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Tea Timer popups

C

codito

New member
Every time a registry change occurs, TeaTimer pops up a notification... which is great, but is there a way for me to tell it that on some approved ones or all approved ones, I do not want to see these alerts. And how can I change the currently approved ones from alerting if so?
 
There is no way to keep those pop-up notifications from being issued if an actual registry change is made. However, you may be able to eliminate many of the pop-ups if you are getting at lot of them at system startup.

TeaTimer takes snapshots of Registry entries and compares these with the Registry at startup. Until these snapshots are updated you are likely to get pop-ups (primarily at startup) of changes you made in the past. In other words, TeaTimer attempts to return the Registry to the state it was in when the snapshot was taken. To refresh TeaTimer's snapshot files:
  • Right click Spybot's TeaTimer System Tray Icon > click Exit Spybot-S&D Resident.
    • TeaTimer closes.
    • TeaTimer's snapshot files are refreshed at this time.
  • Restart TeaTimer:
    • Using Windows Explorer, navigate to C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy.
    • Double click TeaTimer.exe to start it.
 
Teatime popup trouble

When the popups come up for me a Get a little click box at the left that says remember this chance and just get a long blank bar on the right that all it seems to do is toggle the box on the left and seems like there is no way out.

I have updated to the latest version

Tom
 
tdstead:

I believe that codito was referring to the pop-up notifications that appear in the lower right-hand corner of the screen and disappear after a few seconds.

You appear to be talking about TeaTimer's registry change dialog that says "Spybot - Search & Destroy has detected an important registry entry that has been changed" and must be answered.

There is currently a bug in TeaTimer 1.4. Portions of TeaTimer's pup-up dialog overlay the "Allow change" and "Deny change" buttons. On my system the very top edges of the "Allow change" and "Deny change" buttons are showing and I am still able to select the options. I also can check "Remember this decision" since it is visible. If no portion of the "Allow change" and "Deny change" buttons are showing you can answer TeaTimer's popup dialog (English language version) by pressing "A" on your keyboard for "Allow change" or "D" for "Deny change". If you can't deal with the problem until it is fixed, you can disable TeaTimer as follows:
  • Go into Spybot > Mode > Advanced Mode > Tools > Resident.
  • Uncheck the following:
    • Resident "TeaTimer" (Protection of over-all system settings) Active.
 
MD: could you expand on this "error with version 1.4" Teatimer? I just logged into Spybot forum to find a solution. I have W2K Pro where this is happening the icons for add/deny are blanked out and I cannot tell TeaTimer to do either. I did turn TeaTimer off but one of the registry changes may be the culprit on an event error 11 ( in control panel) that it denied. Oh if I click on the exit for the box it denies whatever it popped up for.
I'm not into touching the registry but could you advise how to accept the registry change that TeaTimer denied? (it was on a software update).

Otherwise love this little program Spybot has.

Thanks!
 
pamspam said:
MD: could you expand on this "error with version 1.4" Teatimer?
Click to expand...
I'll try to present a visual aid, but the limits of attaching thumbnails to this new forum are quite limited (I need 47 kb but the limit is 39.1 kb). So in the attachment I have attempted to depict what the old pop-up looked like (TeaTimer 1.3) and what the bottom of the new one (TeaTimer 1.4) actually looks like.

The buttons for "Allow change" and "Deny change" are not presented properly. As I indicated, if no portions of the Allow change" and "Deny change" are visible so that you can click on an edge of them:
md usa spybot fan said:
… you can answer TeaTimer's popup dialog (English language version) by pressing "A" on your keyboard for "Allow change" or "D" for "Deny change".
Click to expand...
I hope this helps explain the problem and the workaround for the problem.
 
Last edited:
Teatimer screen popups

I also have the same problem with teatimer doing this for me... you cannot see enough to tell which buttons you are clicking, you just have to guess.

I am running a Windows 2000 and a Windows XP machine, both do it.

Let me know if I can help with this also.
 
MNWinger:

Please look at the following graphic:
http://forums.spybot.info/attachment.php?attachmentid=2&d=1130189700

On the top is the way the TeaTimer registry change dialog should look. Below it is the way the lower portion of the dialog looks on my system. On some monitors not even the top edges of the "Allow change" and "Deny change" buttons are showing. Until the problem is corrected, you can:
  1. Stop using Teatimer by disabling it as follows:
    • Go into Spybot > Mode > Advanced Mode > Tools > Resident.
    • Uncheck the following:
      • Resident "TeaTimer" (Protection of over-all system settings) Active.
  2. Continue to use TeaTimer and answer TeaTimer's popup dialog (English language version) by pressing "A" on your keyboard for "Allow change" or "D" for "Deny change".

    Note: The "Remember this decision" option is still visible and can still be used.
Additional notes about TeaTimer:
  • Note #1: If you cancel the dialog without answering either "Allow change" or "Deny change" the registry change will be denied (if that is an option).
  • Note #2: When ActiveX Distribution Units and Browser Helper Objects are being deleted (Change: Value deleted) there is no "Deny change" option. I believe that this is because by the time TeaTimer recognizes that the registry change has occurred the underlying code for either the ActiveX process or BHO has been removed. Therefore restoring the registry entry to its original value would not restore the functionality of what was deleted.
 
Was that THE solution?

md usa spybot fan said:
I hope this helps explain the problem and the workaround for the problem.
Click to expand...

Um... what workaround? Pressing "A" or "D"?

That truly sucks. I have distributed spybot on at LEAST 50 machines this year. NONE of them were able to read the buttons.

Surely there is a better solution than for me to tell my users to "remember A or D - and tell your children to remember A or D and make sure that your guests all know to press A for Allow or D for disallow". This is insane.

I have never seen a system that COULD read the buttons. Surely someone has a better solution?

As a developer, I can see no reason why this fix should take more than 5 minutes. Isn't it a simple spacing problem with the buttons? This is a CRITICAL patch. If people cannot read the buttons, then they are dangerous. The entire power of Spybot is ruined because users must be psychic in order to use it.

It reminds me of the "vote for bush" voting machine skit (anyone see that.. I'm still laughing) where no matter which button you try to push, you end up voting for Bush.

Am I missing something basic here?
 
No solution? I agree this is critical. I've done the same kind of deployment and have angry clients.
 
The fix is posted here:

http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=122

But as far as the lower right-hand popups go, does anyone know if there's a way to use reshacker to modify the size and/or time of these popups? Zone Alarm now also has popups and it seems that every few minutes I'm looking at a popup in the corner of the screen, and always something that's ok. Tea-timer even gives me a popup to tell me that it's allowed a registry change from something on my white list. I put it on the white list. I don't need a popup to tell me about it. Popups are advertising, and I get enough of that as it is.

Now that I think about it, I can experiment with reshacker, and if I wreck something, I can simply reinstall.

I should also mention, just in case this post is setting the wrong tone, that I like Spybot S&D a lot, and donate money once a year. Love Spybot, hate popups.
 
Tea Timer Fix?

The same problem of Allow or Deny buttons being blocked has been appearing in the forum since at least 2005. Spybot team members keep reporting it will be fixed. This is damaging my system by allowing changes I don't want. Also do not see an answer to the question of how to add or remove from white list or black list. This is otherwise such a good program. Team Spybot, please help. Thanks. Stan
 
Stanton (Stan):

Stanton said:
The same problem of Allow or Deny buttons being blocked has been appearing in the forum since at least 2005. … This is damaging my system by allowing changes I don't want.
Click to expand...
There is currently a bug in TeaTimer 1.4. Portions of TeaTimer's popup dialog overlay the "Allow change" and "Deny change" buttons. On my system the very top edges of the "Allow change" button (on the left) and "Deny change" button (on the right) are showing and I am still able to select the options. I also can check "Remember this decision" since it is visible. If no portion of the "Allow change" and "Deny change" buttons are showing, you can answer TeaTimer's popup dialog (English language version) by pressing "A" on your keyboard for "Allow change" or "D" for "Deny change". Note: If you close the dialog without answering "Allow change" or "Deny change" the registry change is denied.

If you can't deal with the problem that way until it is fixed, you can:
  1. Apply one of the workarounds found in the following pinned (Sticky) thread that fixes the pop-up dialog so the buttons are visible:
    There are three (3) fixes published in that thread. They are:


  2. Disable TeaTimer as follows:
    • Go into Spybot > Mode > Advanced Mode > Tools > Resident.
    • Uncheck the following:
      • Resident "TeaTimer" (Protection of over-all system settings) Active.
********************

Notes about the patches (b. and c. above):

Stanton said:
Spybot team members keep reporting it will be fixed.
Click to expand...
The new TeaTimer program is currently being tested. See the following post (also in the pinned (Sticky) thread mentioned above:
Stanton said:
Also do not see an answer to the question of how to add or remove from white list or black list.
Click to expand...
If you checked "Remember this decision" on a change the information concerning that change it is stored in a file. TeaTimer uses that information to automatically "Allow" or "Deny" changes. To edit this information:
  • Right click on the TeaTimer system tray icon and select Settings. This will bring up TeaTimer's "White & Black List". There are four (4) Buttons across the top of the "White & Black List":
    • Allowed processes
    • Blocked processes
    • Allowed registry changes
    • Blocked registry changes

      Note: If you don't see all four buttons, try expanding the window to the right.
    You can review all the entries that you have stored by clicking on these buttons. The entries that you should review are in "Allowed registry changes" and "Blocked registry changes". You can delete entries by clicking on the scripted black "X" to the right of the entry that you want to delete and then clicking the "OK" button when you're done. This will in effect make TeaTimer forget what you told it to remember so that during future changes to these items TeaTimer will issue a pop-up dialog rather then just a notification pop-up.
 
Last edited:
Thank God that I found this forum as TeaTimer was driving me nuts, not allowing me to install updates and new downloads. Eventually found a way myself to switch it off (as described in some of the answers below). Needs attention in order to keep Spybot the great product it is. Let us know when this is fixed
Herbert
 
Hello,

There is a new update for the resident TeaTimer availible:
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=9474

Aside from the fix of the graphical glitch so many users have been waiting for, there have been some important changes under the hood, which will reduce the number of change dialogs where the user has to decide.
TeaTimer now automatically allows any changes during the installation of other security software which follow the ASCs guideline of code-signing all files, as well as a much improved scan of the files associated with registry changes.

Please delete the files 'RegKeyWhite.sbe' and 'RegKeyblack.sbe' in order to
remove the remembered blocked or allowed registry keys. You will find them
in the folder:

* Windows 95 or 98: C:WindowsAplication DataSpybot - Search &
DestroyExcludes
* Windows ME: C:WindowsAll UsersApplication DataSpybot - Search &
DestroyExcludes
* Windows NT, 2000 or XP: C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication
DataSpybot - Search & DestroyExcludes

(Please note that the Application Data Folder is hidden. So if you can't
find this folder please check your folder properties)

http://www.xtra.co.nz/help/0,,4155-1916458,00.html

Best regards
Sandra
Team Spybot
 
ok - I know I'm late on this!

Apparently I'm behind the times. :) I have version 1.4 and recently enabled Resident (it hadn't been). Consequently It denied changes when I updated a NVDIA video driver and Java. This forum suggests getting version 1.5 - but I'd like to fix (allow) the recent changes that were denied.

md usa spybot fan said:
Note: If you close the dialog without answering "Allow change" or "Deny change" the registry change is denied.
Click to expand...

Yes, indeed. So how do I allow the change now?

md usa spybot fan said:
"Allowed registry changes" and "Blocked registry changes". You can delete entries by clicking on the scripted black "X" to the right of the entry that you want to delete and then clicking the "OK" button when you're done. This will in effect make TeaTimer forget what you told it to remember so that during future changes to these items TeaTimer will issue a pop-up dialog rather then just a notification pop-up.
Click to expand...

These lists are empty - they have no entries. However, the log file does list the denied changes but I'm unclear on whether I can make the registry changes manually. Here's the most recent:

10/13/2007 6:43:09 PM Denied value "{CAFEEFAC-0016-0000-0003-ABCDEFFEDCBA}" (new data: "") added in ActiveX Distribution Unit!

10/13/2007 6:43:36 PM Denied value "SunJavaUpdateSched" (new data: ""C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\jusched.exe"") changed in System Startup global entry!

Thanks!
Daren
 
Last edited:
dclineattamu:

Both of those registry entries appear like they may have come from the installation of Sun's Java JRE 6 Update 3. Were you installing Java JRE 6 Update 3 at the time you received the TeaTimer dialog messages?

If so, the easiest way to correct the problem may be to go into add/remove programs remove Java and reinstall it making sure to allow the registry changes when you do.
 
md usa spybot fan said:
Both of those registry entries appear like they may have come from the installation of Sun's Java JRE 6 Update 3. Were you installing Java JRE 6 Update 3 at the time you received the TeaTimer dialog messages?
Click to expand...

Yes, I believe so.

md usa spybot fan said:
If so, the easiest way to correct the problem may be to go into add/remove programs remove Java and reinstall it making sure to allow the registry changes when you do.
Click to expand...

So changing the registry myself wouldn't be reliable? I was guessing that all that is required is changing the "denied value" to the "new data", but maybe there is more to it than that. Either way, I'll need to get Spybot 1.5 soon so the graphic glitch doesn't catch me again!

Daren
 
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