Download Detection Rules

[bitman]

What a difference 24 hours and a couple important changes can make!

Along with fixing the update issue on the new BN FileForum (World) server earlier today, most other server issues have been fixed or improved today. Below are the eight servers currently listed in Spybot and their status from the central US (Milwaukee, WI) as of the last hour (7:00 pm CDT).

See-Cure #1 (Europe) - Very slow to unresponsive, pick a different server
See-Cure #2 (Europe) - Reasonable quick response, best used in Europe
Safer Networking #1 (Europe) - Reasonable quick response, best used in Europe
Safer Networking #2 (Europe) - Reasonable quick response, best used in Europe
SecurityWonks.net - Varies, currently reasonable response, best used in US
SecurityWonks.org - Varies, currently reasonable response, best used in US
EON (Australia) - Has been very slow, currently being worked on, pick a different server for now
BN FileForum (World) - Excellent response, give it a try Worldwide (multiple servers)

I know that Patrick put serious work into this today and over the last few weeks. The new BN FileForum (World) servers are an excellent addition and have helped remove some load from the other servers. I have just been tracking this to give him input from the US, likely the largest source of load on the servers.

If anyone has something significantly different to report, please let us know here. I'm just one point on the US side of the globe and other locations on the globe may experience different response. I'd especially like to hear about the BN FileForum server(s), good or bad, better or worse? Remember to include your approximate location (major city, country) and ISP.

I'm glad to say we finally appear close to the end of the 'Bad Checksum' problem that's been plaguing us for several weeks.

Thanks Patrick!

[caterwaul]

PepiMK wrote:

With todays updates, we've added a mirror named BN FileForum, which represents multiple servers all over the world. If you choose this mirror to download updates from, you should get a stable and fast update download.

bitman wrote:

I know that Patrick put serious work into this today and over the last few weeks. The new BN FileForum (World) servers are an excellent addition and have helped remove some load from the other servers. I have just been tracking this to give him input from the US, likely the largest source of load on the servers.

If anyone has something significantly different to report, please let us know here. I'm just one point on the US side of the globe and other locations on the globe may experience different response. I'd especially like to hear about the BN FileForum server(s), good or bad, better or worse? Remember to include your approximate location (major city, country) and ISP.

Of course these posts are dated (back in October of last year) but I thought I'd add this post as it appears to be no longer the case as far as the BN FileForum servers doing a good job, at least for me.

In attempting to install Detection updates in February of this year (2006) I have continually gotten "Bad Checksum" errors. I then tried another server (See-Cure #1) if I recall and it would appear to freeze for those who only watch the download scanbar. The fact is that when I monitered the download it was not really "frozen" it was just extremely slow and would have periods of time like around 2-4 minutes with no activity (nothing downloading) and then for a couple of seconds a spike of maybe 10-18 mb of data, then back to downloading nothing again for another 2-4 minutes.

I have been successful with other servers further down the list, however. Also I might add that I am using SpyBot 1.3 version and am located in California USA, which could both be critical to how it works for me. Since it seems that version 1.4 has had issues with invalid webpages being launched, random update issues and certainly has an issue with teatimer, as well as the fact that a random use of the servers does not really solve the "bad checksum" problem I have elected to remain with version 1.3 for now. I have found that by finding a server that works and making it the default (right click on the server once you use it) this resolves the "bad checksum" error for me.

The one other issue I have posted in the past has repeated as usual. When logging into this forum it seems that it never (remembers) knows my login/password. In the past it has not even known my email address to get the password (reset) sent to me. I've had to just re-register, which when I do I use the same email without a problem of duplication which tells me that all of my profile is lost to this forum.

This latest time, however did tell me my email was already being used, so I was able to get the password (reset) sent to me and thus it appeared that only my password was somehow not working. I know that the password that I use is correct as I use a program to maintain all my passwords. So as I said this forum seems to always have a problem remembers profile info. I do not use the forum often so possibly this is a reason, which shouldn't be of course. I have now allowed cookies for "forums.spybot.info" to remain on my computer in my cookie manager program, possibly this will solve my problem in the future. I do notice that when I LOGOFF this forum I get the message that "all cookies are removed", whatever that means. I have checked and the "forums.spybot.info" cookie is not removed so hopefully this is the key to my login issues.

Then the most annoying thing about this forum is that after entering ALL OF THIS (post) and SUBMIT REPLAY, I get a LOGIN window telling me THAT I AM NOT LOGGED IN. If I login I then LOSE ALL OF WHAT I ENTERED.

I know I am logged in not only because I DID, and beyond that in the top right corner of the furum window it states WELCOME CAUTERWAL. HOW CAN I NOT BE LOGGED IN IF THIS IS DISPLAY THERE... Also the line: "LOGGED IN AS CATERWAL" shows in the upper right of this thread as well.

Luckily I have found that I can page "back" and copy to save myself from going completely bonkers when this forum tells me erroneously that I am not logged in and requires me to login again even though I AM LOGGED IN.

Of course I still have to login when I already logged in and go and search this thread all over again to enter my post...

Actually an even more confusing thing occurs (I forgot) I don't have to search out the thread to re-enter the post (that was on another forum I had for a long time which finally started working after several months). It ACTUALLY GETS POSTED AFTER I LOGIN IN... So not a complete disaster. I would add a happy face here (I manually typed it in), but the icons are not available on edits. (this all dejavue from previous posts)

[bitman]

Thanks for reporting the problems downloading updates using BN FileForum. As I understand it, you've been receiving "Bad Checksum" errors when selecting BN FileForum as the mirror server before clicking "Download Updates"?

Remember to include your approximate location (major city, country) and ISP.

Could you please let us know either the major city you're closest to or at least if it's Northern, Central or Southern California?

Also please mention your ISP such as AOL, MSN, etc. and if you're on dial-up, DSL, cable or something else?

The above might help determine if there is an issue with an ISP or just at your location.

Thanks,
Bitman

[wildteen88]

I too had the same problem, when updating detection rules it kept comming up with 'check sum error' when it goes to install the update. I didn't try changing download servers, but what I did do in the end was hover over the update and it displayed a tool tip with a web address it was being downloaded to and where it will get installed to, with this info I manually downloaded and installed it.

To get the updated I just type in the following address in IE:
http://www.see-cure.net/updates/files/includes.zip
When you got to that address a save dialog should automatically appear asking where to save the file, save this file to where you have installed SpyBot Search & Destroy (C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy) and then extract the contents of the file to C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Includes

Now just load up Spybot Search & Destroy and Spybot shoud now apply the new definitions you've just downloaded. Now go to the update window and right click in the detection rules file select Add to Exlude List. When you goto update Spybot again this update shouldn't appear.

[md usa spybot fan]

wildteen88:

You should not be downloading and extracting the file intended for the mechanized update as you indicate you are doing!!!

If you are unable to get the updates using the integrated update facility, you can manually download and execute an update file from safer-networking.org:

• Downloads – Home of Spybot-S&D!
  http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

• Detection updates 2006-02-10 - product description
  md5: 47117FA783056916AFF82BDD0B2AB699
  
  This updates the detection rules. Only needed if you do not want to use the update function integrated into Spybot-S&D.

• The direct link is:
  http://www.spybotupdates.com/updates...d_includes.exe

This manual update file is updated around the same time that the updates are made available via the integrated update facility. The description changes on the download page but the download url remains constant.

[wildteen88]

wildteen88:

You should not be downloading and extracting the file intended for the mechanized update as you indicate you are doing!!!

If you are unable to get the updates using the integrated update facility, you can manually download and execute an update file from safer-networking.org:

• Downloads – Home of Spybot-S&D!
  http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

• Detection updates 2006-02-10 - product description
  md5: 47117FA783056916AFF82BDD0B2AB699
  
  This updates the detection rules. Only needed if you do not want to use the update function integrated into Spybot-S&D.

• The direct link is:
  http://www.spybotupdates.com/updates...d_includes.exe

This manual update file is updated around the same time that the updates are made available via the integrated update facility. The description changes on the download page but the download url remains constant.

Oh I didn't realise there was another way of updating Spybot S&D, however manual install and the other type of installation of updates are basically the same. I cant see why I cant do manual install as it worked!

[bitman]

Oh I didn't realise there was another way of updating Spybot S&D, however manual install and the other type of installation of updates are basically the same. I cant see why I cant do manual install as it worked!

What you've done is unsupported and incorrect.

Now go to the update window and right click in the detection rules file select Add to Exlude List. When you goto update Spybot again this update shouldn't appear.

By doing this. you've effectively disabled your ability to see these updates in the future. The items are displayed or supressed based on text matches, so until the text changes they won't display.

The manual Detection updates suggested by md usa spybot fan are the supported and simplest method to perform a manual update, so there's no reason to do it with a method that's more difficult and error prone.

You do whatever you like, everyone here recommends downloading the official manual update file. The md5 checksum for the file is displayed on the download page to verify the file is valid.

[caterwaul]

bitman wrote:

Thanks for reporting the problems downloading updates using BN FileForum. As I understand it, you've been receiving "Bad Checksum" errors when selecting BN FileForum as the mirror server before clicking "Download Updates"?

Remember to include your approximate location (major city, country) and ISP.

Could you please let us know either the major city you're closest to or at least if it's Northern, Central or Southern California?

Also please mention your ISP such as AOL, MSN, etc. and if you're on dial-up, DSL, cable or something else?

The above might help determine if there is an issue with an ISP or just at your location.

Thanks,
Bitman

The answer to your first question is "yes".

I understand (based on another post by Bitman) that since I am using SpyBot version 1.3 (server selection is NOT random) the "BN FileForum (World)" would be my default as well since it is at the TOP of the server list and unless I select another and or set another as default (which is what I have now done) this server at the top of the list (BN FileForum) would remain the server that would be used when I click "Download Updates".

If this is true then I would suspect that other users of version 1.3 (which I am sure are many) would have the same ordered list of servers as I do and thus the "BN FileForum" would have very heavy traffic as a result.

Major city: Los Angeles, California (specifically Sherman Oaks)
ISP: ISP.com
Connection: Dial-up

Btw, I had no problem logging in this time, the forum actually remembered my password. (which if I recall is a first).