/waitprograms doesn't seem to work

[manwe]

Hi,

I'm currently using both adaware (SE+) and SpyBot (1.3) and wanted to automate as much as possible the verification process for the 5 user accounts on my WinXP (SP2) computer. In order to avoid having both programs running at the same time at startup, I found a neat feature in SpyBot that would allow to wait until specified programs have quit before starting (settings/system start/wait until specified programs have quit). However, this doesn't seem to work as both programs are starting at the same time. I've check in the registry and found that the /waitprograms is indeed in the command line.

Any idea why this happens?

Thanks!

P.S.: I did add the adaware process to the process list.

P.S.2: I know it is possible to schedule the task in SpyBot but would much prefer to daisy chain the processes at startup so it would run no matter when a user logs on.

[md usa spybot fan]

Go into Spybot > Help > About. Are you really running Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.3?

If so you should consider upgrading to Spybot 1.4 and see if the feature works with the current version.

There are four (4) download sites for Spybot-S&D 1.4 here:

• Mirror Selection – The home of Spybot–S&D!
  http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html

Uninstall Spybot-S&D 1.3:

• FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
  How to uninstall?
  http://www.safer-networking.org/en/faq/27.html

Install Spybot-S&D 1.4:

• Execute spybotsd14.exe download above.
• Do not change the default installation path of:
  • C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy
• Make sure that you update Sptbot-S&D 1.4 before running a scan.

Note: If you upgrade and use TeaTimer be aware of the following:
There is currently a bug in TeaTimer 1.4. Portions of TeaTimer's popup dialog overlay the "Allow change" and "Deny change" buttons. On my system the very top edges of the "Allow change" button (on the left) and "Deny change" button (on the right) are showing and I am still able to select the options. I also can check "Remember this decision" since it is visible. If no portion of the "Allow change" and "Deny change" buttons are showing, you can answer TeaTimer's popup dialog (English language version) by pressing "A" on your keyboard for "Allow change" or "D" for "Deny change". Note: If you close the dialog without answering "Allow change" or "Deny change" the registry change is denied.

If you can't deal with the problem that way until it is fixed, you can:

1. Apply one of the workarounds found in the following pinned (Sticky) thread that fixes the pop-up dialog so the buttons are visible:
   Solution to fix the pop-ups in TeaTimer
   http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=122
   
   There are Three (3) fixes published in that thread. They are:
   
   
   
   1. The ResHacker fix published by ElPiedra here:
      
      • http://forums.spybot.info/showpost.p...23&postcount=1
   2. The murdo patch published here:
      
      • http://forums.spybot.info/showpost.p...75&postcount=9
   3. The patch originally by SyreneD that I published here:
      
      • http://forums.spybot.info/showpost.p...0&postcount=38
      
      Also republished by SyreneD himself here:
      
      • http://forums.spybot.info/showpost.p...&postcount=125
   
   
   
2. Disable TeaTimer as follows:
   • Go into Spybot > Mode > Advanced Mode > Tools > Resident.
   • Uncheck the following:
     • Resident "TeaTimer" (Protection of over-all system settings) Active.

[manwe]

Thanks for the quick reply, md usa spybot fan.

Actually, I have tried it with both versions and have the same result.

Here is the register key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVercion\run "C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SpybotSD.exe" /autocheck /autofix /autoclose /waitmore /waitprograms

[md usa spybot fan]

There does appear to be a problem with the "Wait until specified programs have quit" feature. I could not get the feature to work either.

I do not have Ad-Aware SE Plus but I do have Ad-Aware SE Personal, so I tried it with that.

Setting the "Wait until specified programs have quit" under "Automation" in either "Program start" or "System start" adds the path of the program you want to exclude to the following file (in Windows XP):

• C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Excludes\WaitFor.sbe

In my case it was:

• C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware SE Personal\Ad-Aware.exe

The "WaitPrograms=0" flag in the Configuration.ini file gets changed from a "0" to a "1".

All the pieces appear to be in place, but it just doesn't seem to work for either an automated start of SpybotSD.exe with a parameter of /waitprograms or when the program is manually started with the Configuration.ini file set as follows:

[Automation\ProgramStart]
WaitPrograms=1

[manwe]

Thanks md usa spybot fan for trying it. Looks like a potential bug fix for 1.5!

As a workaround, I will use the "wait a few minutes until starting the check". This one is working ok (with an extra popup window to deal with but I guess user education could deal with that for the time being...).

Have a nice day!

[tashi]

Hello

I reported the bug, thank you both.

[md usa spybot fan]

And thank you, tashi.