AVG Update Failed – Invalid Update Control CTF File

This post was written by admin on December 15, 2008
Posted Under: Antivirus, Technology

Updated November 2009

AVG continues to have problems with updating in versions 8, 8.5 and 9 with users receiving the following message: 'Update failed - Invalid Update Control CTF File.'

First try the following:
Double-click the AVG icon in the Notification area.

Click the Tools menu and click Advanced Settings…

Navigate to the Manage option in the Update branch - The Manage option is included in AVG version 8.0.233 and higher.)

Click the Delete temporary update files button.

Click Yes to confirm removal.

Then attempt to update AVG

If this fails you need to rename/remove the CTF temp files in C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication DataAvg8updatedownload....

Dont delete all the .bin files in there unless you want to re-run all updates since your original installation (reinstallation seems to cause a problem in IEs Link Scanner which causes IE to Crash). Only rename/remove the avginfo files that end with .ctf

There are two .ctf files - avginfoavi.ctf and avginfowin.ctf in that folder which need to be deleted.

In Windows Explorer change the folder options to Show Hidden files and folders,
open Control Panel > click on Tools > Folder Options > View and locate Hidden files and folders and mark Show hidden files and folders or simply copy and paste this into Start > Run: C:Documents and SettingsAllUsersApplication DataAvg8updatedownload then press Enter and delete the .ctf files

In Vista navigate to C:ProgramDataavg8updatedownload and delete the .ctf files

Do NOT delete any other files, only those ending .ctf

If the problem continues then the update control files are probably corrupted.

There is a utility to delete these files from AVG, click here to go to the download page: deleteupdatefiles

Should this fail to resolve the problem then it is advised to uninstall AVG with the AVG Removal Tool and then reinstall AVG after rebooting to clear any locked files.

Click here for the AVG Removal Tool