Thread: Spybot

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

After reading this thread I downloaded Spybot from the link provided, and ran it on Sunday. It didn't seem to find too much that looked dodgy but I let it have its head anyway.

Then I ran the Immunization, and ever since then when I close a PDF or Folder I get a msg that Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. This msg keeps on popping up every time I close it, and the system is virtually locked up. I have been lucky most times to be able to save the Excel sheets that were open.

The only way out of this is to do a restart, which is becoming a little tedious. Anyone got any clues about this rather unpleasant feature please?

I've never heard of this happening before. All I can suggest is to roll back to an earlier restore point, before you installed SpyBot, if you're certain that's the cause and that it's not just a coincidence. Did you do anything else at about the same time?
Perhaps you could check the SpyBot site FAQ, if there's such a thing, or contact them.

You have tried uninstalling SpyBot?

Originally Posted by Hermit

I've never heard of this happening before. All I can suggest is to roll back to an earlier restore point, before you installed SpyBot, if you're certain that's the cause and that it's not just a coincidence. Did you do anything else at about the same time?
Perhaps you could check the SpyBot site FAQ, if there's such a thing, or contact them.

You have tried uninstalling SpyBot?

Pretty sure it's not coincidence, because it started happening straight away. Didn't do anything else at the same time. I'll check their site.

Referring back to the problems I was having after Spybot did it's thing:
You can de-immunise selected files, which I did (everything), but that only helped a little. Turns out it put a whole bunch of Windows stuff into Quarantine so I purged all the trackers etc, and restored the obvious stuff.

There is now nothing in Quarantine, but I still get the "Windows Error and needs to close" for things like turning the volume down , closing Skype, and the Atuoplay of my ext.Hard Drive when I bring the computer out of hibernation. Eventually it goes a way, but it takes bloody ages (like 30 minutes of constantly clicking ok to the error msg and "don't send" the error report. All the while it sucks the life out of the puta.

So Steve, do you reckon it would be safe to uninstall SpyBot now? I'm concerned that it may leave some crap in its wake (although everything is out of quarantine I'm still getting some errors).

Cheers
Brett

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

Referring back to the problems I was having after Spybot did it's thing:
You can de-immunise selected files, which I did (everything), but that only helped a little. Turns out it put a whole bunch of Windows stuff into Quarantine so I purged all the trackers etc, and restored the obvious stuff.

There is now nothing in Quarantine, but I still get the "Windows Error and needs to close" for things like turning the volume down , closing Skype, and the Atuoplay of my ext.Hard Drive when I bring the computer out of hibernation. Eventually it goes a way, but it takes bloody ages (like 30 minutes of constantly clicking ok to the error msg and "don't send" the error report. All the while it sucks the life out of the puta.

So Steve, do you reckon it would be safe to uninstall SpyBot now? I'm concerned that it may leave some crap in its wake (although everything is out of quarantine I'm still getting some errors).

Cheers
Brett

To be honest, your guess is as good as mine. It doesn't sound like it's doing much good, though.

If it was my PC, I'd set a restore point in advance, then uninstall, (with my fingers crossed). In fact, I would have uninstalled it as soon as the problems started.
As to whether or not your problems will go away when you uninstall, I have no idea.

Strange set of symptoms. I've never seen an error for turning the volume down, for example. In fact, I've never seen anything like this just from installing Spybot. What sort of 'Windows stuff' was quarantined by Spybot?

If you allow Windows to send the error report, you'll get more info, too.

Edit: To avoid this sort of problem, I regularly clone my hard drive to a second one using DriveImage XML, then put the clone aside for emergency. Then, when things screw up too badly, I just fit the clone, re-format the original and clone back to it ready for the next time. I also keep a backup of my data only on yet another smaller 500GB external drive, and keep that backup up-to-date. It's worth considering doing something like that once this is sorted out. I get minimal losses that way, no matter what happens.

Originally Posted by Hermit

I'd set a restore point in advance

I regularly clone my hard drive to a second one using DriveImage XML, then put the clone aside for emergency. Then, when things screw up too badly, I just fit the clone, re-format the original and clone back to it ready for the next time. I also keep a backup of my data only on yet another smaller 500GB external drive, and keep that backup up-to-date. It's worth considering doing something like that once this is sorted out. I get minimal losses that way, no matter what happens.

These are all the things that I'm just no good at, System restores, system backups and "stuff". I very regularly backup my files to a flash disk, external hard drive, and also onto C drive for some things. I take copies of "Windows Settings" and some others like Outlook files, but I simply don't know enough about it to do it properly and thoroughly. I've written a macro in Excel which does all these backups - it "kills" the previous bu folders first and then copies a new version.

What sort of 'Windows stuff' was quarantined by Spybot? Bloody everything - Word, Excel, etc, etc, inluding a whole bunch of MS stuff that I never even heard of or seen evidence of. Along with that there were a whole bunch of Trackers, and I checked each one on Wiki to make sure it was a tracker. I just purged them with Spybot, and then released everything else that looked safe.

If you allow Windows to send the error report, you'll get more info, too. I gave up sending those years ago - not a single response. I've putting up with Bluetooth crashing every time I restart for more than 5 years

I'm quite sure that there is a vast amount of stuff on my puta (files and programs) that I could delete (I have only a 32gb hard drive because it is an early solid state jobbie) but I'm too chicken to delete them. You'd never believe me if I told you I'm a COBOL dinosaur from a previous life . I just didn't keep up at all, and only bought a PC in 2003. My interest in putas now is only what they can do for me, not the other way around, although I'm fairly proficient in Visual Basic.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

I'm quite sure that there is a vast amount of stuff on my puta (files and programs) that I could delete (I have only a 32gb hard drive because it is an early solid state jobbie) but I'm too chicken to delete them. You'd never believe me if I told you I'm a COBOL dinosaur from a previous life . I just didn't keep up at all, and only bought a PC in 2003. My interest in putas now is only what they can do for me, not the other way around, although I'm fairly proficient in Visual Basic.

I used to use Visual Basic and Visual C++ too, but like you, long ago. I'm another dinosaur. Not a PC tech, just another user like you, and getting rustier by the day.

System Restore is pretty straight-forward. Under >Programs >Accessories >System Tools, you'll find it. The first window asks whether you want to set a restore point or restore a previous one. Simply follow the prompts to do either.

It's not as perfect as it could be, though, hence the cloning to another HDD. That's a bit trickier.

When you send an error report, MS won't get back to you, but there's an option for more info, a web page from memory. Been a long time since I bothered too.

What was the original problem that prompted you to install Spybot when we recommended it to Ken? That might give a clue.


In the end, even after uninstalling Spybot, you might need to save all data and do a clean Windows install if things are bad enough.

Originally Posted by Hermit

What was the original problem that prompted you to install Spybot when we recommended it to Ken? That might give a clue.

Well that's just it...there wasn't one....I thought I'd be cautious before I got a problem. Amazingly enough it found no viruses or malware even though I haven't checked for "some years". Biggest threat was level 5...and that included all the Windows stuff.

When I feel I can spare half a day or more to sort out the no doubt ensuing headache, I'll uninstall Spybot.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

Well that's just it...there wasn't one....I thought I'd be cautious before I got a problem. Amazingly enough it found no viruses or malware even though I haven't checked for "some years". Biggest threat was level 5...and that included all the Windows stuff.

When I feel I can spare half a day or more to sort out the no doubt ensuing headache, I'll uninstall Spybot.

Yeah, these sorts of problems give me a headache too. Good luck, and let us know how you go with it. I'll do a bit of a search later when I get a moment and see if I can find similar issues elsewhere.

Interesting issue but I'm pretty sure that the immunise function in Spybot is not the direct cause.
The immunise function updates a text file (usually called host.) with the IP addresses of known "dodgy" servers/sites. This list of IP addresses is used by the Windows network layer to block access to those IP addresses.
What is more likely is that some previous "infection" has introduced a registry entry which is trying to reference the now blocked site causing the issues in IE.
Is a rebuild out of the question?
Where are you based?

I've never had a problem with spybot, I reckon the immunize function is great & have been using it for years now.

Internet Explorer on the other hand....

Originally Posted by GourmetSaint

Interesting issue but I'm pretty sure that the immunise function in Spybot is not the direct cause.
The immunise function updates a text file (usually called host.) with the IP addresses of known "dodgy" servers/sites. This list of IP addresses is used by the Windows network layer to block access to those IP addresses.
What is more likely is that some previous "infection" has introduced a registry entry which is trying to reference the now blocked site causing the issues in IE.
Is a rebuild out of the question?
Where are you based?

GS, I don't use IE, haven't for 3 years. The first problems after immunising were with EVERYTHING, even closing a folder. Most of it has gone now, but the puta is still hamstrung after coming out of hibernation (when it opens up the ext. hard drive), and a few other things that I'm discovering as I go along (like the bloody volume control?????).

FF, I just did a bit of searching and can't find any of these problems directly related to Spybot. It crossed my mind that it might be a virus or similar, but I don't know enough about that sort of issue. I've never had a virus, just a couple of diallers.

Gourmet Saint might be on the right track, regardless of which browser you use.
Might help to know, though. Firefox?

Are your virus definition files up-to-date?

Well, as I said, the immunise function just lists ip addresses for windows to block access to.
Maybe a registry entry is affecting windows components thus causing issues across the board. I have had similar issues, unrelated to Spybot and had to "blow away" the system and reinstall from scratch; after backing up data of course. If you were nearby in CBR, I'd do it for you.
Had to do it for customers, family and friends many times too.

Cheers GS. Yes, I'm using Firefox.

I'm going to try turning the volume down again, to see what happens. If I don't post back in a minute, you'll know I'm dead.