Thank you for replying.
May I say that all replies are appreciated and in every instance I always off er thanks.
Also, I respect everyone's contributions on a forum, and until personality needs to enter into issues, unless entertaining, otherwise I expect we all appreciate it when it doesn't.
While I do understand those tasked and/or choosing to deal with people, sometimes involves difficulty, but surely those having the best luck at helping others, keep in mind that people are more easily dealt with when they're made to feel that communication is more than a one way affair (hense either answering a question or if impossible, then only ask questions).
As such, when people make known what it is they don't know, generally it's customary to respond with if not at least a rudementary answer, then courtesy might well deserve an explanation as to why the question isn't being answered.
If not, that could be seen as a lack of attentitiveness or something worse with respect to the relationship.
That's what people feel when a question's answer seems as if it's unecessarily being skirted.
So please forgive me if somehow inflected anything negative. I simply find tunnel vision works best in many environments. No disrect intended.
As for what should be already posted in a prominently titled and posted stickey, is this:
Uninstall before installing tips -
Note that 'upgrading' can well be a misleading term as it's commonly misused by software hawkers and users alike.
Since upgrading and reinstalling aren't always made clear, software designers who properly finish their products always provide the software with a last second opt out at the installation step, that by providing either a precautionary or prohibitive prompt where users attempt to improperly install over-the-top.
In doubly installing software, especially such that can be so potentially irreversibly damaging to a computer's registry, I find it a bit reprehensible that not only SB-S&D's designers have failed, but also the forum moderators might accept some responsibility for not yet having taken the initiative to have posted a clearly titled forum sticky and to have provided it the importance it desrves by placing it first in the list stickeys).
But here's what I did to, as best as I could, determine was most prudent to do. All I can say is that it worked for me and if others also do what I did, I don't guaranty it work out for too, but it did for me.
My paragraphs (below) are simplifying what I did as much as possible, but may not chronologically include the precautions I took before and while performing those 'simple' things.
So I suggest before 'doing the deed', first read. Also I recommend doing your own double-checking in case things have changed with SB-S&D or I've maybe overlooked any mistake(s).
Consider whether or not you run EHD's as program slaves (programs installed and run on/off EHD's and wheteher or not you include SB-S&D scans for any EHD, as if SB-S&D changed things on them, only things needing connected to the computer during these steps, needs connected.
If you use it, set a system restore point for all drives you're going to be using.
Also make a complete registry backup and do not store your reg' backups in a SpyBot folders, even though they 'may not' be deleted or overwritten during
uninstalls/reinstalls.
Open SB, where/if enabled, disable TeaTimer and SDHelper (any disable order will do), un-do immunization. Assumedly only one 'un-do' is good for all immunizations previously applied. I used the 'check again' and I 'un-did' again anyway.
Run another reg backup.
Backup all SB-S&D program files, look for them everywhere, hidden and protected folders too. That's painstaking and likely not needed, but be safe and give yourself the best chances of getting the uninstalled version back as close as possible as like it was before the uninstall if you find issues with the uninstall.
Run you most current version's uninstaller, re-boot (twice each time checking your system), go to add-remove programs list and then click that versions 'remove', it'll prompt it could't do that, but it then still removes the version's entry from the A-R list.
At your option, run ccleaner and/or another trusted registry cleaner, re-boot and then proceed with use of the next most current SB-S&D version's uninstaller.
Note that after uninstalling each most current SB-S&D, follow the same regiment of uninstall steps, including a complete registry backup before proceeding with the next most current SB-S&D uninstall.
Again after each version's uninstall and repeated re-booting and system checks, once again run a complete reg' backup, then I ran RegistryBooster before uninstalling the next most current SB-S&D.
After all SB-S&D's are uninstalled, their entries are removed from Add- Remove Prgos list, and you delete all other instances of SB-S&D folders, run a final reg' backup, set of re-boots and systems checks, tun a registry fixer if you choose, only then download a fresh SB-S&D executable.
Now that the system had it's pant's down and was verified as running properly, while I still am saving all backups (until I get SB-S&D reinstalled and things running right).
I chose to clear the browser cache, temp files, run disk cleanup, and then I unticked my system restore and cleared it too of any possible malware.
I recommed you somehow determine that download's integrity in as much as the download sites aren't disclosing any means of verifying the executable (ie; file size, creation/modified dates, MD5 hash, nothing), so be aware that installing a malformed SB-S&D could cause a lot of your work to be repeated.
Some not readily disclosed, how to do those things -
Disabling TeaTimer and/or SDHelper:
Expand SB's Tools, click Resident and untick where necessary.
Un-doing Immunizations:
In the "SpyBot S&D" column, click "Immunize" (do not click then one that has the green 'plus' icon) and then click the "Undo" (just left of the "Help" option).
Added notes -
Copying and saving any existing SB Backups and Log folders, ie; reg backups (add a text doc to the backup folder to identify nature of each backup file's *.reg files, ref. the info/dates listed in SB's "Recovery" window). Also copy-save useage history for added info.
After creating your system restore point, as a precaution, check and confirm your RP actually listed in system restore.
Where to's:
Default SB' logs are at...
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Backups <*.reg files to restore registry, these might be the undo immunization .reg files>
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Recovery <*.zip files to restore registry, these may be the malware and other 'fixes' run>
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Logs <assorted *.txt docs of scan reports, etc.>
Of interest, the following leftover/uncleaned up SB-S&D files were (on my system) default located as follows:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Recovery
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Logsand Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Logs
Best of luck, and hopefully hap-e-trails,
urrguru