Help! Spybot will not open.

[lstensland]

I've downloaded and setup the program (following the prompts) and chose "run Spybot" but the program doesn't do anything. I've also tried to run it from the icon on the toolbar, and no luck. What's wrong?

[drragostea]

Try renaming your Spybot Desktop icon to something else. The one you have will be "Spybot - Search & Destroy", so rename it to "Spybot-SD".
Please report back on how it goes.

[marianne]

Hi! I have the same problem!! I've change the name of the shortcut on my desktop and it change nothing!!

I also tried to open it with the run command (DOS) but nothing appen...HELP!!

[jonathan1024]

I have the same problem. I got infected with something, tried to run Spybot and nothing happend. It used to work. I updated to the most recent 1.6.0 today and still nothing happens. I tried renaming the shortcut but that didn't work either.

[jonathan1024]

I just noticed that the shortcut on my desktop points to "C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SpybotSD.exe" but SpybotSD.exe does not exist there. I searched my entire computer for it but found nothing! A problem with the install package??????

[marianne]

I was infected by brastk.exe and I've destroy it!! Now I can run Spybot :D

You're shurely infect with this virus, just go to c:\windows\system32\drivers and delete the file named : beep.sys
After that, go to c:\windows\system32 and delete brastk.exe and kana.dat

you reboot and no more white and red big X!! Hourrah ;)

Edit: For members with infected computers.
"BEFORE you POST"(READ this Procedure BEFORE Requesting Assistance) (http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=288)

[drragostea]

marianne, I don't see how your last post is relevant or contributing to this thread. I would warn you not to go against forum rules: posting malware removal advice.
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jonathan, can you go the Control Panel and see if Spybot-Search&Destroy is listed there?
Can you confirm there is an infection?

[jonathan1024]

I can't remove brastk. I get a message saying it's in use. Any ideas?

[jonathan1024]

Spybot does indeed appear in the program list in the conrol panel.

A few days ago a balloon began appearing in the bottom right hand corner. It says,"Your computer is infected! It is recomended to use special spyware tools to pervent data loss. Windows will now install the most up-to-date antispyware for you. Click here to protect your computer from spyware." Note the mis-spelling of "recommend" and "prevent". Though I have little faith in Microsoft, I doubt they would let such an obvious mistake out the door. Of course, I have not clicked on this balloon.

[drragostea]

jona, you are correct about the "misspellings". Ironic, how malware writers attempt to pose as Microsoft, yet they make these little mistakes. What you'll have to do is start your own thread in the Malware Removal Forums. Here are the instructions:
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Consider posting in the Malware Removal (http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22) forum and having someone take a look at your system.

If you decide to have an experienced malware removal specialist assist you, please follow the procedure in this link to run scans and produce a HijackThis log: "BEFORE you POST"(READ this Procedure BEFORE Requesting Assistance) ( http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=288).
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Good luck.

[jonathan1024]

ok, i got rid of it. I'm not recommending this method simply stating what worked for me. I did what marianne suggested but I couldn't remove brastk.exe because it was in use. I restarted my machine. Double clicked Spybot and it launched!!!! I ran the scan. It found beep.sys and a bunch of other things. I removed them. Restarted my machine again. Now it's gone!

I love Spybot!:)

[drragostea]

Good to hear that Spybot-SD removed the threat : D