Spybot crashes on start up

[Zenobia]

Actually,on this one,I don't have the foggiest idea on what might be causing the crashes and error messages.
But,if they answer your questions,it might give something to go on,so keep up the good work.

[129260]

That means alot. I am wondering if he needs to repair windows or something if he is having problems with other programs....

[129260]

If that is the case that he is not only having problems with spybot, but with other programs or other stuff, I had heard before about a threat that would block access to all your programs and cause the pc to be rly messed up. I forgot what the threat was called, i think it was a virus though, not spyware.

His case is really weird though..........safe mode doesn't help, reinstalling and uninstalling does not help.....

hmm i got another question!! haha.

I wonder,

1.) do you have problems installing other programs?

2.) problems saving settings in windows?

3.) do you have low disk space?

4.) Any major software/hardware changes?

[129260]

I took all the steps you suggested, but I think I am ready to clean the registry of Spybot. When I downloaded the fix, instead of getting the fix I get some text. I was wondering if there is something I should do with the text that I received. Also, if I used cclenaner would adjusting the registry be neccessary?

I know you did that already, using the fix with merge, but try Internet explorer.
Use Internet explorer to download the fix again. choose run when you are asked to download.


Also: remove all data in these places:

* Windows NT, 2000 or XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Spybot - Search & Destroy\

*C:/program files/spybot search and destroy.

(Please note that the Application Data Folder is hidden. So if you cannot find this folder please check your folder properties. For an instruction, please click here. Make sure that after you delete these entries, recheck these options!)

Try installing the latest version 1.6 after that! Let me know how it goes. And i know i asked alot of questions above, if you can still answer those i will appreciate it. Sorry for all the posts!!

[objectivebrianc]

I had heard before about a threat that would block access to all your programs

and cause the pc to be really messed up. I forgot what the threat was called, i think

it was a virus though, not spy ware.



(This statement got me scanning my computer again, but I had two detections in the past

that made me wonder if they are false positives, or if some thing fishy is going on

with two programs I thought were legit, one file is sbautoupdate.exe, belonging to

SpywareBlaster, and the other a2antidialer.exe the files are still in quarantine)



1.) do you have problems installing other programs?


( here goes, I have had problems with other programs, But I will start with the one I just

got done dealing with, I lost the internet for a few days, You will notice I took too

long to get back to you. Some of the other examples are couldn't update AdAware,

Zone Alarm wouldn't open,The cleaner from MooSoft crashed on start up just to name a few.)


2.) problems saving settings in windows?


(In Internet Explorer When going to Internet Options I check the Security tab, and the

setting is mysteriously changed to a custom setting, than I have to change it back to

default from time to time.)


3.) do you have low disk space?


(I have 29.6 GB of free space if that is what you mean)


4.) Any major software/hardware changes?

(Don't remember)

Unrelated to other questions when I press alt ctrl del, CPU is around 80%

Now I will go on with your recent directions in message #34.

[129260]

Thanks for answering those questions, that will help alot. It sounds to me like you might have a very bad case of spyware and malware in your machine....as with your cpu usage and that setting that wont stay saved in Internet explorer. I am glad you have plenty of hard drive space. What i was thinking with the hard drive space question was maybe windows did not have enough space to run programs, install/uninstall, etc. But apparently that is not the case. And since you are having problems installing other programs, running other programs, and the whole computer is generally not functioning correctly, I am wondering if you should post in the malware removal forums...........

but let's see if you can get spybot completely removed and reinstalled with the latest version. Also, I do want to break any rules in the forum by suggesting other software, but i am wondering if you can install avast and do a full boot scan. That would clear up some nasty infections if you have any. Or use your current antiviruis and do a boot scan, there should be an option in your antivirus program to do that.

I am also thinking a repair of windows (which will let you keep your programs installed and your data intact) would do the trick if you are infected.....or an complete format and start all over again method would actually be the best assurance you are clean.

In my humble opinion, it sounds to me you are badly infected......I hate to say this, but i think it is true. If you would like a experienced helper to take a look at your system, here are the links for the future if you cant get spybot or any of your programs running/working correctly again:

You may need to visit the malware removal forums.......

Read this first: http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=288

Malware removal forums: http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22

[wyrmrider]

Great Advice 129260
many users do not realize that a full boot scan and/or a safe mode scan will find things that the on line scans from Kasperky, Bit Defender etc will not
AND VICE VERSA
I recommend both

OP
quarantine or send to vault/ chest/ whatever do not delete hits
google hits FYI
if you have time before helper responds run any hits past "virus total"
get that HJT posted
good luck

oh
and do not respond to your own HJT post till a helper contacts you or they will think you are already being helped

[objectivebrianc]

i am wondering if you can install avast and do a full boot scan

[I am already using avast, so the next step shouldn't take too long, except I don't know what doing a full boot scan is.]

In my humble opinion, it sounds to me you are badly infected

[That's what I was wondering, though I come clean after the scans most of the time. From the things I described, I was wondering if there are hidden infections, or if I was under some kind of attack ]

Also while at breakfast I was reflecting that when I upgrade to Firefox 3, I get several pop up messages that redirection attempts were blocked, or Firefox blocked attempt to reload page. So those are some more of my stories, and there must be more strange, strange, strange stories that I forgot about.

Most of all, I think I fully removed Spybot, ran the fix like told in message #34 rebooted, than shut the computer down to call it the night. It is the next day and I have yet to install Spybot 1.6, I checked program files, and documents and settings, and don't find the Spybot folders there. So I wonder if more needs to be done.

Should Spybot fail to work having done all I will go to the malware removal section, like you recommended.

P.S. wyrmrider welcome to the thread, from what you pointed out it sounds like a scan will almost need be done from all angles to get those things that tend to hide

[129260]

you will do what i suggested. I am happy you have avast, it is a great program. As for the avast boot scan, this is what you do. First you need to update avast! right click avast icon next to the clock, choose update-program update. If you are unable to download newer updates that way, visit www.avast.com and under latest update avast 4 (found on the top left side) download the detection update that way. Click run or save when the download starts. If your computer won't do that, download it from another computer and transfer it over by travel drive (usb thumb drive) or cd.

You will need the simple interface in order to do this. (Because i do not know how to do it with the default skin, i do not have it haha.)

If you do not have any avast skins installed, then ignore the following:

1.)Go to add/remove programs.

2.)Click change/remove on avast.

3.)Click change, and uncheck skins from the installation. click next and it will get rid of the skins.

4.)Restart the computer, then right click the avast "A" icon next to the clock and click start avast antiviruis. After the first window disappears, (the one that scans memory and all that), a newer simpler window will appear. Click tools-schedule boot time scan. Select the options you want and click schedule. The default is you can just click schedule.

Now what this will do is restart the computer, windows will load, but it wont completely load, and a blue screen will appear. Avast will scan all your hard drives, and if it finds anything, you want to delete it. It will give you options if it finds something with numbers next to the option. Choose the number that is next to the word delete. Delete everything you find!!

DELETE not recover or send to chest. Delete! If avast is unable to delete, then choose another option but only if avast is unable to delete the threat.

Also when windows loads,
Spybot should be gone now because of what you did earlier. Try installing the latest version. If you are able to install the latest version of spybot, and it works fine, run a scan in safe mode as soon as you can. Let us know if you are still unable to install/run spybot. If you are unable to install/run spybot, even with all the steps done above, reply in this thread and let us know everything that happened. Including if threats were found and could not be removed. Then go to the malware forums.

By the way, thanks wyrmrider!! I do my best!

[objectivebrianc]

Thanks for the instructions on the boot scan, it worked good. Did boot scan with clean results. That means no threats were found, nor needed to be removed. Spybot installed OK, but like before it wouldn't open.


As for the CPU it was at the high usage, because I was scanning with Avast at the time it showed, another time the CPU rating was high was When I was using Secunia PSI. Every time I am doing nothing CPU usage is low, but spikes when I open a program or Windows Explorer, make changes, or press a link in Firefox, after a new page is fully loaded, the CPU usage drops low [between 2 to 15%]. Perhaps this is normal, or a way I'm learning how windows works.


Between now and the last time I posted, I reflected on the time I had AVG installed, and ran a scan, multiple items were detected, that made me believe they were false positives, or I might have downloaded a rouge in disguise. I forgot exactly what happened, but I was not able to get the log of the scan. So I assumed that I couldn't understand AVG, so I wound up uninstalling it, and installed Avast again.