uninstalling spy bot

[nettie]

I recently removed and supposedly uninstalled spy bot search and destroy. However i find that this programme is running, but I can find no trace of it either in programmes msconfig or my c drive or internet explorer. Can someone advice me please as I need to get this off of my computer as it is conflicting with another programme and my computer keeps freezing on me. Where else can I look please to find this programme..what a nightmare this is becoming.

[md usa spybot fan]

nettie:

It would have been nice if you indicated what other program that there is a conflict with and maybe that could have been resolved without uninstalling Spybot. It would also have been helpful to know what version of Spybot you were running and then uninstalled so that I could have tailored the following instructions specifically for that version.

________________

Just uninstalling Spybot does not necessarily remove all of the registry entries, HOSTS file entries and possibly other things that were introduced while using Spybot.

Since you already uninstalled Spybot, I recommend that you reinstall it. Then, to completely uninstall Spybot-S&D including any system registry entries or files that may have been altered while using various features of Spybot:
Go into Spybot > Immunize.
Click "Undo" button (at the top of the right pane).
Go into Spybot > Mode > Advanced Mode > Tools > Resident.
Uncheck (if checked) the following:
Resident "SDHelper" (Internet Explorer bad download blocker) active.
Resident "TeaTimer" (Protection of over-all system settings) active.

Go into Spybot > Mode > Advanced Mode > Tools > IE Tweaks.
Uncheck (if checked) any of the following "Miscellaneous locks":
Lock Hosts file read-only as protection against hijackers.
Lock IE start page setting against user changes (current user).
Lock IE control panel against opening from within IE (current user).

Go into Spybot > Mode > Advanced Mode > Tools > Hosts file
Click the "Remove Spybot S&D hosts list" button (at the top)
Exit Spybot-S&D
Make sure that TeaTimer is not running by checking for the TeaTimer System Tray Icon. If the icon is there:
Right click Spybot's TeaTimer System Tray Icon > click Exit Spybot-S&D Resident. TeaTimer should close.

Go to Windows > Control panel > Add or Remove Programs > Locate "Spybot – Search & Destroy x.x" > Remove.
Note: If you were running "SDHelper" you will have to exit all Internet Explorer sessions and may have to restart your system in order to delete the program folder. In other words follow any instructions to re-boot your system if necessary.
Using Windows explorer, verified that the following folder has been delete. If not, delete it:C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy

If you want to make sure that all the registry entries that Spybot-S&D added during installation are removed, there is a .reg file available on the safer-networking.org WEB site that can do that (I recommend that you do this since some registry entries that were used in Soybot 1.4 are no longer used in Spybot 1.5). See the following article:
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
How to uninstall?
http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=howto&detail=uninstall
The direct download link is:
this very small fix (http://www.safer-networking.org/files/remove-spybotsd-settings.reg)
--- or ---
remove-spybotsd-settings.reg (http://www.safer-networking.org/files/remove-spybotsd-settings.reg)
Download the file.
Double click on it
Answer Yes then OK

____________

When you are sure that you will no long require any files from running Spybot such as recovery files, logs, etc., delete the application directory:
Windows 95 or 98:
C:\Windows\Application Data\Spybot - Search & Destroy
Windows ME:
C:\Windows\All Users\Application Data\Spybot - Search & Destroy
Windows NT, 2000 or XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Spybot - Search & Destroy
Windows Vista:
C:\ProgramData\Spybot - Search & Destroy

[Frustration]

I appreciate your taking the time to spell all that out (the reply to nettie beginning "It would have been nice"), but is there really no simple way to simply pull the whole program out at once?

When I first went to try, it didn't show in Add/Remove Programs list for some reason, so I came here looking for a better fix. The command spelling given here (to put in your command line after c:\program files) is "Spybot - Search & Destroy", which -- not surprisingly -- Windows fails to recognize. (Ampersand? no underlines?) It was the same spelling when I did a google search for "uninstall Spybot" and got an official Spybot website page -- not one in this forum.

Spybot is a great program and I use it often, but (fuller version of story here) something strange just happened. I went to open and update it, but for some reason it took me right to a program upgrade option -- "select your language" and all that (with Polish as the default?!). I decided to try it, but it got complicated (can't remember just how) so I aborted. Then the "installation finished" screen was showing. I clicked out of it and there was the new icon on the desktop along with the old. I clicked the new and it did the same thing -- "choose the language you wish to use during the installation", even though it's a PROGRAM icon, not an INSTALLATION one.

I successfully used Add/Remove to dump the new version (it was listed!) but the icon is still there. I want to leave it there till a solution arises for doing what the page Google found said -- completely remove both, then install new version.

[Terminator]

I may be wrong about this but it sounds like you've been conned into downloading a fake version of Spybot, where did you download your copy from and what was it called?

Genuine copies of Spybot DO NOT: Ask for payment, ask to upgrade, charge to remove spyware.

For more info look here:http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=23904&highlight=Fake

[Frustration]

Thanks for the fast reply!

Here's where I got it from. Don't fakers always name it something almost identical rather than fully identical?

After posting my message, I finally thought to go to my DOS prompt and (in c:\program files\) write SEARCH SPY*.* -- it found SPYBOT - SEARCH & DESTROY per se, ampersand and all. But then when I typed in DEL SPYBOT - SEARCH & DESTROY\*.* -- exactly like you and DOS both wrote it -- DOS still didn't recognize it!

Mind you, it was the NEW version (1.5.2.0, made by Safer Networking Limited) that Add/Remove Programs found and removed. The shortcut for the new still shows on desktop (spybotsd152.exe) and still opens to a very normal-looking Setup Wizard. Add/Remove still doesn't find the old version I'm used to using (1.3).

I also downloaded Safari and Opera browsers yesterday and upgraded QuickTime Player, all when I was well into the above problem. QuickTime basically forced me to download iTunes. At some point I got infected with ABetterInternet, which the old SS&D thankfully removed on its first try, which various sites indicated would not likely happen.

[md usa spybot fan]

Frustration:

There are spaces in "Spybot - Search & Destroy\*.*", so next time try enclosing it in quotes.

[Frustration]

Wow, the quote marks help. I went to c:\program files\ and tried to do del "spybot - search & destroy"\*.*; it asked are you sure; I said Y; it tried and said Access is denied. Deltree doesn't work because I have XP. Wikipedia said the proper command would be RD or RMD -- Windows simply replied The directory is not empty to both.

In an earlier post, I failed to paste the address where I'd gotten the upgrade, or it failed to come through. Here it is, regular and written out:

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/home/index.html

safer-networking dot org slash en slash home slash index dot html

Is that authentic? Looks like it to me.

[jc836]

You may think you have removed the program. Then again, did you look in the Registry to be absolutely certain? If not-then do so.
Be very careful-Editing the Registry is Dangerous and you do so at your own risk!
You may find the bogus program entries or left over ones from the real version. You have discovered that the desktop icon was still there-that is easily deleted to the Recycle Bin. There is no reason to keep it. For that matter, if the program was completely uninstalled the Icon will be unable to link to the program. This assumes a real version. May I suggest that you do a very thorough Virus check. You can also run CCleaner and AdAware to try to find other nasties.
Good luck

[tashi]

Hello. :)

Personally I don't recommend registry editing unless one is very experienced with such or receiving guidance.

The wrong move could make Windows unstable or force a re-install of the Operating System.

Same with CCleaner, it is a good program, but I'd advise people to check and make sure the registry integrity option is off before running a scan.

Cheers.

[md usa spybot fan]

Frustration:

I think that your end quote is in the wrong place. This:
del "spybot - search & destroy\*.*"
Not this:
del "spybot - search & destroy"\*.*
This works but it leaves the directories:
del "C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy" /s
This will delete the files and the directories:
rmdir "C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy" /s

[Frustration]

Thanks for your further input. I'm sure the quote mark was in the right place in my attempt -- only wrong in my prev msg here.

Looking for SS&D today for normal use after several reboots for various reasons, I find it appears nowhere in Add/Remove list or on desktop -- but it's still there in Program Files. When I try del *.* on it, it (still) says access denied, and when I try rmdir it tells me The directory is not empty.

I even tried to remove it from the directory tree via My Computer but that wouldn't work either.

This is most remarkable. SS&D has done much good, but is harder to get rid of than any virus I've had. Deliberately made that way?

[PepiMK]

Type attrib instead of dir to list the contents of the folder.
There are indeed some files marked system and readonly in there, which was a necessary step to block malware that removes anti-virus and anti-spyware applications :-/

For example:
attrib -r -s -h "C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\*.*"

To remove it in Explorer, you need to set Explorer to show hidden and system files.

[Frustration]

I did it and checked it with:

c:\dir program files\"spybot - search & destroy"

and

c:\dir program files\spy*.*

In both cases it said The system cannot find the file specified. So, it's done, right? If so, I'll go get the current version, knowing how to get rid of it if I ever have to. Thanks!