Antivir Personal freeze

Your sticky note "How to Protect Yourself from Malware" recommends using an Antivirus program from your list. After installing Avira's AntiVir program, I discovered that after a while I was unable to download the updates. Whenever I clicked the Update link, a message indicated that some downloads were being downloaded and installed and then, the message "Downloading Updates" displays and the screen just continues displaying that, no matter how long I let it run. But the Updates are never downloaded and so I have to shut down the program in task manager, where I get the message "this program is not responding."
I tried uninstalling and reinstalling this program and it worked for a while, but then after about a month the problem kept happening again.
Any idea what I can do? I'd like to keep using this program, because, aside from this problem, I like it. Thank You.

 

Have you ensured that Avira Updater is allowed access through your firewall?

 

hrlow2: That was it!
One of the listed items for Antivir in my firewall had a "deny", which I changed to a "permit" and was then able to do the scan.
Thanks for your post.