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Can't update virus database via freshclam

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DeLin2022
Posts: 2
Joined: 2022-04-24 19:05

Can't update virus database via freshclam

#1 Post by DeLin2022 »

Hi,

I'm a new user in Debian's world. From the first day, I'm having an issue with freshclam app. Namely, I can't update its virus database using the command: sudo freshclam. When I'm trying to update it, I always get this message:

ERROR: /var/log/clamav.freshclam.log is locked by another process
ERROR: Problem with internal logger (UpdateLogFile = /var/log/clamav/freshclam.log).
ERROR: initialize: libfreshclam init failed
ERROR: Initialization error!

I was searching on the Internet for some solutions and I found the following message, I should stop some services in my system. I made it using these commands:

sudo service clamav-freshclam stop and
sudo systemctl stop clamav-daemon

Afterward, I wrote once again the command sudo freshclam. The app started to download updates, but the system showed automatically information in my terminal, that all databases are already updated. I know, they aren't. Before installing Debian on my laptop, I had tested the system using my usb pendrive. There I could download all updates without any problems. The number of viruses was also bigger than now in the installed system.

Today I have reinstalled all packages of clamav and freshclam. By installation, I have used only these two: clamav and freshclam without clamav-daemon. After stopping all services as earlier, freshclam began downloading all updates. But then it didn't install them. No information, that all databases are updated. If I'm not wrong, there was short information about no file or no access to a file. This is a little bit strange, that clamav-daemon app has an influence on freshclam.

I will be grateful for help in solving this issue.

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Uptorn
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Re: Can't update virus database via freshclam

#2 Post by Uptorn »

The issue is already solved (sorta). That service you stopped, clamav-freshclam, is actually the self updater component for clamav's virus database. As long as clamav-freshclam is running, your computer will check hourly for new db signatures. The reason that it said "already up to date" when you ran freshclam manually is probably because it had already been updated by the hourly check.

DeLin2022
Posts: 2
Joined: 2022-04-24 19:05

Re: Can't update virus database via freshclam

#3 Post by DeLin2022 »

Hi,
Thank you for your answer. I think the issue hasn't been solved, because I see only 8738640 signatures of viruses (known viruses). When I start Debian from Pendrive and install the whole ClamAV also with daemons, then I see many more installed signatures. Why freshclam doesn't show me an updated database, I don't know.

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