Manual Update - REALLY Manual!

[JorgeA]

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

[spybotsandra]

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

[JorgeA]

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

[BillGio]

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.

[JorgeA]

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

[BillGio]

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.

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!