Autoupdate downloading fails to complete

Hey TJM39,

Has this happened multiple times for both of your machines, or just the once? 

If it happens again, one thing you could try would be to clear Autoupdate cache and force a new download. Steps to do that are listed below.

Also, you say the Mac Mini is running OSX 10.3... frankly I'm surprised we are still continuing to send updates to that one. We currently require a minimum of 10.6, and will be phasing out support for that later this fall, so you may want to consider updating the Mac mini to a more current version of OSX. 

How to Clear Autoupdate cache and force a new download

1. Open Terminal from Spotlight:
   
   
   
2. Paste in the following command and press enter:
   

   sudo rm -rf /Library/Caches/com.sophos.sau/ ; /usr/bin/SophosUpdate

    You will be prompted for your account password.  Type the same one you use to unlock System Preferences panels etc. - the password will not appear on screen.  Press enter once you have entered the password.
   
   The command will clear all of the already downloaded files in the Sophos AutoUpdate cache and force a new download.

It now happens almost every day on my iMac. I'm less sure about my wife's Mac Mini, but I think it has happened a couple of times. BTW, the Mac Mini is on 10.3.3 - Yosemite.  It's my iMac that I'll need to update soon. I've been putting it off because I don't really like the Yosemite user interface and some other niggling things. But, I'll adapt.

Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try.

Ah,  I think you mean 10.10.3 then... since 10.3.3 is 'Panther' and totally vintage at this point.  :cathappy:

As for the autoupdate issue, it's not something I've seen before, but I can ask around and see if anyone else has any tips. I wonder if it's relate with slow download speeds, or limited disk space? 

Oh, and I meant to ask - have you checked the logs? What do they say?

Ah, my bad. Definitely 10.10.  

In Re: logs.  I don't really know what I'm looking at or for. However, ...

I've attached the piece of the "Sophos Anti-Virus" log starting after the successful update at 9:21 this morning. It appears that I am set to check on updates every hour. the download starts again at 10:21, but never completes. I think I re-started the system shortly after I sent my original message about 11:45am. Then did a manual update of Sophos.

Also attached is a piece of the All Messages log filtered by "Sophos". (I never looked at any of this before.)

One day has passed. So far so good. :-)

Did the logs reveal anything to you?

Tom

The problem has not re-occurred in several days. I'm calling it solved!  Thanks very much.

Great, I'm glad to hear it! :catvery-happy:

i'm getting that issue too where auto update conitnually runs. when i try to cancel the update, it says: Sophos AutoUpdate Error -- Could not send cancel update request to Sophos AutoUpdate daemon.

i uninstalled the app completely and reinstalled, and then ran your sudo tool to flush the cache. terminal currently just says "Downloading..." and has been that way for a while.

same problem:  autoupdate on imac running yosemite fails to stop; tried your terminal fix to no avail