Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 18

Thread: Manual Update - REALLY Manual!

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    89

    Exclamation Manual Update - REALLY Manual!

    Hello,

    My old Windows 98 computer developed a major functionality problem last year, prompting me to purchase a new Vista PC and to cancel my Internet dial-up service on the old machine.

    Now I'm in the process of trying to get the old computer back off the sickbed, and I would like to load Spybot onto it. I had uninstalled Spybot last December, since it would no longer finish a scan, but after finally succeeding in doing some maintenance on the hard disk now the computer seems to be doing better -- so I'd like to try running Spybot on it again.

    I should add that I have always suspected that the original trouble might have been due to some kind of malware: that's why I think there is still a purpose in installing Spybot on a machine that's no longer connected to the Internet. If I can find the malware and remove it, in theory I can put the computer back on the Web. I'd like to have that option again.

    The trouble is, the old computer doesn't have an Ethernet port for my new High-Speed Internet service, so the only way that I know of to download and install Spybot on it is to download the program to the new computer and onto a CD-ROM disk, then put that disk in the old computer and run the installation wizard from there.

    I've gotten as far as that, but now it turns out that Spybot won't scan. I keep getting an error message saying that, "You need to install the detection updates first by using the integrated update or the manual updates." Of course I can't do either of those, because the computer isn't hooked up to the Internet anymore.

    So as I see it there are two theoretical possibilities: 1) I could download the updates from outside of Spybot onto the CD-ROM, and then manually copy them onto the appropriate Spybot folder; or 2) I could download the updates from outside of Spybot onto the CD-ROM, and then customize the "SDUpdate" program to look for the updates file locally instead of on the Internet.

    What I wish to know, then, is: Will the first of these methods work? And, is there any way for me to do the second one, and if so, then how?

    Thanks very much.

    --JorgeA

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    5,263

    Default

    Hello,

    Please download the installation and the update file on another computer,
    copy these to a CD or USB stick and then install and run it on the infected computer:
    Installation file
    Update file (run it after the installation)

    Best regards
    Sandra
    Team Spybot

  3. #3
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    89

    Default What Next?

    Hi Sandra,

    I tried your suggestion. Here is the sequence of things I tried:

    A)
    After downloading Spybot to the CD-ROM on the new computer, loading the CD-ROM on the old computer, and installing the program, I downloaded the updates file to the CD-ROM on the new computer, and then dragged it from there to the Updates folder on the old computer.

    The first thing I noticed in Windows Explorer is that what showed up in the computer folder listing was not the actual spybotsd_includes.exe file, but what it called a "shortcut" to the file. When I clicked on that "shortcut," the computer first slowed down to a crawl and then froze. Not even Crtl-Alt-Del helped, and I had to turn the computer off.

    B)
    After rebooting, I tried running the updates file straight from the CD-ROM via Windows Explorer. I got an "NSIS Error" saying that:

    "The installer you are trying to use is corrupted or incomplete. This could be the result of a damaged disk, a failed download or a virus.

    "You may want to contact the author of this installer to obtain a new copy.

    "It may be possible to skip this check using the /NCRC command line switch (NOT RECOMMENDED)." Given that warning, I did not try to use any such command. (Nor would I know how to use it.)

    C)
    Next, I dragged the spybotsd_includes.exe file to the Includes folder (instead of to the Updates folder), and clicked on it. I got the same "NSIS Error" message as above.

    D)
    Finally, I tried loading Spybot and then telling it to search for updates. Of course it tried to go online, which that computer can't do, so when I clicked on "Cancel" for the dialer to start, I got an error message saying, "Error retrieving update info file!" Isn't there any way to tell it to look for the update file locally?


    So, what EXACTLY do I need to do in order to install the updates file (not the Spybot program, that's already newly installed) on the old computer?

    I am not a computing expert, and these procedures are not intuitive for me. I would appreciate detailed, step-by-step, start-to-finish instructions for installing the updates manually.

    Thanks in advance for your time.

    --JorgeA

  4. #4
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    26

    Default

    You don't need to install Spybot on the suspect computer. And you do not need to download SpyBot to the CD-ROM.

    On a stable computer that is running Spybot normally, update the detections. Next, drag and drop the ENTIRE SpyBot folder to CD-ROM.

    Next, put the CD-ROM in the suspect computer. Make sure you have explorer on that computer set to Show Hidden Files.

    Next, browse the SpyBot folder on the CD-ROM and find the file spybotSD.exe (spybotSD.exe is a hidden file so, if you don't see it, double chedk that you have Show Hidden Files enabled).

    Double-click spybotSD.exe on the CD-ROM to run SpyBot. You can now run SpyBot directly from the CD-ROM and scan the suspect computer.

  5. #5
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    89

    Thumbs up

    Thank you, Bill -- I'll try that.

    I had the impression that Spybot had to be installed on the computer that was being scanned.

    I'm still curious if it's possible (and how) to download updates and integrate them into Spybot "by hand" outside the program's automated process. But your idea might be the solution I needed! Will be trying it right away.

    --JorgeA

  6. #6
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    26

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by JorgeA View Post
    Thank you, Bill -- I'll try that.

    I had the impression that Spybot had to be installed on the computer that was being scanned.
    Spybot can run out of the directory it was installed in because all files required are in the installation directory. At least, I was able to do that with v1.5.

    But I'm sorry, I forgot an important step: BEFORE copying the Spybot directory over to the CD-ROM, open Spybot on the computer where it was installed and do the following:
    - DISABLE "Lock Hosts File"
    - DISABLE Resident and Teatimer

    This will prevent these settings from interfering with running a non-native install. Copy the Spybot directory over to the CD-ROM. You can change any of those settings back after you copied them over.

    Quote Originally Posted by JorgeA View Post
    I'm still curious if it's possible (and how) to download updates and integrate them into Spybot "by hand" outside the program's automated process. But your idea might be the solution I needed! Will be trying it right away.

    --JorgeA
    Don't know, never needed to. But I hope this helps - let me know how it works out!

  7. #7
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    89

    Default

    Hi Bill,

    I'm glad you sent that follow-up, because in the meantime I tried the instructions as given originally and all I got when trying to load Spybot was an "illegal operation" message after the hard disk churned for about half an hour.

    Before posting this message, I tried the newest instructions -- and I'm sorry to report that the procedure didn't work. I got the same "illegal operation" error message. I did disable SD Resident and TeaTimer, as well as the Lock Hosts File, on the good computer. Since I already had a copy of Spybot installed on the suspect computer, I disabled them on that one too, for good measure, and then tried to run Spybot from the CD-ROM. No dice.

    FWIW, the version of Spybot I'm using (or trying to use) on the suspect computer is the current one, 1.6.2.46.

    The only tweak to this procedure that I can think of is that maybe I need to restart the computer(s) right after disabling those features? I re-enabled them on my good computer as soon as I copied the Spybot directory to the CD-ROM, as I'd rather not leave it unprotected if possible. Let me know if you think that this (rebooting after disabling and before copying) would help, or if you think of anything else to try.

    Thanks for the ideas!

    --JorgeA
    Last edited by JorgeA; 2009-12-10 at 22:31. Reason: additional information

  8. #8
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    89

    Default Progress Report

    Just an update on this issue:

    Because I kept getting error messages suggesting that the download file might be corrupted, I decided to erase the first updates file from the CD-ROM and download a new one.

    I think I forgot to disable TeaTimer and the Lock Hosts File this time, but I kept them disabled on the suspect computer. I moved the CD-ROM to the suspect computer and clicked on the updates file. This time it loaded and ran great -- asked me where to put the unzipped files, and I put them on the hard drive -- and am presently running the up-to-date Spybot on the suspect computer.

    The only thing is that, whereas the installed Spybot loads right away, the non-installed Spybot takes 20-30 minutes to load (I got tired of waiting, so went off to do something else). Also, FWIW the Spybot on my new computer looks for a total of 779087 items, whereas the one on the suspect computer is looking for 776390 files, even though they're from the same update (aren't they?).

    Will report back on developments if Spybot successfully finishes, or crashes again on the old computer.

    Thanks again for your help. I've learned a lot about computing, and about Spybot, in the last day or two.

    --JorgeA
    Last edited by JorgeA; 2009-12-11 at 00:44. Reason: amended incorrect information

  9. #9
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    26

    Default

    Glad to read that you're making progress!

    BTW, I've learned that when diagnosing/fixing a problem computer, to do it right it's best to not be in a rush...!

    Let me know how it works out!

  10. #10
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    89

    Default Close, but no cigar

    Hi Bill,

    O.K., I got the updates file to extract itself on my suspect computer, and the new Spybot that's installed there accepted it, and I was able to run a scan --ALMOST to the very end.

    When it got to file 776390/776390, Spybot said to "Please wait scanning download directories." That's where it eventually stopped, with the dreaded error message "This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If the problem persists, contact the program vendor."

    Still, I count this as major progress because (a) I hadn't been able to get even this far lately, what with Spybot's updates not even loading, and (b) this is exactly as far as I was able to get a year ago. So at least we've removed a layer of new issues and are back to the original problem, whatever that is.

    You bet that doing this stuff requires a lot of patience!!

    Any ideas as to how to get past this particular hurdle?

    --JorgeA

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •