IE Tweaks and Uninstalling SpyBot

[quest803]

Under IE Tweaks, there is an 'entry' for miscellaneous locks. One of them is locking the hosts file as read-only as protection against hackers. If this is checked and you later uninstall SpyBot without first unlocking the host file, will you have problems with either the host file or Internet Explorer 8? I am uncertain as the version I had at the time my friend uninstalled SpyBot for me. The program files still exist as of this writing, but I have also changed my anti-virus from Avast to my ISP's Norton 360, so I don't think I could re-install SpyBot Search and Destroy. Have used Norton's Safe Search and McAfee Site Advisor. McAfee Site Advisor still in use....

Oh, in case it matters, I have Windows Vista SP2. Thanks for any reply, any information.
quest803

[drragostea]

My brain is still foggy about this matter because I have not encountered the problem in some time. I should be able to answer it.

My best suggestion for you is to untick that option (lock the HOSTS file) if you are worried about editing the HOSTS file or using IE8. Oddly, I do not know how IE8 has anything to do with this.

I know Symantec's Norton is a bully when it comes to Spybot. I am puzzled on why an issue that was a year old would still exist today.

What you should do is just proceed to do whatever you do on a normal basis. It is until you encounter problems with the HOSTS file, then you should reinstall Spybot and then untick it.

Rather than uninstall Norton (a tedious process to me), I would suggest you disable it. In fact, disconnect your PC from the Internet and shut down Norton completely and then reinstall Spybot. That clears up the trouble of uninstall Norton and then reinstalling Spybot and then reinstall Norton again.
That should do the trick.

For the time being, do what you do until you face a problem that is HOSTS file related (like you can't edit it).

[quest803]

My brain is still foggy about this matter because I have not encountered the problem in some time. I should be able to answer it.

My best suggestion for you is to untick that option (lock the HOSTS file) if you are worried about editing the HOSTS file or using IE8. Oddly, I do not know how IE8 has anything to do with this.

I know Symantec's Norton is a bully when it comes to Spybot. I am puzzled on why an issue that was a year old would still exist today.

What you should do is just proceed to do whatever you do on a normal basis. It is until you encounter problems with the HOSTS file, then you should reinstall Spybot and then untick it.

Rather than uninstall Norton (a tedious process to me), I would suggest you disable it. In fact, disconnect your PC from the Internet and shut down Norton completely and then reinstall Spybot. That clears up the trouble of uninstall Norton and then reinstalling Spybot and then reinstall Norton again.
That should do the trick.

For the time being, do what you do until you face a problem that is HOSTS file related (like you can't edit it).

Thanks for your reply. This is complicated to explain and partly because I am no expert at installation of security programs or figuring out what causes the errors appearing in my event viewer. I am questioning whether the two times I uninstalled SpyBot (with a re-installation in between) had any permanent effect on my computer/hosts file or has anything to do with the errors I am seeing in my event viewer.

Sequence of events:
(1) Installation of Avast 4.8 (performed by me) with lots of problems with false positives to follow as I use Avast
(2) Installation of SpyBot (performed by me) with settings later set to expert’s (in my ISP’s help forum)choices
(3) Uninstalling of SpyBot ( performed by me)
(4) Installation of Avast 5 (performed by me)
(5) Reinstallation of SpyBot with only host file option under IE Tweaks checked
(6) Problems with Internet Access and “Unknown Network” message
(7) Local computer expert uninstalls Avast, SpyBot, fixes minor problems ,and installs Norton

I will try to make this clear: Norton is installed now, Avast is uninstalled, SpyBot is uninstalled and I cannot uncheck the option. I mentioned Internet Explorer 8 because the option is under IE Tweaks which I assumed to be Internet Explorer. I don’t know what hosts files have to do with Internet Explorer and off and on, I have had Internet Explorer problems and some appear in my event viewer. I have critical security audit errors, critical volume shadow copy errors (currently backup is performed by Norton on D: ), and critical Network List service errors. The last occurred according to the event viewer because “the Network List Service depends on the Network Location Awareness service which failed to start because of the following error: The dependency service or group failed to start”.

The local computer expert (call him Joel) is not the expert in my ISP’s help forum whose advice I took on the settings of SpyBot (call him Warren). As a result of the last installation of SpyBot, the appearance of IE Tweaks changed and I asked Warren about this. He said I should ask about it in this forum. I did not and I wish I had. Joel did not know about the settings of SpyBot unless he looked at the settings. I did not even think about the settings at all. The last update to the virus profiles of Avast occurred just before I had the “Network Unknown” messages. No expert set up my Internet Access(picked up kit at the provider’s store) and in the past (?2008) ,I have mucked around under networks in Windows trying to figure out what has gone on with the crazy messages from Internet Explorer and blank web pages. I have paid my bills for Internet Access. My access is via cable at a desktop computer.

Perhaps I will include a jpg of the option if I can figure out how to do so.
Quest803

[quest803]

This is an attempt to post a jpg of IE Tweaks as it appeared at last installation of SpyBot. I was used to just checking or not checking 3 miscellaneous locks and this appears to ask for more than that. I really don't know much about any of the features of SpyBot.

[Rosenfeld]

Setting the HOSTS file to read only should not affect the ability of IE 8 to read it. It just prevents anything trying to write to it.
In any case you can clear the read only from the HOSTS file manually: find the HOSTS file (in XP it is in C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc; I don't have Vista but I expect it will be in the same folder, or search for it. Right click on HOSTS, click properties, in the general tab, cl=ear the read only check box, click apply, OK. It may be that in VISTA you need administrator privileges to do this (or disable UAC temporarily).

[Zenobia]

Yep,that's where the Hosts file is on my Vista,Rosenfeld,C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc. :)

[drragostea]

I re-read your first post about this inquiry and then Rosenfield's post.

D:

I really do not know what is going on.
Your first post asks about how the HOSTS file has to do with Spybot's tweak. My question is, was that out of curiosity or were you having a problem?

Sorry to hear about troubles about the Internet. I think that is more of an internal problem like with configurations; not the problems installed on your machine. May I ask why avast! has a caution sign on your taskbar?
I don't think avast! is interfering with your internet. Did you have another PC connect to your network besides the one you are using right now?

[quest803]

I re-read your first post about this inquiry and then Rosenfield's post.

D:

I really do not know what is going on.
Your first post asks about how the HOSTS file has to do with Spybot's tweak. My question is, was that out of curiosity or were you having a problem?

Sorry to hear about troubles about the Internet. I think that is more of an internal problem like with configurations; not the problems installed on your machine. May I ask why avast! has a caution sign on your taskbar?
I don't think avast! is interfering with your internet. Did you have another PC connect to your network besides the one you are using right now?
I was asking out of curiosity and wondering if past actions had an influence on the current state of my Hosts file and IE settings. This picture was taken when I had Avast on the computer(June 13); SpyBot has only been installed twice, once with Avast 4.8 and once with Avast 5. I do not know why Avast has a sign on my taskbar.[ I am not using Avast now, I have Norton 360 since July 8. I did not use all the providers since the email scanning provider did not seem to work with my connection and slowed things down. I also used the default set up with Internet Explorer as means of updating Avast as I did not understand the other access methods to Avast's servers for updates. My friend who installed Norton said it was like my computer was on dial up.

The installation of SpyBot with Avast 4.8 had 3 miscellaneous locks checked, I believe. The installation of SpyBot with Avast 5 had only the check by the host file option. I hope I haven't confused you...
quest803

[drragostea]

Then I was confusing myself; I went beyond what was required to answer your inquiry.

A simple answer to your question is no.
Rosenfield should make it clear. :santa: