!!!Bad checksum!?

[scubasteve]

I've been trying to download the updates from 2005-10-21, and every time I attempt to do so, I get the message !!!bad checksum! and can't get the updates. I was running an older version of SpybotS&D, and I still have the problem with the newest version.

[md usa spybot fan]

"Bad Checksum" problems can be overcome in most cases by changing the download server (site) as follows:
Do not click "Search for Updates" again.
Using the pull-down site selection menu (between the "Search for Updates" and "Download Updates" buttons) select another server.
After changing the download server click "Download Updates" again.
If you get another "Bad Checksum", repeated Steps 2 & 3 (using a 3rd or 4th server if necessary) until all updates are received.

[bitman]

scubasteve: Could you please post the name of the download server that is giving you the "Bad Checksum" message?

We've been trying to discover and fix issues with these servers and would be very interested which servers are still giving these errors and which are working well, so please tell us both. Also, please mention your location; State (US) or Country is good enough.

Follow the instructions by md usa spybot fan in the post above to pick the server(s) and find their names.

Thanks,
bitman

[scubasteve]

Thanks, that really helped. The server that was giving me problems was the See-Cure#1, and the one that worked for me was See-Cure#2. I'm in California.

[bitman]

Thanks Steve, those are both in Germany, but we have seen continued issues with See-Cure #1.

I suggest that you give the new BN FileForum (World) server a try for the next set of updates. This is actually several servers all over the world, with one right there in California.

Let us know how it works if you get the chance, your input has already been helpful to everyone using Spybot.

Bitman

[Said Bakr]

Yes it is a great solution for CheckSum problem. I have a suggestion to SpyBot developers. The button of updates downloading server should be named by this name.

[Computersweeper]

This is all well and gooed, except on my "pull down" menu there is NO option to select a download server (I have been reccommending your product to my customers for months now, and I am getting inundated by calls from customers who are getting the same error when attempting an update)...:confused:

[Computersweeper]

Ok; please ignore my last post; we eventually managed to get a pull down menu. However, having passed this information along to my clients (all based here in the USA) checksum errors are still being obtained from the following mirror sites:

BNFileforum
SecurityWorks.net and SecurityWorks.org
SaferNetworking

I have also been able to duplicate the same errors reported to me by my customers with those mirrors.
:confused:

[Frankenstien]

How about some insight on how to modify the [-Mirrors] section of 'online.ini' (in: C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Updates) so that the problematic mirror (See-Cure #1 (Europe)=http://www.see-cure.de/updates/files/) can be selectively eliminated from the download mirrors drop-down list.
FYI - I am in western Canada.
Because this problem mirror is 1st on the list, the Spybot S&D program grinds away (and away) on launch (I have my Settings>Settings>Web update>(1st three options) enabled) trying to pull down a good set of update files (when they are available). I invariably have to Search for Updates manually and select a different mirror to get good checksum update files.
I would experiment with modification of 'online.ini' myself but I see that Mirrors are referenced repeatedly in this file, all preceded by a checksum routine, therefore, I am guessing that anything I do to the file will wind up generating errors if not done correctly.
Another thing that bugs me is the fact that when a new version of Spybot S&D is released (ie. v1.4), no advice of same is ever generated by the program (v1.3), even though it dutifully continues to pull down the latest update files. One must find out by other means - not very efficient.

[md usa spybot fan]

There is no way to:


… modify the [-Mirrors] section of 'online.ini' (in: C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Updates) so that the problematic mirror (See-Cure #1 (Europe)=http://www.see-cure.de/updates/files/) can be selectively eliminated from the download mirrors drop-down list.
Since that file is refreshed from the download of the www.safer-networking.org/updates/spybotsd.ini (in Spybot 1.4) before the required updates are listed.

Please try the following:
After you do a "Search for updates", select an alternate server then right click on that server and "Set this server as the preferred download location".
See if that elevates you problem.

[bitman]

Computersweeper: Where (Major City, State) are you located and who is your ISP? I've never had a problem with the new BN Fileforum server in the Central US, though the SecurityWonks servers tend to be heavily loaded and the SaferNetworking servers are in Europe. It sounds to me like on top of the server issues you're having network issues, as most such reports have disappeared since the servers were re-worked a couple weeks ago.

Frankenstien: Once you've selected a server that usually works well for you in the Update Servers pull-down list, right-click the server name (not in the list, on the menu bar) and click 'Set this server as the preferred download location'. This server should become the default until you come back and either click 'clear preferred mirror setting' or pick a different one.

<<< EDIT >>>
OK, md usa spybot fan wins the race this time. We're now neck and neck at one tromped on post apiece. His is easier to read, but I answered two questions in one post. So there!

[Frankenstien]

Ahhhhhhh ... I did not know you could do that ... thanks md usa spybot fan, and, bitman ...
FYI - the See-Cure #1 (Europe) mirror is still a regular problem (bad checksums) from the Vancouver, B.C., Canada area (ISP is Telus.net [ADSL]).

Also, is the new Spybot S&D version advice issue going to be addressed in future releases ... do you guys think?

[click here]

FYI, folks - I had been having difficulty with updates for some time now, getting "bad checksum" messages.

Many thanks to everyone, though, for the tips in this thread - They seem to have solved the problem, and I'm totally up-to-date.


Just so you're aware:

See Cure #1 (Europe) and See Cure #2 (Europe) did not work for me; eventually, Safer Networking #1 (Europe) allowed me to successfully download my updates.
(ISP is eircom - Location is Dublin, Ireland.)


Thanks again for the info! :)

[Valentino]

Hi... I've got a simular problem like you all were talking about, but I can't select an other server... Spybot tells me to search for updates first before I can get a list of download mirrors. But when searching for updates I get that "error 403"... what might be wrong? Recently I changed from dialupline to cable... can it be some mistake in settings?

BR,
F.

[Zenobia]

After you get the error 403,check and see if you can select a server from the list then.
If you can't,you can download the detections manually from this page:
http://www.spybot.info/en/download/index.html
This is the direct download link:
http://www.spybotupdates.com/updates/files/spybotsd_includes.exe

[Valentino]

Tanx... via the link I could download the updates...

First I tried again via the update button but no... after having that error 403 I still didn't get any list of servers... there's no cure for that?

[Zenobia]

Could you go to C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Updates and tell me if there is an online.ini file in there?

Also,is error 403 the whole error message that you get?

[Valentino]

Could you go to C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Updates and tell me if there is an online.ini file in there?

Also,is error 403 the whole error message that you get?


there's some file there called online, but no .ini behind the filename...


this is what I get:

Fout bij binnenhalen van update info-bestand !
HTTP/1.1 403 Forbidden

[Zenobia]

Okay,don't worry about the no .ini part,I just have folder options configured to show extensions for known file types,so I would see the .ini,most people wouldn't.

I'm not real sure why you can't select another mirror after you check for an update.

There's an HTTP error 403 mentioned here,along with bad checksums:
http://www.spybot.info/en/faq/20.html
You could try checking for updates from within Spybot every once in awhile,and see if you can get a successful update that way.

If not,you could check for a manual Detections update with the right date on the downloads page:
http://www.spybot.info/en/download/index.html
Update announcements are here:
http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=2

[K.Blam]

"Bad Checksum" problems can be overcome in most cases by changing the download server (site) as follows:
Do not click "Search for Updates" again.
Using the pull-down site selection menu (between the "Search for Updates" and "Download Updates" buttons) select another server.
After changing the download server click "Download Updates" again.
If you get another "Bad Checksum", repeated Steps 2 & 3 (using a 3rd or 4th server if necessary) until all updates are received.
This procedure worked for me -- more than a month after I was first unable to update Spybot. Why so long? I didn't find the solution sooner.

I'm on my less used computer and I haven't been worrying much about its security -- I do use other spyware/malware detection programs. Shortly before the holidays I tried to update and got the dreaded "!!!Bad Checksum!" result. I checked the Spybot site, fairly superficially, I suppose, and didn't find any information. So I uninstalled the old version and installed the new -- and got the same result. Then I was gone for a couple of weeks. I tried to update again after I got home: Same "!!!". I tried maybe twice more in the interim (ditto), and then tonight I started getting doggedly systematic about it and found my way to this thread via Google.

Thanks, MD FAN, for posting a solution. Question is, why doesn't Spybot make it easier to find? :(

K.Blam

[Darrel]

Bad Checksum!! is a problem that plagued me for some time.

My solution!

Remove the tick form "Use proxy to connect to update server" in Settings
It must be noted that i also use a proxy download accelerator.

I hope this helps someone.

[md usa spybot fan]

Darrel:

Thanks for sharing that.

Proxy servers that store the Spybot-S&D update files and don’t refresh them immediately when they are updated can be a source of "Bad Checksum" errors since the wrong update file will be delivered by the proxy server during the update process.

[JimB007]

The following servers gave "bad checksum" results:

BWWS Germany and See-Cure #1

See-Cure #2 was OK.

I will delete the first two as indicated

Thanks

[jazzman]

I love Spybot S & D. When this error was encountered I assumed that more complicated navigations would be required. I was wrong. I discovered that the server(s) sometimes just want to throw a hissy fit or may just have a temporary bellyache. Often times just wait an hour or two, try again and in all probability the downloads will operate flawlessly. Hope this helps.

[Dante Ernesto]

"Bad Checksum" problems can be overcome in most cases by changing the download server (site) as follows:
Do not click "Search for Updates" again.
Using the pull-down site selection menu (between the "Search for Updates" and "Download Updates" buttons) select another server.
After changing the download server click "Download Updates" again.
If you get another "Bad Checksum", repeated Steps 2 & 3 (using a 3rd or 4th server if necessary) until all updates are received.

I log into windows xp sp2 in "safe mode with networking features" and it downloaded and installed all updates fine. I changed the mirror, but this time in normal windows running mode and I could downloaded the rest of the updates. It's a strange behaviour...I don't know what's the reason for that.