View Full Version : what happened to spybot???
disenter
2008-01-25, 17:21
Hi, I've been using spybot for years.. but recently formatted my primary drive, and reinstalled windows, i downloaded the newest spybot, which i noted is now 1.5 an thought that would be good...... wrong!
Firstly, it takes around 30 seconds to even load at all, with cpu usage at 100% just loading the program, even though its settings are by default at "normal" cpu usage..
Secondly, when it finally does load, if I click "update", it will instantly crash to desktop, every single time.
Thirdly, spybot halts every single time at scan item 24288 every single time i've tried to run the scan. The cpu usage is 100%, and i even tried leaving it for 10mins or so, it didn't move, and by that time, even the task manager was having a hard time getting a cpu cycle in to allow me to terminate spybots process.
I then thought more about updates for it, that maybe something was wrong and if i just got updates into it, which i couldn't before, that it might fix its issues.. so i found if you use the link in the start menu to update, rather than from within spybot, it works.. and will download the updates..
The problem is, that since doing that, spybot seemed to take even longer to load!! .. and all the above mentioned problems remained...
So, i tried uninstalling / reinstalling, tried the reg fix to make sure its completely removed from the system first.. tried restarting every step of the way etc.. but the problems remain exactly the same every time.
I did find in testing this, that if i went to windows safe mode, it would sucessfully load and complete a complete scan, which says to me that spybot is reacting badly with one of the normal processes within windows. I had suspected that it might be my antivirus, but i disabled that and still the same problmes..
I really am at a loss as to what to do??? can anyone help???
Cyborg Ninja
2008-01-25, 18:52
I have problems just trying to get Spybot to start up. I do think Spybot is past its prime and there are better alternatives out there now, like AVG's anti-spyware program, which actually detected things for me that Spybot did not.
Hello.
I do think Spybot is past its prime and there are better alternatives out there now, like AVG's anti-spyware program, which actually detected things for me that Spybot did not.
Are you expecting to find spyware? With antispyware programs it is usually considered good practice to have more than one installed, as each may flag items the other does not.
Regards.
md usa spybot fan
2008-01-25, 20:20
Firstly, it takes around 30 seconds to even load at all, with cpu usage at 100% just loading the program, even though its settings are by default at "normal" cpu usage..
I have problems just trying to get Spybot to start up.
There were many reports of SpybotSD.exe (version 1.5.1.15) itself starting slowly and consuming a lot of CPU time. The problem has been found and fixed. See the following tracking task (which includes a link for a fix to the problem):
Find out about delayed user interface startup
http://forums.spybot.info/project.php?issueid=85
In addition there are another beta versions of Spybot 1.5 that solve the slow start as well as other known problems that have been encountered since the original release of Spybot 1.5. One of them is:
http://www.spybotupdates.biz/files/beta/spybotsd15he-beta2.exe
If the cause of your problem is actually a extremely slow start, perhaps that beta version (http://www.spybotupdates.biz/files/beta/spybotsd15he-beta2.exe) may work better for you.
Cyborg Ninja
2008-01-25, 20:55
Md_usa: your reply only confirms what I said. Improper QA testing is quite sad to see in a popular application such as this, and then releasing a product with known issues as a stable build is pitiful. I'll just uninstall the program instead, after I get an underlying issue (in another topic) fixed.
Tashi: Of course I would expect an anti-spyware program to detect spyware. Perhaps you phrased your reply poorly? I have no issues running two different anti-spyware programs on the same computer, and I'm computer-savvy enough to know what is actually spyware and what is not.
Tashi: Of course I would expect an anti-spyware program to detect spyware. Perhaps you phrased your reply poorly?
No.
I don't usually expect my security programs to find malware of any kind, I practice safe surfing and keep my machines clean.
Thus in all honesty I asked were you expecting to find spyware. ;) As in is your machine showing signs of infection.
Cheers.
luckyarthur
2008-01-25, 21:13
There were many reports of SpybotSD.exe (version 1.5.1.15) itself starting slowly and consuming a lot of CPU time. The problem has been found and fixed. See the following tracking task (which includes a link for a fix to the problem):
Find out about delayed user interface startup
http://forums.spybot.info/project.php?issueid=85
In addition there are another beta versions of Spybot 1.5 that solve the slow start as well as other known problems that have been encountered since the original release of Spybot 1.5. One of them is:
http://www.spybotupdates.biz/files/beta/spybotsd15he-beta2.exe
If the cause of your problem is actually a extremely slow start, perhaps that beta version (http://www.spybotupdates.biz/files/beta/spybotsd15he-beta2.exe) may work better for you.
If the beta version fixes these problems, which I too am having, I don't understand why it is still in beta and hasn't been released in gold.
Can someone give an appropriate answer to this because I'm never comfortable with beta versions.
Thank you.
Cyborg Ninja
2008-01-25, 21:48
Tashi: I have in fact never had spyware or viruses on any of my computers. You sound a bit elitist. But as most people know, anti-spyware programs will often flag what could be an issue on a computer even if it turns out not to be so. I even have a lesser-known program that can be used to hack on my desktop, and only AVG detected this. So what would I prefer: AVG with its superior detection system, intuitive and attractive GUI, and proper QA testing, or Spybot? I'll pick the former. Spybot has since been uninstalled.
disenter
2008-01-26, 00:52
please explain then why it constantly crashes at scan item 24288 every single time, and yet can complete the scan in safe mode?.. this tells me that spybot is conflicting with one or more windows services! - when i say crash, i mean that cpu utilisation gets stuck at 100%, and the program becomes non responsive, it locks so badly that i cannot do anything else with the system, but wait for task manager and terminate the program, at which point my system comes back to life..
I have never had problems with spybot in previous versions, and this is on the same system to.. so the fault is not with my own systems or services, but with the newly released spybot.
Cyborg Ninja
2008-01-26, 01:24
It does indeed sound like what you're theorizing: it's conflicting with a Windows service. I did not have that problem, however, and I had the new so-called "stable" version. But as you can see, the new release has many problems and perhaps you should just roll back to an older version or even the beta.
disenter
2008-01-26, 14:14
It does indeed sound like what you're theorizing: it's conflicting with a Windows service. I did not have that problem, however, and I had the new so-called "stable" version. But as you can see, the new release has many problems and perhaps you should just roll back to an older version or even the beta.
well, i did try that as well, but once you get all the current updates, the problem occurs again. everytime, CoolWWWsearch .. scan item 24288 ..yet it passes in safe mode.. so wtf is it conflicting with???
Cyborg Ninja
2008-01-26, 22:54
Have you filed a bug report about it? Spybot doesn't have proper QA testing. For now, I'd suggest using a different program.
Hello.
Have you filed a bug report about it? Spybot doesn't have proper QA testing. For now, I'd suggest using a different program.
Is there a reason you are posting such in the Spybot-S&D support forum?
You may well decide that you have no use for the program, however please do not post here to discourage our members. You are a guest in our forums.
Best regards.
disenter
2008-01-26, 23:45
Hello.
Is there a reason you are posting such in the Spybot-S&D support forum?
You may well decide that you have no use for the program, however please do not post here to discourage our members. You are a guest in our forums.
Best regards.
no offence Tashi - but you've offered little or no help in this either, certainly no more than Cyborg Ninja. So either help or clam your elitist mouth shut. All i see in these forums is you talking about how everything is fixed, everything has been resolved, well - I'm TELLING you its not! I've been building these pricks for 12 years, I am not any newbie idiot, and I know my systems back to front.
Your program WAS great.. its now SCREWED.
Thankyou for not helping.
There are many members requiring attention, not just in this particular forum.
no offence Tashi - but you've offered little or no help in this either, certainly no more than Cyborg Ninja. So either help or clam your elitist mouth shut.
Sorry but this site won't tolerate attacks on members, volunteers or staff.
Regards.
Hello disenter,
Please feel free to continue your thread, I will leave a note for team to address the problems you are experiencing.
As it is the weekend there may be some delay, so please be patient.
However any further posts that are addressed to me in a rude fashion will be removed as with your previous two.
Best regards.
It is unfortunate when comments in a support forum move to a personal level, however a number of the items in this thread relate to a point I raised elsewhere in an earlier response to Team Sandra.
The average computer user makes their decision on the quality of software from the main version offered on the providers web page, and the flawed version that has been on offer on the Spybot main page has remained there well after the slow start problem was solved, to continue to give a very poor image to those trying the software for the first time.
Perhaps in hindsight it would have been better if the download link on the home page had been updated to 1.5.1.16 when the slow start problem was first corrected. I know it is not normal to link to a beta version as the primary download, but it would have been better in this case than having more and more people downloading the flawed version and writing off on that basis what is essentially a good product.