View Full Version : Scheduling Spybot
I set up the win 7 scheduler to run spybot when I am not using the machine.
It apparently works fine, BUT:
How do I get to look at the logs to see if anything was found. If I click on the Spybot icon now, it immediately starts an update and scan, with none of the a start up menus.
I can't even turn it off, since I don't get to ever get to see the menus.
I must be missing something. What?
Thanks for any help.
Once the update is over,and the scan starts,does a smaller Spybot window open on your screen that says scan in progress,with an end scan button in the middle of it?
Once the update is over,and the scan starts,does a smaller Spybot window open on your screen that says scan in progress,with an end scan button in the middle of it?
Yes, and if I click it it seems it just sits there forever.
What should happen?
OK just to be sure I was telling the truth, I tried again.
It did not stop for an update but went right into the scan.
I tried going into the program files and clicking "update" .
The cmd prompt window popped up with the annoucnemtn therwea re no updates available.
This might be true since the scheduled run was less than 12 hours ago.
spybotsandra
2012-07-04, 10:11
Hello,
When there are no newer updates it goes right to the scan.
So this might happened here.
There are only updates once a week, usually on Wednesdays.
To take a look at your logs:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Logs
Best regards
Sandra
Team Spybot
Thanks, I found the logs.
Microsoft found it desirable to change the directory structure, I guess if it looks different it must be better.
Here is my log for July 3.
--- Report generated: 2012-07-03 20:31 ---
--- Spybot - Search & Destroy version: 1.6.2 (build: 20090126) ---
2009-01-26 blindman.exe (1.0.0.8)
2009-01-26 SDFiles.exe (1.6.1.7)
2009-01-26 SDMain.exe (1.0.0.6)
2009-01-26 SDShred.exe (1.0.2.5)
2009-01-26 SDUpdate.exe (1.6.0.12)
2009-01-26 SDWinSec.exe (1.0.0.12)
2009-01-26 SpybotSD.exe (1.6.2.46)
2009-03-05 TeaTimer.exe (1.6.6.32)
2012-05-19 unins000.exe (51.49.0.0)
2009-01-26 Update.exe (1.6.0.7)
2009-11-04 advcheck.dll (1.6.5.20)
2007-04-02 aports.dll (2.1.0.0)
2008-06-14 DelZip179.dll (1.79.11.1)
2009-01-26 SDHelper.dll (1.6.2.14)
2008-06-19 sqlite3.dll
2009-01-26 Tools.dll (2.1.6.10)
2009-01-16 UninsSrv.dll (1.0.0.0)
2012-01-16 Includes\Adware.sbi (*)
2012-05-08 Includes\AdwareC.sbi (*)
2010-08-13 Includes\Cookies.sbi (*)
2010-12-14 Includes\Dialer.sbi (*)
2011-11-29 Includes\DialerC.sbi (*)
2012-01-31 Includes\HeavyDuty.sbi (*)
2012-05-16 Includes\Hijackers.sbi (*)
2012-05-16 Includes\HijackersC.sbi (*)
2010-09-15 Includes\iPhone.sbi (*)
2012-03-13 Includes\Keyloggers.sbi (*)
2012-03-13 Includes\KeyloggersC.sbi (*)
2004-11-29 Includes\LSP.sbi (*)
2012-04-17 Includes\Malware.sbi (*)
2012-05-16 Includes\MalwareC.sbi (*)
2011-02-24 Includes\PUPS.sbi (*)
2012-05-08 Includes\PUPSC.sbi (*)
2010-01-25 Includes\Revision.sbi (*)
2011-02-24 Includes\Security.sbi (*)
2011-12-13 Includes\SecurityC.sbi (*)
2008-06-03 Includes\Spybots.sbi (*)
2008-06-03 Includes\SpybotsC.sbi (*)
2012-01-17 Includes\Spyware.sbi (*)
2012-05-08 Includes\SpywareC.sbi (*)
2010-03-08 Includes\Tracks.uti
2011-09-28 Includes\Trojans.sbi (*)
2012-05-06 Includes\TrojansC-02.sbi (*)
2012-04-30 Includes\TrojansC-03.sbi (*)
2012-05-15 Includes\TrojansC-04.sbi (*)
2012-05-11 Includes\TrojansC-05.sbi (*)
2012-05-16 Includes\TrojansC.sbi (*)
2008-03-04 Plugins\Chai.dll
2008-03-05 Plugins\Fennel.dll
2008-02-26 Plugins\Mate.dll
In the manual runs it used to give encouraging words like " no malicious items found" .
Does this say the same thing or is something missing?
I made a scheduled task and my logfile is the same as yours,without the congratulations,no immediate threats were found message,so I assume that's normal on a scheduled run,(though I did stop the scan before it was finished.) :)
My scheduled scan hung after pressing the Stop Check button,too,but I wasn't sure if yours would do the same.
Now that you can view the logfiles,do you prefer Spybot to stay set up the way it is,or would you prefer to be able to open it manually without it automatically running a scan,outside of the scheduled run?
I made a scheduled task and my logfile is the same as yours,without the congratulations,no immediate threats were found message,so I assume that's normal on a scheduled run,(though I did stop the scan before it was finished.) :)
My scheduled scan hung after pressing the Stop Check button,too,but I wasn't sure if yours would do the same.
Now that you can view the logfiles,do you prefer Spybot to stay set up the way it is,or would you prefer to be able to open it manually without it automatically running a scan,outside of the scheduled run?
I guess it does not really matter but it seems odd to me that I turned something on that I can't turn off. :thanks:
Okay,mind you I'm not very familiar with the scheduled scan,since I usually scan manually,but I was able to set up the scheduled scan and update without Spybot doing an autoupdate/autoscan when I opened it manually,and everything seemed good,so you could give it a try,if you like.
If you do it,you'll probably have to delete the old scheduled tasks and create new ones,though,so it's up to you. :)
First step would be to make sure that the autoscan isn't set up through settings.Your Configuration.ini file should show me that,so you'd go to C:\ProgramData and open the Spybot - Search & Destroy folder.(If ProgramData isn't visible to you,then here is how to temporarily show hidden files and folders - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/how-to-see-hidden-files-in-windows/#win7 )Doubleclick the Configuration file,click Edit,Select All,then rightclick the highlighted text and Copy,then paste it here.
Okay,mind you I'm not very familiar with the scheduled scan,since I usually scan manually,but I was able to set up the scheduled scan and update without Spybot doing an autoupdate/autoscan when I opened it manually,and everything seemed good,so you could give it a try,if you like.
If you do it,you'll probably have to delete the old scheduled tasks and create new ones,though,so it's up to you. :)
First step would be to make sure that the autoscan isn't set up through settings.Your Configuration.ini file should show me that,so you'd go to C:\ProgramData and open the Spybot - Search & Destroy folder.(If ProgramData isn't visible to you,then here is how to temporarily show hidden files and folders - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/how-to-see-hidden-files-in-windows/#win7 )Doubleclick the Configuration file,click Edit,Select All,then rightclick the highlighted text and Copy,then paste it here.
Here is the configuration file, under program data/spybot".
It looks to me that it does very little, But what do I know
[Installation]
DesktopIcon=Advanced
QuickLaunch=Advanced
[Installation\StartmenuItem]
Easy=0
Advanced=0
[Main]
EasyMode=0
Legals=0
AutoSave=1
CreateBackups=1
CreateTrackBackups=1
CreateSystemBackups=1
CreateSystemRestorePointSpyware=0
CreateSystemRestorePointInternals=0
ConfirmRestorePoint=0
Confirmation=1
Compability=1
Priority=Normal
RecoveryAged=1
[Main\AlertSounds]
AlertSpyFound=0
AlertNothingFound=0
[Main\Priority]
ApplicationOneCPU=0
ScannerOneCPU=0
[Automation]
OfferTempCleaner=1
SystemStart=NoAutomation
[Automation\ProgramStart]
AutoCheck=1
AutoFix=0
RerunAfterFix=0
AutoImmunize=0
DontAsk=0
WaitStart=0
WaitPrograms=0
WaitMore=0
[Automation\SystemStart]
AutoCheck=0
AutoFix=0
WaitStart=0
WaitPrograms=0
WaitMore=0
AutoClose=0
[Automation\WebUpdate]
AutoCheck=0
RemindUpdate=0
CheckBetas=0
CheckAllLanguages=0
CheckSkins=0
This part of your Configuration.ini shows that it's set to Autocheck when you open Spybot:AutoCheck=1
[Automation\ProgramStart]
AutoCheck=1 <----right here.
AutoFix=0
RerunAfterFix=0
AutoImmunize=0
DontAsk=0
WaitStart=0
WaitPrograms=0
WaitMore=0
Could you go back into C:\ProgramData and open the Configuration file again.Scroll down to the [Automation\ProgramStart] part and change the 1 in Autocheck to a 0,so that the section looks like this:
[Automation\ProgramStart]
AutoCheck=0
AutoFix=0
RerunAfterFix=0
AutoImmunize=0
DontAsk=0
WaitStart=0
WaitPrograms=0
WaitMore=0
Then,go to file and hit Save and exit Configuration.That should let you open Spybot manually without the Autocheck happening.Please let me know if that works before we continue. :)
OK, I did that, and if I start a manual scan I get the menu, as I used to before I did the scheduling .
It remains to be seen if the scheduled scan can proceed without intervention. I'll know the next time it runs.
That depends on how it was set-up.If you went into settings in Spybot yourself and set it to autoscan to go along with your scheduled scan,then when it runs the scheduled scan,the scan might not run,just the program will open.
If you'd like to start over then delete both the update and scheduled scan tasks:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749414.aspx
Then rightclick Spybot and run as Admin.If Spybot isn't already in advanced mode,then click mode up top,and then advanced mode.Click settings,then Scheduler.
Maximize the Spybot window,and click Add to create a new task,then checkmark Fix problems after scheduled scan and Close program after finishing schedule if you want it to do that.Then click Edit,and that will open the Scheduled Task window,so you can setup the time you want it to run and any other settings you'd like to add.
Then click Add(Updater) for the scheduled update,and click Edit(Updater) to setup the time you'd like it to run and any other settings you wish.
That should let you be able to open Spybot manually any time you want,but still let the scheduled scan run as it should.
I tried the configuration change, and waited.
I don't know if it worked as the logs all disappeared.
I will go back to the way it was to see.
They did? :spider:
Try going into mode-advanced mode-Tools-View Report-View Previous Report.Are the logs visible there?
Only the one from today, when I told it to run manually, It started but then said I stopped it. Maybe I did, because I kept using the machine.
I thought it pretty odd that the logs disappeared. I don't think I did that .
Yes,that is odd.
Try opening Spybot,mode-advanced mode-settings-settings,then scroll down to log file settings.Is 'Overwrite logfile if existent(else append to it)' checkmarked?
Yes,that is odd.
Try opening Spybot,mode-advanced mode-settings-settings,then scroll down to log file settings.Is 'Overwrite logfile if existent(else append to it)' checkmarked?
Overwrite log file is NOT checked
Timrazer
2012-07-14, 01:14
I love SPYBOT ... works really great !! :funny:
I donated tonight ... and wil try to let others use this tool too .. i will try to let them donate too since i love you guys !! This is so much better then those USA programmers who created spyhunter 4 they bill 30euro for 6 months !!
I'm not sure what would cause the logfiles to go missing,there is nothing in Spybot that can be set to automatically get rid of old logfiles that I can recall.
Old logfiles can be deleted within Spybot under View Report,but you'd have to click Clean up old reports,then checkmark which ones you want deleted.
You could try checking in the recycle bin or searching for Checks or Fixes in case the logfiles were moved somehow.
For the scheduled scan,you could go to Task Scheduler,click on Task Scheduler Library,then doubleclick on the Spybot scheduled task,select the Triggers tab,click Edit,then adjust the scheduled scan time to two minutes ahead of the present time(if you decide to look in Scheduled Tasks at 9:41 p.m.,then adjust the scheduled scan time to 9:43 p.m.),press OK,then Ok again.If the scheduled scan starts,you'll know it's working,and you can then go back in and readjust the schedule to the time you want.
I gave up on the scheduling idea , if I can't tell that it runs and gives me a clean bill, then what's the point.
No sweat with running manually.
Thanks for the help.
That's too bad.You're welcome. :)
If you change your mind,and haven't deleted your scheduled task yet,you could open task scheduler,click on task scheduler library,doubleclick your Spybot scheduled task,click the Actions tab,and look at what is there.
If it is "C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SpybotSD.exe"
(or "C:\Program Files (x86)\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SpybotSD.exe" if you have 64-bit)
then the scheduled task probably would just open the Spybot program on schedule.
If you clicked Edit,then added the argument /AUTOCHECK then clicked OK,that should produce "C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SpybotSD.exe" /AUTOCHECK <----That will get the program to autoscan when the scheduled task starts.
If you added in the arguments /AUTOCHECK /AUTOFIX ,then you'd get "C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SpybotSD.exe" /AUTOCHECK /AUTOFIX <---That will get the program to scan and fix when the scheduled task starts.
Adding in the arguments /AUTOCHECK /AUTOFIX /AUTOCLOSE would produce "C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SpybotSD.exe" /AUTOCHECK /AUTOFIX /AUTOCLOSE <-----Scheduled scan would scan,fix,then close.