Problem updating a standalone computer with current definitions

Question

I have a standalone computer running windows XP that is not allowed to be connected to any network. I have installed Sophos Antivirus and updated virus definitions in the past by putting them onto a CD and then carrying it to the target computer. On that computer, Sophos Update is set up to update locally. The path for the update is set to C:\SophosUpdates\. I copy the current SAVSCFXP folder from the CD into the folder C:\SophosUpdates\ and then right click the Sophos shield and select Update Now.

This has worked in the past, but does not work now. The update log shows the message that says it cannot connect to the server, and that I should check that the pathname is correct and that the computer really has access to the server. It does not make sense to me. How can it not have access to a folder on its own C: drive? I have also tried pointing it to the SAVSCFXP folder on the CD, but that had the same result.

I have been trying since about mid-December to figure it out, and have tried uninstalling and reinstalling Sophos Antivirus and Sophos Update several times. Finally I just ran a Sophos scan from a CD, but this is not really a satisfactory approach.

Can you give advice on what I should try next?

Thanks,

Harold

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Harold_G · Accepted Answer

It turned out that our CD burning software had truncated some of the really long filenames. So when the update process went to open a file by name, it could not do so. This had happened to 6 or 8 files.

I resolved the issue by repeated attempts to update. After each attempt, I looked in the update log to find the name of the file that could not be opened. Then I went into the appropriate folder and updated the file name. On the next attempt it was able to use that file, and stumbled on the next file whose name had been truncated. After a few repetitions of this process the update finally succeeded.

I am now going to find new CD burning software so as to avoid this issue in the future.