Too many SB S&Ds?

[amigan_1]

Hi All,

After some good advice about the idea of removing old versions of programs, especially old updates, I was happily doing such with such things as the various JAVA updates, and Adobe PDF Reader, and Flash updates, etc. Then I noticed that I seemed to have two files of SB S&D. Both appeared to be 1.5.2.x, so I tried figuring out which to remove -- this was in the "Add or Remove Programs" tool listing in the Control Panel (MS Win XP Pro SP3).

That caused me to take a look at My Computer and the drive and directory/folder in which I keep SB S&D. I discovered that the files in the main folder were an old SB S&D, but, a folder within this folder, appeared to be the current version.

Spybot S&D works perfectly: it updates flawlessly, immunizes what it can, and executes well and completes its scan. So I have no issue with the program nor the version.

My question is, "How to I know what to eliminate, and from which, and what is the best way?" I wish to avoid there being anything which can "confuse" SB S&D while it is scanning for spyware.

Thank you.

Regards,

Julian.

[spybotsandra]

Hello,

The current Spybot version is 1.6.
So you have two 1.5.2 versions?

I recommend a fresh install of Spybot - Search & Destroy.

Please uninstall Spybot - Search & Destroy according to the following link:
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/howto/uninstall.html
Then make a fresh install of Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.6.
You will find links to several download locations on our website:
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html

You will also have to update your new version using the integrated updater.

Best regards
Sandra
Team Spybot

[ME_2&]

.. and not to 'gild the lily' (as it were), but possibly to provide further insight to you and others who may see multiple entries in CP±Programs - I myself use TweakUI (various versions are available for differing versions of Windows) to gain further information and also to copy uninstall info for those situations when an uninstall is somehow removed from CP±Programs (it happens to me on occasion .. and with the copied info I can restore the removed entry or rename or otherwise edit). If you do use TweakUI, do so with all due caution - it's a fairly sharp tool and can hinder more than help if used rashly, but other than that it may serve should you be so inclined to use an 'unofficial' alternative helper.

Also to note - the remove-spybotsd-settings.reg is for older versions. The 'PepiMK Software' part of the path is now 'Safer Networking Limited', but a new 'this very small fix' may not be needful or desired. This path difference in older/newer versions holds true for other products such as RegAlyzer. When in doubt about files and folders, FileAlyzer is a great tool also :)

[wyrmrider]

Multiple copies of spybot is the source of many hard to diagnose problems including unable to remove, updating, connectivity

Thanks for the insights!

I do NOT recommend just overwriting 1.3 and 1.4
or 1.5 if IT was upgraded from 1.3 or 1.4
remove completely - run small fix
and now perhaps we should check as you indicated in your post

[amigan_1]

Hi,

Much thanks to all of you for your suggested solutions. I must add one additional thing which occurred when I both originally installed version 1.5.2.0, and then 1.5.2.x.

First the installer supposedly removed the old version, then installed the new version. That was fine. But then it notified me that there was another update/upgrade file I needed. When done, I originally saw two SB S&D icons on my desktop: one labelled, "Spybot Search & Destroy," the other, "Spybot Search & Destroy 1.5.2."

I figured the one which showed the version number should be the one I should use. So, I activated it. Next thing I know, instead of SB S&D's UI appearing to let me do what is needed, it started the installation process! I cancelled the installation process and deleted the icon from my desktop. I strongly believe that one of those SB S&D files I found through the "Add Or Remove Programs" tool is the file which starts the installation process over again. The problem has been: Which one?

So, presuming I can totally rid myself of SB S&D using the uninstall features and the "Add Or Remove Programs" tool, and, just plain finding it through "My Computer" and deleting what I see, can I be sure that once I do that clean install of the current version, that I will not have the false activation icon which actually just does the installation over again?

If that does happen again, what should I do?

Thanks.

Regards,

Julian.

[md usa spybot fan]

amigan_1:

The problem of having two (2) Spybot entries in add/remove should not occur in the future even if you do not uninstall one version before installing another version (although that has always been my recommendation). The problem that you described where there were two add/remove entries for Spybot originated because at the same time the automatic upgrade to Spybot 1.5.2.20 occurred the format of the add/remove entry was changed to be identified by a GLID (Globally Unique Identifier) to prevent the problem with two (2) entries in add/remove for Spybot from occurring in the future. See:
Updated and find two S&D's in Add-Remove
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=24064

Two entries in uninstall are unavoidable when updating from 1.4, since 1.5 was designed to no longer have this problem when updating in the future, so the identification has changed.

Up to version 1.4, Spybot-S&D was identified through it's name, so the uninstall entry was internally named Spybot - Search & Destroy_is1 (found in the registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\).
Beginning with 1.5, we started using the imho better GUID scheme, so the new uninstall entry is named {B4092C6D-E886-4CB2-BA68-FE5A88D31DE6}_is1. The installer engine (InnoSetup) now cannot recognize previous installations, since it is looking for them through this name/GUID. But using the GUID has the advantage that we can display the version number in future versions, since changes would no longer cause this havoc (caused by identifying through name, which could not include version numbers therefore).
For the method I recommended to eliminate the second entry when it was encountered see:
Two Spybots in control panel
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=25232

[amigan_1]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the great advice and directions. I uninstalled SB S&D through the "Add Or Remove Programs" tool, by manually deleting stuff on my drive, and running that special program to uninstall it from the registry. I then downloaded version 1.6 and fully installed it, and ran the Immunization.

It still would be nice to know why when I had 1.5.2, it placed a second icon of itself on my desktop, which when double-clicked, would start the install process, and not the program? This, I believe was one of the two SB S&D listings in the "Add Or Remove Programs" list which I noted. In fact, when there was a major upgrade, that extra icon would appear again. Why was that? This time, after following your directions, only one SB S&D icon is in existence, so that problem is no more. But, I am still curious as to why it had happened before.

Thanks, again, for all your help.

Kind regards,

Julian.

[ME_2&]

It still would be nice to know why when I had 1.5.2, it placed a second icon of itself on my desktop, which when double-clicked, would start the install process, and not the program?An all too common happenstance when downloading to the desktop (personally I don't recommend that particular 'default' since it /may/ lead to problems although it is convenient). Possibly as seems likely you had the actual _installation_ app or a shortcut to it on your desktop, as opposed to a shortcut to the *installed* app's .exe (which would load SSD in 'normal' or 'advanced' mode). When in doubt, rightclick and check the properties of 'icons'. An icon is actually a graphical device most often used to represent a shortcut or what have you (they are embedded in or referred to by many things and the OS uses this information to display a recognizable handle).

Hope this helps to answer your question :cool: