I have used Adaware for years but recently I cannot update definitions on my office computer. A few weeks ago, it kept saying my definitions were several days old, I would click update, then it would say Error Connecting to Server, Try Again Later. I uninstalled and re-installed twice, but now I get a message saying definitions are 515 days old - they go all the way back to 2005! I still get the Error Connecting to Server message. Adaware on another computer in the office on the same network works just fine, as does my home computer. I have run several virus and spyware scans, but same thing. Does anyone have a suggestion? Thanks.

Hi Janicecm,

First make sure that you are using Ad-Aware Se Build 1.06r1

There are several steps which should solve this problem.

First, navigate to your AAW folder - default installation path is C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware SE. There you will find either or both files called defs.ref and defs.ref.old

Delete them both, and try your usual update process.

Should that not work, check your "hosts" file. It could be that a malware has changed it so that connections to our update server are not working.
Your hosts file is located in "c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\". Open the file "hosts" with notepad. If you see any references to "download.lavasoft.de.edgesuite.net", you should remove them. Now try your webupdate again

If this does not work, then you should try a manual update.
Update the definition file by downloading the zipped definition from http://updates.ls-servers.com/public/defs.zip
Unzip this file and you will get a "defs.ref" file. This file should be copied to "c:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware SE\" (the folder name will changed depending on if you have pro / plus / free)
Now load Ad-Aware. If the definition file is still showing your old one, then click on the settings icon (the cog wheel), then click "General". At the bottom right, there is a box saying "Using Definition File". Click the "Open file" icon next to that box and then browser to the definition file in "c:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware SE\" (the folder name will changed depending on if you have pro / plus / free) Select it and press open. You should now have the latest version.

Let us know how you get on

Regards,

Spike