Sophos Mac Anti-Virus Home Edition not updating

The thing about this error is that it's generic.  The thread started because the system that provides the updates - at Sophos - stopped working.  It was a temporary problem and resolved as quickly as we could.

Since then everyone with an update problem has locked onto this thread and believe their issue is the same.  And why not?  Same error.  Google it and this thread comes up.  In truth the reasons for the error are wide and varied.

If you scan back through the thread there are several posts from people who, when they post their version of the Sophos AutoUpdate log, reveal that their installation is not even updating from Sophos.  Several posts are from users who don't even have the Home Edition and therefore not even pointed at a Sophos-maintained update location - but blame Sophos for the failure.  There are posts from user where the log extract shows the updating address is their company or university.  If the installer came from a company or university chances are they maintain the update location and when it stops working it's not because of something Sophos has done, nor failed to do.

So while the age and/or length of this thread may paint a depressing picture for the new and uninitiated to this forum believe me - it shouldn't.  Most, if not all, of the errors can be explained.

Anyway, all this rambling isn't getting anyone closer to a fix.  So moving forward I'd suggest upgrading to v9.1.  My advice, thought not totally required (as you can install over the top of the existing program) is:

1. Download the v9.1 installer from this thread (first post): openforum.sophos.com/.../18025
2. Uninstall the Home Edition.  I could be quick and simply say 'go to spotlight and search for "remove sophos" and run the uninstaller'.  However you'd be surprised how many user say 'that doesn't work' - and that's because they don't have the Home Edition or they dragged and dropped the removal app into Trash.  Hence there is this thread: http://openforum.sophos.com/t5/Mac-tools-help/Remove-uninstall-Sophos-Anti-Virus-for-Mac-Home-Edition-the-free/td-p/14271
3. Once uninstalled run the v9.1 installer from your Downloads folder.
4. Reboot.
5. Force an update.

Hopefully that works - and it will for 99% of users.  However if it doesn't there is something 'special' about your network and/or environment.  Proxy, ISP, firewall.  Something is blocking it.

Well, it turns out that the only thing "special" about my environment was version 9.0 of Sophos. When it was installed, it did not function. When 9.1 was made available yesterday, the "blockage" problems went away and I have functioning antivirus software.

I just hope no one else has these "generic" problems; mine lasted over nine months, at least in my head.

Thanks for making the solution available.