Spybot crashes on start up

O

objectivebrianc

New member
Whenever I start Spybot S&D I get a crash report than cannot scan nor update it. Been unable to use it for weeks. I use Windows XP, an upgrade from Windows ME. I think I am using Sptbot S&D 1.5. I also uninstalled it, than reinstalled it. Than I get the same problem.

Other antispyware programs work, and I removed one coolwebsearch item and thought that would solve the problem, but it didn't.

Regards

BrianC
 
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Hello,

Which error message do you get exactly?

Please make sure that you are running the latest version of Spybot - Search & Destroy including the latest updates.

To see which version number and/or updates of Spybot - Search & Destroy you are using please run Spybot-S&D and choose "Help" --> "About" in the menu bar.
There you can see which version you have and which updates are installed.
It should be version 1.5.2 and the updates from the 2008/06/04.

Best regards
Sandra
Team Spybot
 
Error said

Spybot - Search & Destroy has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience. If you were in the middle of something, the information you were working on has been lost. Please tell Microsoft about this problem. We have created an error report that you can send to us. We will treat this report as confidential and anonymous.

Spybot never opens so I cannot follow instruction you showed, nor can I update it, but I right clicked Spybot than pressed properties and it appears to be the version you says is up to date. 1.5.2.0

I have picture of some of the other information of the errors, but I don't know how to upload it here.

I could copy and paste the file from 2bea_appcompat.txt if that would help.
 
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completely removing spybot, restart, and then download a fresh copy from the home site of spybot:

Took care of that and the problem remains.
 
I took a look at the thread title... and I was thinking, can you boot Spybot in SAFE MODE?

Also, there is only one entry for Spybot-SD in your ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS window correct?

Do you have enough RAM (memory) to run Windows XP? The minimum and recommended is 512MB. The required RAM to run a Windows ME would be lower in standards.

So when did this problem start exactly? Did it start on your post (June 8, 2008)?

Also, you mentioned some anti-spyware programs in your first post. Care to give some examples?
 
I took a look at the thread title... and I was thinking, can you boot Spybot in SAFE MODE?

No same error message is received

Also, there is only one entry for Spybot-SD in your ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS window correct?

Yes only one entry

Do you have enough RAM (memory) to run Windows XP? The minimum and recommended is 512MB. The required RAM to run a Windows ME would be lower in standards.

oops! That is wrong Checking System Information I find 384 MB total physical memory, with 70.83 MB of available physical memory. Do you suppose the 2.0 GB of virtual memory would matter? That makes me wonder if Spybot isn't for me until I upgrade the memory.

So when did this problem start exactly? Did it start on your post (June 8, 2008)?

Don't remember the exact day the problem started.

Also, you mentioned some anti-spyware programs in your first post. Care to give some examples?

I was going to call this irrelevant, but since being here will confirm whether the other antispywares are legit or rouge, here is the list

SUPERAntiSpyware Free Edition

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

asquare free

Windows Defender

Windows Installer CleanUp Utility

cwshredder

RootkitRevealer

In the past I had TheCleaner from Moosoft. I uninstalled it because it kept crashing when I tried to use it, I also had Bazooka, and AdAware
 
Questions.

The average user wouldn't use MalwareByte's Anti-Malware unless it's a infected machine. Same goes for SAS. Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner is badly outdated. CWShredder would be used to remove CoolWWWSearch if I'm correct.

What I'm thinking was that... there were issues in the past that Lavasoft's AdAware was conflicting with Spybot-SD. It had something to do with AdAware detecting entries within Spybot's folders.

My solution is this:
~Remove Spybot-SD and AdAware from your computer. This means both.
Also, what version is your current AdAware. Is it the Free version or a paid suscription?

After removing both, download CCleaner and run it.

The direct link would be:
http://www.ccleaner.com/download/downloading

Now follow instructions carefully.
-Run the CCleaner (first tab) with the default boxes checked. I wouldn't suggest touching the Advanced Settings.

After that... run the registry cleaner. There will be detected entries related to both Spybot and AdAware. Re-run the test as there will be remaining issues. 3-4 times should clear it, thus it will find no more entries.
-------

Lastly, to learn about your System Information, go to CONTROL PANEL in Windows XP.

Find Performance and Maintenance" and click on SYSTEM.

What is the Service Pack and the amount of RAM on your present computer?
 
Here are the steps I took;
I uninstalled Spybot, and ran ccleaner than rebooted to safe mode and ran ccleaner again, I ran it again to verify that the results would be clean. adaware has previously been uninstalled, it was the free version, but I don't know what the version was.

Microsoft XP Home Edition 2002 Service Pack 3

and the amount of RAM on the present computer is 384 MB, processor 797 MHz, but in front of the computer it says 800 HMz so I get to wondering about the deficit in the processor, but that might be a different subject.

All in all I have both Adaware and SpyBot off. Now I wonder what to do next.

Thank you
 
Your OS seems to be doing fine. 384MB of RAM should be adequate for Spybot-SD to run... so RAM shouldn't be a problem.

Is AdAware a paid subscription?

Alright. Download a fresh copy of Spybot-SD. Then attempt to install it and run it.

I'm seeing if reinstalling might help since AdAware is off.

I would suggest removing BAZOOKA, because it's database is badly outdated.

In your post on June 13, you asked about whether the programs are rouge or legit. Well, all of them are legit, so there's nothing to worry about.
 
Is AdAware a paid subscription? No, free

Also Bazooka is gone a long time ago while I still was using Windows ME, if I remember correctly it was because I was frustrated that I couldn't update it, also I just deleted the folder in program files, but I don't know how to remove it from the registry.

I downloaded and installed a fresh copy of Spybot-SD and I still get the same problem.
 
To remove the registry enteries use a registry cleaner like ATF Cleaner or CCleaner, I can personaly recommend CCleaner:bigthumb:.
 
drragostea said:

After removing both, download CCleaner and run it.

The direct link would be:
http://www.ccleaner.com/download/downloading

Now follow instructions carefully.
-Run the CCleaner (first tab) with the default boxes checked. I wouldn't suggest touching the Advanced Settings.

After that... run the registry cleaner. There will be detected entries related to both Spybot and AdAware. Re-run the test as there will be remaining issues. 3-4 times should clear it, thus it will find no more entries.
-------
Click to expand...

ATF Cleaner acts just like CCleaner... but just without the registry cleaner. The user has also used the registry function, Terminator.

Just a quick note, brian, you can uninstall Bazooka manually without having to go through the trouble of finding it and deleting it.

I'm not sure now... Brian is there any chance you have v.1.4 on your computer? I was thinking about installing 1.4 and upgrade from there. Problem is if you can actually execute Spybot itself.

Can you try booting in SAFE MODE and execute Spybot 1.5.2.20 from there? If you can't download v.1.4.

http://filehippo.com/download_spybot_search_destroy/148/

 
I downloaded Spybot SD 1.4, and I still can't open that, I also checked it in the safe mode and can't open it there.

I was thinking since I was suppose to undo the immunizations before uninstalling the product, I was wondering if problems happened, because I failed to do that, after all you can't undo the immunizations if you can't open Spybot.
 
Hm. I don't think the problem would be undoing the immunization. It would be optional.

This might be a obstacle. I recall in another thread that the user could not open Spybot... however SAFE MODE did it. But the user rebooted in normal mode, and Spybot still persisted.

Zenobia, was stumped too... problem was that "what" was causing Spybot not to open. Um...

Hrm. Mentioned by Terminator in another thread... I'm thinking...

Brian, why don't you first uninstall Spybot-SD. I'm assuming you have only one entry. So remove that first.

Do you still have the spybotsd152.exe" executable? If so, save it.

For now, after removing Spybot-SD... use the SEARCH function and search ALL FILES AND FOLDERS. Type in Spybot. After searching there should be some dozen of Spybot entries... more like Spybot files. Drag all of them to the RECYCLE BIN and empty it.

Attempt to install Spybot.

So if this story is correct... You install Spybot successfully... but you cannot execute it?
 
Also to add to that..........

Make sure after emptying the registry of spybot and the files of spybot, or using the complete removal tool of spybot, that you restart your computer.
I know a lot of users who sometimes forget that, I know you probably didn't, but just make sure you restart again after trying the suggestions.
 
What do I do to empty the registry of spybot? If I used ccleaner I was wondering if that would be sufficient.

I did all the suggested procedures, I uninstalled it through the control panel Add/Remove, I used ccleaner, I typed "spybot" without the quotes and emptied it, with the exception of text, and html files I made myself. I emptied the recycle bin in all the user accounts, than rebooted.

Spybot is still having the problems I described.

You asked "So if this story is correct... You install Spybot successfully... but you cannot execute it?" Answer being yes, that states it exactly.

Questions I have are what is the complete removal tool of spybot? I may want to try that next, although I uninstalled Adaware, I do not know if there is fragments of AdWatch still present, I will also state the AdAware was free, and is there possible possible malware behavior causing the SpyBot problem?

I will also state again that other anti spyware programs work, and Adaware is still off my computer until the Spybot problem is soved.
 
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merely a few suggestions ..

.. and in no way 'official' </disclaimer>. Hi Bri', being lately from ME to XP (world of difference, yes?), you may run into many things done differently. However ..

1) The 'Full Monty' SSD uninstall is best described at:
http://forums.spybot.info/showpost.php?p=182370&postcount=2

2) If you are sufficiently careful, Registry editing is not all that hard .. and indeed is one of the preferred methods of cleaning up a 'dirty uninstall' - often simply deleting things may lead to problems, almost always best to use the dedicated uninstaller in CP±Programs (or on the Startmenu/..) as that cleans up the less visible traces of an app. A nice editor is offered at the following:
http://www.spybot.info/en/regalyzer/index.html
The absolute do-not-forget is to back up before making any changes while directly editing the Registry. Save backup keys, etc in a folder with an explanatory note to yourself and archive it in external storage for safety JustinCase (I believe RegAlyz has an 'undo' function if that appeals to you) .. for casual reading, open .reg files in NotePad as they are live files, lol - get a Dummies book on Registry editing if you like (where I started when all those curly bracket thingies seemed to get in my way all the time, :oops: ). That said, you can use the 'Find' to uncover remnants of 'dirty uninstalls'/deletes. RESPECT but do not fear the Registry .. and always use the dedicated uninstaller ;)

3) Sometimes a simple method to get a fairly clean uninstall is to (re)install the app that was merely "deleted", (don't even run it) and then use the dedicated uninstaller (usually cleans up better) and REboot afterwards (not always necessary, but it's a habit - sometimes a shutdown/BOOT is even better). Apps that use profiles may leave remnants (especially with version upgrades, many times it is a good thing .. but sometimes ...).

Hope this may help a bit `til real help gets back to ya
 
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?
 
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