release for pay to the general public.

On 10/21/2009 I got an email from bitdefender with the following subject:

"Free Upgrade to BitDefender Total Security 2010"

In the body of the email, I would like to point out 2 very clear comments:

* No need to uninstall BitDefender 2009

* The expiration of this upgrade remains the same as that of your Total Security '09 license

Shortly after upgrading from 2009 to 2010, the nightmares began (almost all of which are well documented reports here in these forums by various users).

This is certainly not a complete list, but allow me to highlight some of the more annoying scenarios I encountered in the weeks and months following the upgrade:

* Inability to toggle game mode from system tray (My only option was to ever turn it off, even when it was already off, disallowing me from re-enabling it since it thought it was already on).

* Unable to update bitdefender after computer being booted for a couple days. I would always get the "Invalid server or proxy settings" error, even though I am not configured to use a proxy server. In every case, a reboot was required to resolve.

* Constant crashes. Bitdender would not stay up for more than 1-2 days before it was completely grayed out / non-responsive. This is another condition that would disallow updates as well.

* Remote Desktop (RDP) began reporting "out of storage space". Upon investigation, I determined this to be an issue with IRPStackSize, which needed it's value to be increased. Per microsoft, this is something that happens only with certain Antivirus applications. This is nothing that *ever* happened to me with previous bitdefender products.

* Randomly blocks any application from starting unless game mode was turned on. A simple reboot was effective to correct this, but quite annoying considering the problem would resurface roughly every 4-6 computer reboots.

* After the computer has been booted for 1-2 days, multiple times a day a dialogue box will pop up "This scan task is already running. Please wait for it to finish, or cancel it before attempting to run it again.". I have been unable to determine what's triggering this. I am not trying to manually run a scan or anything, this is something automated that bitdefender is doing all on it's own.

I'm sure there are other problems that aren't coming to mind, but these are the ones that have happened repeatedly, and enough times for me to write down.

I've followed many of the fixes suggested in the various posts, to no avail. To cite a few, I've copied the v_live_s.xml file from C:\Program Files\BitDefender\BitDefender 2010\Ini\Default to C:\Program Files\Common Files\BitDefender\BitDefender Update Service from safe mode. I've made sure to remove any duplicate rules in the filter that may have been blocking the livesrv.exe process, ensuring that only a single entry existed, and that it was set for 'allow'.

The most recent fix I attempted was the one you mention in the post I'm replying to. While I remained hopeful that this would finally put an end to my recurring issues by completely removing any old artifacts from previous bitdefender installs, it has created a new issue for me.

I ran the uninstall tool from safe mode. After rebooting, I ran the 2010 installer again. Now when I enter my license key, it's telling me "Bitdefender registration failed. The license key you have entered does not match this product type." When I log into the site, under My Account, it only reports a license key for 2009, and for the 2010 product it says 'Evaluation'. I suspect this has something to do with the uninstall tool, as there was probably some knob in the registry that allowed a 2009 license key to work with a 2010 upgrade. By following your steps, my 2010 product is no longer an upgrade, but now a complete install from scratch. As such, it does not appear that my 2009 key works, when I was offered a free upgrade to 2010.

I am now coming up on 4 months since my initial upgrade from 2009 to 2010, and I have never gotten through a single few day stretch, let alone full week of the application just WORKING with no issues or problems. I feel like I've done proper due dilligence on my end to investigate what might be happening, thoroughly reading the forums, and attempting to implement various potential fixes to these. Enough is enough. I suppose I can accept at least partial blame here. I have remained persistent to try to get 2010 working with no problems, when I knew that 2009 worked just fine. At any point I could have gone back and just stuck with 2009. But I tried to remain positive that these issues would quickly be worked out by the bitdefender devel team and I'd have a working 2010 product. I've now got 44 days left on my 2009 license, and feel like the last 4 months have been a complete and utter waste of my money. Furthermore, I am seriously questioning whether or not I will be giving my business to bitdefender when my 44 days are up.

I think it's time bitdefender took a good look in the mirror on this one. Based on the numerous reports you've gotten, do you feel that the 2010 product (at least from an upgrade path perspective - eg> upgrading from a previous install as opposed to a fresh/new install) and customer experience has been adequate? Obviously a lot of these issues were unforseen. But several months after the roll out, now looking back, do you think your customers are due more than a simply working version of the product? I think compensation of some sort is in order. As mentioned at the beginning of this post, I think a free 6 month license extension to any user who upgraded might go a long way to restoring some faith and customer satisfaction. What do you think?

And what are my options for registering 2010 now that I have followed your advice and completely removed all old versions? I technically never purchased a 2010 key, but was offered one in email as a free upgrade since I did purchase 2009. I've still got the email if anyone would like to see it for verification.

Any response and assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Scott

Hello hellerd,

Please try the steps bellow and let us know what happened:

1. Start your computer in Safe Mode :

- restart the computer;

- repeatedly press the "F8" key several times before Microsoft Windows begins

to load (you need to press "F8" until you will be displayed a text menu);

- select "SAFE MODE" in the text menu and press "Enter".

- wait while Windows loads in Safe Mode; this process ends with a confirmation

message; click "Yes" to acknowledge.

2. Go to the next location : C:\Program Files\BitDefender\BitDefender 2010\Ini\Default . Here you will find a file called "v_live_s.xml" . Right click on it and choose Copy .

3. Now, go to the next location : C:\Program Files\Common Files\BitDefender\BitDefender Update Service and paste this file, selecting Yes, when you will be asked if you want to replace the file.

4. Start your computer in Normal Mode and try to update BitDefender.

Thank you .

I have the problem that my update section is grey, and i can't click anything on it, and in the settings section the update is unchecked, and have an (!) mark next to it, and every time i tick it, it stays unchecked.

I did what you've posted, but still there is no change.

Please help me.

I STILL didn't get an answer for my problem.

I did what you told me to do and i have sent the information you wanted via e-mail, but i didn't get a solution

So please help me ASAP

<{[( PLEASE )]}>

I have tried the solution and it does not fix my issue, The update button isnt greyed, i press it, and it goes "14%...28%...42%..0%...14%...28%...42%" then stops with no error or anything, and a big red ! on bottom left.

Can you please email me your other possible solution.

I have the exact same problem.

Please email me a solution.