How to Manually Update Eset NOD32 Offline

Everyone is now convinced that Eset NOD32 is the best anti-virus for Windows right now, but there's only one problem with it that makes people still consider Symantec Norton AntiVirus over it: you can't simply download virus definition update files from the web and update your NOD32 locally on a PC with no internet connection. At least, it's not that easy.

Actually, NOD32 does let you update the definitions if you have a CD or DVD with the updated files, but you can't just take the files from an existing, updated installation and put it in your NOD32 folder. You need to prepare the updated signatures using a third-party tool like n32upgen, burn it on to a CD or DVD and then make NOD32 update it. But if you don't have access to a PC with an updated copy of NOD32, then what do you do?

Simply follow these instructions to have an offline update method for your copy of NOD32 version 2.7. NOD32 v3.0 comes out in just a few more days, but I'll continue to put up 2.7-compatible updates for a while, so don't worry!

1. Download the latest update files from http://rapidshare.com/users/12TMR5.
   
2. Extract to any folder. You should get a folder called "nod_upd" along with the update files inside.
3. Burn that folder on to a CD or DVD, ensuring that the folder "nod_upd" is in the root of the disc, i.e. the path to the files should read like E:\nod_upd\. This is very important.
4. Take the disc to the PC which you want to update and insert it into the drive.
5. Open up the NOD32 Control Center by clicking on the system tray icon.
   
6. Open the "Update" screen and click on "Setup"
7. In the "Server" dropdown list, choose the last item which should point to your CD-ROM drive. If you have multiple items there (i.e. E:\nod_upd and F:\nod_upd), ensure that you choose the drive that you inserted the disc into.
8. Click OK to close the update setup window.
9. Back at the update screen, click "Update now".

After a brief pause, your NOD32 should be updated!

If it doesn't do that and/or it gives you an error, please ensure that you performed step #3 and step #7 correctly - that's most likely where the problem is.

You only need to do the settings once. After that, keep coming back here for monthly updates and you can skip step #7 and #8.

Update (7/10/07): If you want to update off a USB drive or a folder on your hard drive and avoid burning a disc, try the following. Warning: This requires a registry modification, so don't do this if you don't know what you're doing.

1. Download the latest update file from http://rapidshare.com/users/12TMR5
2. Extract to the root of your hard drive or USB drive, or any other folder that you're comfortable with. Make note of the folder, for eg. C:\nod_upd.
3. Start the Registry Editor and browse to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ ESET \ Nod \ CurrentVersion \ Modules \ Update \ Settings \ Config000 \ Settings.
4. Under that, find the item named "SelectedServer". Change its value (default is "AUTOSELECT") to "FILE:C:/nod_upd/". Ensure that the path is the one you extracted your files into and that the slashes are forward, UNIX-style ones. Close the Registry Editor.
5. Open up the NOD32 Control Center by clicking on the system tray icon.
6. Open the "Update" screen and click on "Setup"
7. At the update screen, click "Update now".

Update 10/16/2007: October update links are now up.
Update 10/31/2007: October 31st update links are now up. Mirrors include Rapidshare, MegaUpload, DepositFiles and Filefactory, courtesy of FTP2Share.
Update 11/22/2007: Updates for 22nd November are up. Sorry for the delay!
Update 11/30/2007: 30th Nov updates (v2694, date 20071130) are now live. It seems RapidShare deleted the earlier 11/22 update! WTF!
Update 12/6/2007: December 6th updates are up (v2705, date 20071205).
Update 12/17/2007: Dec 17th updates are up (v2726 dated 2007-12-17). These might be the last updates for 2007, but.. nah.. I'll put up more before the 31st.. :)
Update 12/26/2007: Dec 26th updates are up. This is the last upload of 2007. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!
Update 1/7/2008: Jan 7th updates are up (v2768; 20080106).
Update 2/14/2008: Feb 14th updates are up. From now on, updates will be uploaded to the RapidShare folder automatically: http://rapidshare.com/users/12TMR5