Spybot-S&D 2.0 Beta 4 release thread [Archive]

daemon

2011-10-06, 17:21

Spybot-S&D 2.0 Beta 4 just got released!

This release sees speed enhancements, greater stability and improved Live Protection.

See our our official release announcement (http://www.safer-networking.org/en/news/2011-10-06.html) for more details and download links.

Please help with beta-testing so Spybot-S&D 2.0 final will be rock stable.

You may use this thread for general comments about the beta release, please open new threads if you like to discuss specific issues.

daemon

Arctucas

2011-10-06, 20:15

Regarding the Rootkit Scanner:

It finds thousands of entries.

The common factor is; under Details it reports 'Invisible to Win32'.

imageek

2011-10-06, 20:51

Hopefully this is less buggy, and hopefully it works better overall. :)

Arctucas

2011-10-13, 23:45

As it appears no-one is following the suggestion to use this thread for reporting issues with BETA4, I thought I might give it a bump.

Anyway, why is the Rootkit Scanner doing what I reported?

Is that normal (I certainly hope not)?

Patiently awaiting a reply...

lewisje

2011-10-17, 11:49

I know at least that some rootkits rely on Registry entries with strings containing the null character (ASCII/UTF8/UTF16 code-point 0), because that character ends a C-style string, so regedit won't pick up anything after the null character, even though lower-level APIs for accessing the Registry do pick up the entire string and make use of it.

One possibility is that such strings are in fact handled incorrectly by the Win32 API (the lowest-level API for which ordinary Windows programs can be programmed) but correctly by the Native API, used by the kernel, drivers, and...rootkits.

Arctucas

2011-10-17, 17:52

OK, but Kaspersky and GMER find nothing.

I noticed the entries appeared to all be in User folders, in the Application Data/*/*/*/*/*... subfolders. (where * is Application Data again), this repeats several times, literally thousands of entries.

After a couple hours I shut down the scanner, because it was not finding anything new, just repeating, except in a different User folder.

I would imagine a more inexperienced user might delete all those entries, possibly wrecking their OS.

The fact I am running X64 version of Windows would not have anything to do with it?

Anyway, uninstalled and awaiting next BETA.

imageek

2011-10-17, 18:10

Send the false-positives to the Spybot team, or make a log.

Arctucas

2011-10-17, 18:21

Send the false-positives to the Spybot team, or make a log.

So, you do not have this issue?

If it is specific only to my rig, I do not believe that will be worth the many, many hours it would take to complete, and I will simply forego the use of SBS&D.

If others will verify they are experiencing the same thing, and submit their own logs/false positives, then perhaps I might make the effort...

imageek

2011-10-17, 18:31

Arctucas

2011-10-17, 19:09

I have been busy with a lot of things lately, therefore I haven't had the opportunity or time to test out the new beta version. In addition, I don't try beta software on my current PC, or basically I do, but I use a virtual machine.

I have no reluctance trying BETA software, but when I find it is not operating properly it is quickly uninstalled (as is the case here).

imageek

2011-10-17, 19:13

And I have no problem with your decision. In fact, I have never said the opposite.

Arctucas

2011-10-17, 20:24

And I have no problem with your decision. In fact, I have never said the opposite.

Thank you, and I believe I never implied that you did.

However, I am hoping other users will provide input regarding their experiences with the Rootkit Scanner.

chileno

2011-10-27, 15:53

Hello:

According to me the updates are not being received by my system....

win 7
SD beta 4

I get the following when updating.

[+] Updater Service is active.
[+] Verified download folder.
[+] Retrieved update info file.
[-] Unable to store downloaded update information to "C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy 2\Updates\Downloads\updates.uid"!
[.] Info file part done.

What's wrong?

TIA. :funny:

ney2x

2011-11-20, 12:09

S&D 2 Beta 4 causes explorer crashes when right-clicking any file / drive / directory.

Message of crash is Explorer.exe "Shell32.dll"

ololol

2011-11-29, 06:48

Was thrilled about the 2.0 beta 4 version and installed it for testing.

It slowed down my system so much !!! ... that I uninstalled it as fast as it allowed me...

and my rig is running nice and fast again.

dudenasty

2011-12-04, 01:25

this beta version overwrote all my boot.ini files on all my bootable drives it almost destoyed my boot setup read my thread for more details http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=64557

cheryllovestoread

2011-12-07, 06:14

Hi all,

I just loaded up Spybot-S&D 2.0 Beta 4 and ran it. Everything looked good except when I got to the Fix screen there was no way to click on any of the problems. (The check boxes don't work.) Even when I try to run the fix without marking any and it asks me if I want to run on "all" - it still doesn't happen.

I've attached a screen shot, in case that is useful.
Am I just being dumb or could this be a bug?

Cheryl

P.S. I also couldn't find a 'start new thread' link, so I hope using reply is okay. Maybe it's just been a long day. ;)

Sunfyre7896

2011-12-08, 20:03

I've been having problems with the latest beta 4 in that whenever I try to update the definition files, it states that it cannot save to folder or save to save folder the updates or something like that. It scrolls pretty fast. I also know it doesn't save because when I scroll down, the newest updates have a red (x) next to them. So, this is my 3rd attempt to uninstall and reinstall hoping that the problem will be fixed. Is it because it's beta that it won't update the definition files?

Ahhh, I'm editing this post because I just noticed that Chileno above had the same problem. What they said is what's happening to me so I know it's not just my system.

Zymoticus

2011-12-09, 07:26

I'm having the exact same problem as Chileno and Sunfyre - "Unable to store downloaded update information," etc. It occurs on both Vista and W7 machines.

Can somebody please reply to these questions? S&D is mostly useless if there is no way to update definitions.

A second problem is also something someone else mentioned - when you do a Rootkit scan and there's a list of files at the end of it, there is no "Fix" button, no delete button, no indication of what to do with the files that were found. I've read that these may be false positives, so for now I'm just refraining from doing Rootkit scans altogether.

Zymoticus

2011-12-09, 07:44

Something else I just noticed:

When I try to open Secure Shredder in Safe Mode, it won't open. There's a Secure Shredder tab on the Taskbar at the bottom, but clicking it won't open the Shredder window - nothing will. This wasn't the case just a couple of days ago, which makes me wonder if I've picked up something... I'm off to try a System Restore and see if that helps.

CWO333

2011-12-14, 07:39

Is it running as an administrator? Usually programs can't write to Program Files under Vista/7 unless they are ran as administrator.

wbmiles

2012-01-04, 05:45

I just installed the beta on a new laptop. Here are the few things I noticed.

I didn't think to update before scanning. It might be good to include an automatic update or a dialog box to suggest an update after install and before first scan.

At the end of the scan, I saw error dialog at the bottom indicating that it could not create/save the log file. This sort of acted like a hung process. Only way to proceed was to close the scan.

I know I read somewhere that the app can (will?) request privilege elevation, but that did not happen in my case. No dialog box, and probably running with "base" admin authority.

I also got the error reported by others saying that updated files could not be saved. However, when I hit the update button again, it appeared to successfully update.

One other note, I did not reboot or log off after installing. I would hope that would not have an impact on privileges, but just in case...

AMD A8, Win7 logged in with admin priv.

ght1

2012-01-04, 12:44

However, I am hoping other users will provide input regarding their experiences with the Rootkit Scanner.

When will the standalone RootAlyzer be updated? The latest version 0.3.4.47 (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) has been released in 2009 ... :coffee:

firefox007

2012-01-20, 18:21

tashi

2012-01-20, 18:57

This program has become a huge, over-stuffed piece of real Bloatware. It is highly confusing, and doesn't even clearly spell out what it is doing or can do. It can slow down machines to a crawl or crash them. I was shocked at this huge piece of bloated software from a previously good Company. Of course I got rid of it as quick as possible before damage could be done to my system....

Hello firefox007,

Since registering you've posted similar comments several times, other members responses September 2011 here (http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?p=412287#post412287).

If beta testing isn't for you please feel free to use the stable 1.6.2 (http://www.safer-networking.org/en/spybotsd/index.html)version. :)

Best regards.

Arctucas

2012-01-21, 03:38

I realize it is none of my business, and at the risk of falling into disfavor with the moderators and staff, I am going to agree with firefox007 in the regard that I also believe that 2.0 (if it continues as it is) may be a failure due to the apparent goal of making it a 'do-all/be-all' application.

All I, personally, need is an application to compliment, a 'second opinion' if you will, my AV and MalwareBytes. A simple scanner would suffice.

Having been a user and proponent of SBS&D for a while (I have a copy of version 0.9.0 backed up on CD somewhere) I must say I am somewhat disappointed the direction it has taken.

Of course, this is only my personal opinion, and I do not expect my remarks to in any way influence the continued development of the application.