I downloaded the 15 day trial version of CounterSpy after
reading a favorable review in PC World online. All in
all, it seemed to work OK.

As you may know, CounterSpy shared some code with Giant,
which became MS AS Beta. (Sunbelt claims to be using a
different engine now.)

The problem came when I tried to update MS AS - I got a
message that it could not connect to the internet, even
though the internet connection worked fine. There were
some other little things that seemed to be going on as
well.

Not being that knowledgeable on technical issues, I
thought perhaps that CS had locked up the port that MS AS
also used as a carryover of some code, or perhaps some
analogous issue. Since CS does not provide an
uninstaller, I used Add/Remove Programs to get rid of it.
Sure enough, I could update MS AS again.

Now, coincidentally, I could not update successfully to
5733, a situation posted elsewhere on this forum. I
thought this might be due to remnants of CS floating
around. I contacted Sunbelt's tech support, and they
acknowledged a conflict with MS AS that they say will be
corrected in the next version of CS. Exactly what that
conflict is was not detailed.

So I used System Restore to go back to just before the CS
download, but that did not fix the MS AS update problem,
which it turns out is apparently entirely internal to MS
AS.

My suggestion is that you should exercise caution if
downloading CounterSpy until they resolve the conflict,
whatever it might be.

AS for the 5733 problem, I am going to wait for a MS fix,
if it ever comes. The suggested one here is just too
complicated and potentially error prone for my skill
level.

I have been using Counterspy just over 3 months (paid version), plus i use MSAS beta since it came out, along with Spybot and Adaware Se. So far I haven't had a problem with compatability. I am not saying there isn't one, but the problem may come from somewhere other than Counterspy. The 2 came from the same engine, but Microsoft and Sunbelt both have changed the basic engine that they started with. I have tested both and MSAS has found what Counterspy has sometimes missed, and the other way around. Basic rule right now while anti-spyware software is still in it's growing stage, is to have more that one program for maximum protection. All 4 of the programs I am now running seem to catch all the dangers out there, but they do it together. At this stage in anti-spyware software development, no one program is able to find and protect completely. Give them all a year or so to work out all the bugs and you will get all the protection from anti-spyware software as you now get from running only one good anti-virus program.

The update problem with MSAS has been addressed here in this forum. Follow the directions below and many thanks to Robin Walker for the work she did in finding a permanent fix to the problem of upgrading MSAS.

from your freindly "old" devildog

************************************************************
After much debugging, I have found that the problem with definition update
failures and repetition is because of an incorrect version of the file
gcUnCompress.dll in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ (for XP) or C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\ (for
2000 or systems upgraded from 2000).

The incorrect version is of length 130,272 bytes.
The correct version is of length 95,448 bytes.

To update your system to install the correct version of the file, do the
following:

1. In the System Notification Area, right-click on the MSAS icon and select
"Shutdown Microsoft AntiSpyware".
2. In Explorer, navigate to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\, locate the file
"gcUnCompress.dll", right-click on it, and select "Delete".
3. In Control Panel "Add or Remove Programs", select "Microsoft AntiSpyware"
and click button "Change".
4. Click "Next".
5. Select "Update Microsoft AntiSpyware", click "Next".
6. Click "Install".
7. When the re-installation finishes, click "Finish".
8. In Explorer, in folder C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\, check that
"gcUnCompress.dll" is now 95,448 bytes long, by right-clicking it and
selecting "Properties".
9. Launch MSAS, pull down the File menu and select "Check for updates" -
this time it really will update your definition files to the latest version.
10. In Explorer, open the folder C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware, and
satisfy yourself that the modification dates of the three definition files
have changed:
gcDeterminationData.gcd
gcThreatAuditThreatData.gcd
gcThreatAuditScanData.gcd

Done!

You won't ever have to manually install the definition files again, nor will
the update keep repeating every time you try.

--
Robin Walker [MVP Networking]
(E-Mail Removed)



"Dana Craig" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:02ea01c58855$5cd09b60$(E-Mail Removed)...
:I downloaded the 15 day trial version of CounterSpy after
: reading a favorable review in PC World online. All in
: all, it seemed to work OK.
:
: As you may know, CounterSpy shared some code with Giant,
: which became MS AS Beta. (Sunbelt claims to be using a
: different engine now.)
:
: The problem came when I tried to update MS AS - I got a
: message that it could not connect to the internet, even
: though the internet connection worked fine. There were
: some other little things that seemed to be going on as
: well.
:
: Not being that knowledgeable on technical issues, I
: thought perhaps that CS had locked up the port that MS AS
: also used as a carryover of some code, or perhaps some
: analogous issue. Since CS does not provide an
: uninstaller, I used Add/Remove Programs to get rid of it.
: Sure enough, I could update MS AS again.
:
: Now, coincidentally, I could not update successfully to
: 5733, a situation posted elsewhere on this forum. I
: thought this might be due to remnants of CS floating
: around. I contacted Sunbelt's tech support, and they
: acknowledged a conflict with MS AS that they say will be
: corrected in the next version of CS. Exactly what that
: conflict is was not detailed.
:
: So I used System Restore to go back to just before the CS
: download, but that did not fix the MS AS update problem,
: which it turns out is apparently entirely internal to MS
: AS.
:
: My suggestion is that you should exercise caution if
: downloading CounterSpy until they resolve the conflict,
: whatever it might be.
:
: AS for the 5733 problem, I am going to wait for a MS fix,
: if it ever comes. The suggested one here is just too
: complicated and potentially error prone for my skill
: level.
:
:

Message total blank on "\old\" devildog"
>-----Original Message-----
>I downloaded the 15 day trial version of CounterSpy after
>reading a favorable review in PC World online. All in
>all, it seemed to work OK.
>
>As you may know, CounterSpy shared some code with Giant,
>which became MS AS Beta. (Sunbelt claims to be using a
>different engine now.)
>
>The problem came when I tried to update MS AS - I got a
>message that it could not connect to the internet, even
>though the internet connection worked fine. There were
>some other little things that seemed to be going on as
>well.
>
>Not being that knowledgeable on technical issues, I
>thought perhaps that CS had locked up the port that MS AS
>also used as a carryover of some code, or perhaps some
>analogous issue. Since CS does not provide an
>uninstaller, I used Add/Remove Programs to get rid of it.
>Sure enough, I could update MS AS again.
>
>Now, coincidentally, I could not update successfully to
>5733, a situation posted elsewhere on this forum. I
>thought this might be due to remnants of CS floating
>around. I contacted Sunbelt's tech support, and they
>acknowledged a conflict with MS AS that they say will be
>corrected in the next version of CS. Exactly what that
>conflict is was not detailed.
>
>So I used System Restore to go back to just before the CS
>download, but that did not fix the MS AS update problem,
>which it turns out is apparently entirely internal to MS
>AS.
>
>My suggestion is that you should exercise caution if
>downloading CounterSpy until they resolve the conflict,
>whatever it might be.
>
>AS for the 5733 problem, I am going to wait for a MS fix,
>if it ever comes. The suggested one here is just too
>complicated and potentially error prone for my skill
>level.
>
>
>.
>

Sunbelt's President has posted here that they have a beta available which
resolves some or all issues with Microsoft Antispyware.

Additionally, I believe that an update install of Microsoft Antispyware,
after the Sunbelt install, resolves some or all of the issues: Control
panel, add or remove programs, Microsoft Antispyware, change, update

You've posted the current best solution to the definition update issue which
is entirely separate from the CounterSpy/Microsoft antispyware issue.

--

""old" devildog" <teyoungATmchsiDOTcom> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
I have been using Counterspy just over 3 months (paid version), plus i use
MSAS beta since it came out, along with Spybot and Adaware Se. So far I
haven't had a problem with compatability. I am not saying there isn't one,
but the problem may come from somewhere other than Counterspy. The 2 came
from the same engine, but Microsoft and Sunbelt both have changed the basic
engine that they started with. I have tested both and MSAS has found what
Counterspy has sometimes missed, and the other way around. Basic rule right
now while anti-spyware software is still in it's growing stage, is to have
more that one program for maximum protection. All 4 of the programs I am
now running seem to catch all the dangers out there, but they do it
together. At this stage in anti-spyware software development, no one
program is able to find and protect completely. Give them all a year or so
to work out all the bugs and you will get all the protection from
anti-spyware software as you now get from running only one good anti-virus
program.

The update problem with MSAS has been addressed here in this forum. Follow
the directions below and many thanks to Robin Walker for the work she did in
finding a permanent fix to the problem of upgrading MSAS.

from your freindly "old" devildog

************************************************************
After much debugging, I have found that the problem with definition update
failures and repetition is because of an incorrect version of the file
gcUnCompress.dll in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ (for XP) or C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\ (for
2000 or systems upgraded from 2000).

The incorrect version is of length 130,272 bytes.
The correct version is of length 95,448 bytes.

To update your system to install the correct version of the file, do the
following:

1. In the System Notification Area, right-click on the MSAS icon and select
"Shutdown Microsoft AntiSpyware".
2. In Explorer, navigate to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\, locate the file
"gcUnCompress.dll", right-click on it, and select "Delete".
3. In Control Panel "Add or Remove Programs", select "Microsoft AntiSpyware"
and click button "Change".
4. Click "Next".
5. Select "Update Microsoft AntiSpyware", click "Next".
6. Click "Install".
7. When the re-installation finishes, click "Finish".
8. In Explorer, in folder C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\, check that
"gcUnCompress.dll" is now 95,448 bytes long, by right-clicking it and
selecting "Properties".
9. Launch MSAS, pull down the File menu and select "Check for updates" -
this time it really will update your definition files to the latest version.
10. In Explorer, open the folder C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware, and
satisfy yourself that the modification dates of the three definition files
have changed:
gcDeterminationData.gcd
gcThreatAuditThreatData.gcd
gcThreatAuditScanData.gcd

Done!

You won't ever have to manually install the definition files again, nor will
the update keep repeating every time you try.

--
Robin Walker [MVP Networking]
(E-Mail Removed)



"Dana Craig" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:02ea01c58855$5cd09b60$(E-Mail Removed)...
:I downloaded the 15 day trial version of CounterSpy after
: reading a favorable review in PC World online. All in
: all, it seemed to work OK.
:
: As you may know, CounterSpy shared some code with Giant,
: which became MS AS Beta. (Sunbelt claims to be using a
: different engine now.)
:
: The problem came when I tried to update MS AS - I got a
: message that it could not connect to the internet, even
: though the internet connection worked fine. There were
: some other little things that seemed to be going on as
: well.
:
: Not being that knowledgeable on technical issues, I
: thought perhaps that CS had locked up the port that MS AS
: also used as a carryover of some code, or perhaps some
: analogous issue. Since CS does not provide an
: uninstaller, I used Add/Remove Programs to get rid of it.
: Sure enough, I could update MS AS again.
:
: Now, coincidentally, I could not update successfully to
: 5733, a situation posted elsewhere on this forum. I
: thought this might be due to remnants of CS floating
: around. I contacted Sunbelt's tech support, and they
: acknowledged a conflict with MS AS that they say will be
: corrected in the next version of CS. Exactly what that
: conflict is was not detailed.
:
: So I used System Restore to go back to just before the CS
: download, but that did not fix the MS AS update problem,
: which it turns out is apparently entirely internal to MS
: AS.
:
: My suggestion is that you should exercise caution if
: downloading CounterSpy until they resolve the conflict,
: whatever it might be.
:
: AS for the 5733 problem, I am going to wait for a MS fix,
: if it ever comes. The suggested one here is just too
: complicated and potentially error prone for my skill
: level.
:
:

About the update install suggestion, I actually did an
uninstall of MS AS using their uninstaller, then
installed a "fresh version", but it did not help at all.

>-----Original Message-----
>Sunbelt's President has posted here that they have a
beta available which
>resolves some or all issues with Microsoft Antispyware.
>
>Additionally, I believe that an update install of
Microsoft Antispyware,
>after the Sunbelt install, resolves some or all of the
issues: Control
>panel, add or remove programs, Microsoft Antispyware,
change, update
>
>You've posted the current best solution to the
definition update issue which
>is entirely separate from the CounterSpy/Microsoft
antispyware issue.
>
>--
>
>""old" devildog" <teyoungATmchsiDOTcom> wrote in message
>news:%
(E-Mail Removed).
...
>I have been using Counterspy just over 3 months (paid
version), plus i use
>MSAS beta since it came out, along with Spybot and
Adaware Se. So far I
>haven't had a problem with compatability. I am not
saying there isn't one,
>but the problem may come from somewhere other than
Counterspy. The 2 came
>from the same engine, but Microsoft and Sunbelt both
have changed the basic
>engine that they started with. I have tested both and
MSAS has found what
>Counterspy has sometimes missed, and the other way
around. Basic rule right
>now while anti-spyware software is still in it's growing
stage, is to have
>more that one program for maximum protection. All 4 of
the programs I am
>now running seem to catch all the dangers out there, but
they do it
>together. At this stage in anti-spyware software
development, no one
>program is able to find and protect completely. Give
them all a year or so
>to work out all the bugs and you will get all the
protection from
>anti-spyware software as you now get from running only
one good anti-virus
>program.
>
>The update problem with MSAS has been addressed here in
this forum. Follow
>the directions below and many thanks to Robin Walker for
the work she did in
>finding a permanent fix to the problem of upgrading MSAS.
>
> from your freindly "old" devildog
>
>*********************************************************
***
>After much debugging, I have found that the problem with
definition update
>failures and repetition is because of an incorrect
version of the file
>gcUnCompress.dll in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ (for XP) or
C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\ (for
>2000 or systems upgraded from 2000).
>
>The incorrect version is of length 130,272 bytes.
>The correct version is of length 95,448 bytes.
>
>To update your system to install the correct version of
the file, do the
>following:
>
>1. In the System Notification Area, right-click on the
MSAS icon and select
>"Shutdown Microsoft AntiSpyware".
>2. In Explorer, navigate to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\, locate
the file
>"gcUnCompress.dll", right-click on it, and
select "Delete".
>3. In Control Panel "Add or Remove Programs",
select "Microsoft AntiSpyware"
>and click button "Change".
>4. Click "Next".
>5. Select "Update Microsoft AntiSpyware", click "Next".
>6. Click "Install".
>7. When the re-installation finishes, click "Finish".
>8. In Explorer, in folder C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\, check
that
>"gcUnCompress.dll" is now 95,448 bytes long, by right-
clicking it and
>selecting "Properties".
>9. Launch MSAS, pull down the File menu and
select "Check for updates" -
>this time it really will update your definition files to
the latest version.
>10. In Explorer, open the folder C:\Program
Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware, and
>satisfy yourself that the modification dates of the
three definition files
>have changed:
>gcDeterminationData.gcd
>gcThreatAuditThreatData.gcd
>gcThreatAuditScanData.gcd
>
>Done!
>
>You won't ever have to manually install the definition
files again, nor will
>the update keep repeating every time you try.
>
>--
>Robin Walker [MVP Networking]
>(E-Mail Removed)
>
>
>
>"Dana Craig" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
message
>news:02ea01c58855$5cd09b60$(E-Mail Removed)...
>:I downloaded the 15 day trial version of CounterSpy
after
>: reading a favorable review in PC World online. All in
>: all, it seemed to work OK.
>:
>: As you may know, CounterSpy shared some code with
Giant,
>: which became MS AS Beta. (Sunbelt claims to be using a
>: different engine now.)
>:
>: The problem came when I tried to update MS AS - I got a
>: message that it could not connect to the internet, even
>: though the internet connection worked fine. There were
>: some other little things that seemed to be going on as
>: well.
>:
>: Not being that knowledgeable on technical issues, I
>: thought perhaps that CS had locked up the port that MS
AS
>: also used as a carryover of some code, or perhaps some
>: analogous issue. Since CS does not provide an
>: uninstaller, I used Add/Remove Programs to get rid of
it.
>: Sure enough, I could update MS AS again.
>:
>: Now, coincidentally, I could not update successfully to
>: 5733, a situation posted elsewhere on this forum. I
>: thought this might be due to remnants of CS floating
>: around. I contacted Sunbelt's tech support, and they
>: acknowledged a conflict with MS AS that they say will
be
>: corrected in the next version of CS. Exactly what that
>: conflict is was not detailed.
>:
>: So I used System Restore to go back to just before the
CS
>: download, but that did not fix the MS AS update
problem,
>: which it turns out is apparently entirely internal to
MS
>: AS.
>:
>: My suggestion is that you should exercise caution if
>: downloading CounterSpy until they resolve the conflict,
>: whatever it might be.
>:
>: AS for the 5733 problem, I am going to wait for a MS
fix,
>: if it ever comes. The suggested one here is just too
>: complicated and potentially error prone for my skill
>: level.
>:
>:
>
>
>.
>

If you are having the definition cycling problem--the same definitions
apparently being re-downloaded and appled each time you hit File, Check for
updates, and, if you are on build 614:

The crucial part of Robin Walker's instructions is the information about the
size and dates of the gcUnCompress.dll file in \system32.

If that file is 130k in size, you must delete it, and then run the update
install (or an uninstall/reinstall.)

After either of those operations, that file should now be 95k in size.

Does that help in your situation? What size is your
\windows\system32\gcUnCompress.dll file?

--

"Dana Craig" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:03dd01c588c1$2fe59d50$(E-Mail Removed)...
> About the update install suggestion, I actually did an
> uninstall of MS AS using their uninstaller, then
> installed a "fresh version", but it did not help at all.
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>Sunbelt's President has posted here that they have a
> beta available which
>>resolves some or all issues with Microsoft Antispyware.
>>
>>Additionally, I believe that an update install of
> Microsoft Antispyware,
>>after the Sunbelt install, resolves some or all of the
> issues: Control
>>panel, add or remove programs, Microsoft Antispyware,
> change, update
>>
>>You've posted the current best solution to the
> definition update issue which
>>is entirely separate from the CounterSpy/Microsoft
> antispyware issue.
>>
>>--
>>
>>""old" devildog" <teyoungATmchsiDOTcom> wrote in message
>>news:%
> (E-Mail Removed).
> ..
>>I have been using Counterspy just over 3 months (paid
> version), plus i use
>>MSAS beta since it came out, along with Spybot and
> Adaware Se. So far I
>>haven't had a problem with compatability. I am not
> saying there isn't one,
>>but the problem may come from somewhere other than
> Counterspy. The 2 came
>>from the same engine, but Microsoft and Sunbelt both
> have changed the basic
>>engine that they started with. I have tested both and
> MSAS has found what
>>Counterspy has sometimes missed, and the other way
> around. Basic rule right
>>now while anti-spyware software is still in it's growing
> stage, is to have
>>more that one program for maximum protection. All 4 of
> the programs I am
>>now running seem to catch all the dangers out there, but
> they do it
>>together. At this stage in anti-spyware software
> development, no one
>>program is able to find and protect completely. Give
> them all a year or so
>>to work out all the bugs and you will get all the
> protection from
>>anti-spyware software as you now get from running only
> one good anti-virus
>>program.
>>
>>The update problem with MSAS has been addressed here in
> this forum. Follow
>>the directions below and many thanks to Robin Walker for
> the work she did in
>>finding a permanent fix to the problem of upgrading MSAS.
>>
>> from your freindly "old" devildog
>>
>>*********************************************************
> ***
>>After much debugging, I have found that the problem with
> definition update
>>failures and repetition is because of an incorrect
> version of the file
>>gcUnCompress.dll in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ (for XP) or
> C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\ (for
>>2000 or systems upgraded from 2000).
>>
>>The incorrect version is of length 130,272 bytes.
>>The correct version is of length 95,448 bytes.
>>
>>To update your system to install the correct version of
> the file, do the
>>following:
>>
>>1. In the System Notification Area, right-click on the
> MSAS icon and select
>>"Shutdown Microsoft AntiSpyware".
>>2. In Explorer, navigate to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\, locate
> the file
>>"gcUnCompress.dll", right-click on it, and
> select "Delete".
>>3. In Control Panel "Add or Remove Programs",
> select "Microsoft AntiSpyware"
>>and click button "Change".
>>4. Click "Next".
>>5. Select "Update Microsoft AntiSpyware", click "Next".
>>6. Click "Install".
>>7. When the re-installation finishes, click "Finish".
>>8. In Explorer, in folder C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\, check
> that
>>"gcUnCompress.dll" is now 95,448 bytes long, by right-
> clicking it and
>>selecting "Properties".
>>9. Launch MSAS, pull down the File menu and
> select "Check for updates" -
>>this time it really will update your definition files to
> the latest version.
>>10. In Explorer, open the folder C:\Program
> Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware, and
>>satisfy yourself that the modification dates of the
> three definition files
>>have changed:
>>gcDeterminationData.gcd
>>gcThreatAuditThreatData.gcd
>>gcThreatAuditScanData.gcd
>>
>>Done!
>>
>>You won't ever have to manually install the definition
> files again, nor will
>>the update keep repeating every time you try.
>>
>>--
>>Robin Walker [MVP Networking]
>>(E-Mail Removed)
>>
>>
>>
>>"Dana Craig" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> message
>>news:02ea01c58855$5cd09b60$(E-Mail Removed)...
>>:I downloaded the 15 day trial version of CounterSpy
> after
>>: reading a favorable review in PC World online. All in
>>: all, it seemed to work OK.
>>:
>>: As you may know, CounterSpy shared some code with
> Giant,
>>: which became MS AS Beta. (Sunbelt claims to be using a
>>: different engine now.)
>>:
>>: The problem came when I tried to update MS AS - I got a
>>: message that it could not connect to the internet, even
>>: though the internet connection worked fine. There were
>>: some other little things that seemed to be going on as
>>: well.
>>:
>>: Not being that knowledgeable on technical issues, I
>>: thought perhaps that CS had locked up the port that MS
> AS
>>: also used as a carryover of some code, or perhaps some
>>: analogous issue. Since CS does not provide an
>>: uninstaller, I used Add/Remove Programs to get rid of
> it.
>>: Sure enough, I could update MS AS again.
>>:
>>: Now, coincidentally, I could not update successfully to
>>: 5733, a situation posted elsewhere on this forum. I
>>: thought this might be due to remnants of CS floating
>>: around. I contacted Sunbelt's tech support, and they
>>: acknowledged a conflict with MS AS that they say will
> be
>>: corrected in the next version of CS. Exactly what that
>>: conflict is was not detailed.
>>:
>>: So I used System Restore to go back to just before the
> CS
>>: download, but that did not fix the MS AS update
> problem,
>>: which it turns out is apparently entirely internal to
> MS
>>: AS.
>>:
>>: My suggestion is that you should exercise caution if
>>: downloading CounterSpy until they resolve the conflict,
>>: whatever it might be.
>>:
>>: AS for the 5733 problem, I am going to wait for a MS
> fix,
>>: if it ever comes. The suggested one here is just too
>>: complicated and potentially error prone for my skill
>>: level.
>>:
>>:
>>
>>
>>.
>>

I remain convinced that the problem is indeed a
compatibility one between CS and MS AS. In an nutshell:
no problem ever connecting to internet for updates;
installed CS, problem; uninstalled CS, problem gone. That
is not a proof, but it is highly suggestive.

I run a load of antispyware, including as follows:

active proection:
MS AS
Spy Sweeper - at present, if limited to one, I would keep
this
Spybot
Spyware Doctor
Spyware Blaster
Spyware Guard
BHODemon
Win Patrol
Symantec Norton NIS - mostly NAV, but includes some
spyware type proections

passive protection, i.e., scans only after the fact to
detect spyware, as opposed to blocking:
Ad-Aware SE
a-squared

Most of these I have had installed for 6 months or more.
I update all frequently.

To date I have NEVER had ANY sort of genuine
compatibility problem among ANY of these applications,
but I did have one with CounterSpy and MS AS. I suspect
shared code, but it could be anything. The experience of
others may be different.

The problem with compatibility between AV applications as
opposed to AS ones is that AVs are much more likely to
consider each other malware. So says conventional wisdom,
and my limited experience bears it out. I only run Norton
AV because of the above mentioned problem. Once I tried
running a scan with Bit Defender, and it wanted to delete
a number of Norton AV files. Some other scans. e.g Panda
AV and Trend Micro AV, have been more benevolent about
Norton AV.

Because of the AS I run, I seldom find anything in any
scan. It is certainly true that one application will
catch somthing others miss. When malware allegedly does
show up in a scan, rather than delete it when found, I
will run some other scans to see if other AS applications
will detect it. Usually, they do not.

This now raises the question if that one detection was a
false positive, i.e. something found that is not there.
Pest Patrol used to be famous for false positives; that's
one reason I don't run it. If there is some doubt in my
mind, I will either let it pass, or set a Restore Point
before I quarantine it so that I can go back if I removed
something valid that I needed.

I recommend that you all check out the SpywareWarriot
site for a discussion of rogue AS programs. One sales
technique is to allow free downloads or scans that find
false positives that can only be removed if you purchase
the full AS package. The site also has some very detailed
recent side by side tests of AS applications at detecing
and removing known spyware. False positives from
reputable AS vendors are bugs, not lies.

I too believe my system is spyware (and virus) free, but
how do I really know, and how do you? Running all kinds
of scans and coming up with nothing is suggestive but
really proves nothing. An instance of spyware could be
installed that none of your AS can detect.

I don't know where we will be in a year or so. It's a cat
and mouse game in detecting and removing any malware.
Success at finding trojans does not seem to be that high
from what I've read, and root kits may present a
challenge in the future, though some have questioned
whether they will ever be a serious problem. AS may be
achieving a better "kill rate", but malware programmers
are becoming more sophisticated as well. Like so much
conflict, it's measure and countermeasure.

As for MS AS, I am not particularly impressed at its
detection rate. To date it has found nothing, and has
failed to detect what I believe is probably spyware found
by Spy Sweeper, Spybot, and Ad-Aware.

It will be interesting to see how Longhorn handles
security.

>-----Original Message-----
>I have been using Counterspy just over 3 months (paid
version), plus i use MSAS beta since it came out, along
with Spybot and Adaware Se. So far I haven't had a
problem with compatability. I am not saying there isn't
one, but the problem may come from somewhere other than
Counterspy. The 2 came from the same engine, but
Microsoft and Sunbelt both have changed the basic engine
that they started with. I have tested both and MSAS has
found what Counterspy has sometimes missed, and the other
way around. Basic rule right now while anti-spyware
software is still in it's growing stage, is to have more
that one program for maximum protection. All 4 of the
programs I am now running seem to catch all the dangers
out there, but they do it together. At this stage in
anti-spyware software development, no one program is able
to find and protect completely. Give them all a year or
so to work out all the bugs and you will get all the
protection from anti-spyware software as you now get from
running only one good anti-virus program.
>
>The update problem with MSAS has been addressed here in
this forum. Follow the directions below and many thanks
to Robin Walker for the work she did in finding a
permanent fix to the problem of upgrading MSAS.
>
> from your freindly "old" devildog
>
>*********************************************************
***
>After much debugging, I have found that the problem with
definition update
>failures and repetition is because of an incorrect
version of the file
>gcUnCompress.dll in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ (for XP) or
C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\ (for
>2000 or systems upgraded from 2000).
>
>The incorrect version is of length 130,272 bytes.
>The correct version is of length 95,448 bytes.
>
>To update your system to install the correct version of
the file, do the
>following:
>
>1. In the System Notification Area, right-click on the
MSAS icon and select
>"Shutdown Microsoft AntiSpyware".
>2. In Explorer, navigate to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\, locate
the file
>"gcUnCompress.dll", right-click on it, and
select "Delete".
>3. In Control Panel "Add or Remove Programs",
select "Microsoft AntiSpyware"
>and click button "Change".
>4. Click "Next".
>5. Select "Update Microsoft AntiSpyware", click "Next".
>6. Click "Install".
>7. When the re-installation finishes, click "Finish".
>8. In Explorer, in folder C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\, check
that
>"gcUnCompress.dll" is now 95,448 bytes long, by right-
clicking it and
>selecting "Properties".
>9. Launch MSAS, pull down the File menu and
select "Check for updates" -
>this time it really will update your definition files to
the latest version.
>10. In Explorer, open the folder C:\Program
Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware, and
>satisfy yourself that the modification dates of the
three definition files
>have changed:
>gcDeterminationData.gcd
>gcThreatAuditThreatData.gcd
>gcThreatAuditScanData.gcd
>
>Done!
>
>You won't ever have to manually install the definition
files again, nor will
>the update keep repeating every time you try.
>
>--
>Robin Walker [MVP Networking]
>(E-Mail Removed)
>
>
>
>"Dana Craig" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
message news:02ea01c58855$5cd09b60$(E-Mail Removed)...
>:I downloaded the 15 day trial version of CounterSpy
after
>: reading a favorable review in PC World online. All in
>: all, it seemed to work OK.
>:
>: As you may know, CounterSpy shared some code with
Giant,
>: which became MS AS Beta. (Sunbelt claims to be using a
>: different engine now.)
>:
>: The problem came when I tried to update MS AS - I got
a
>: message that it could not connect to the internet,
even
>: though the internet connection worked fine. There were
>: some other little things that seemed to be going on as
>: well.
>:
>: Not being that knowledgeable on technical issues, I
>: thought perhaps that CS had locked up the port that MS
AS
>: also used as a carryover of some code, or perhaps some
>: analogous issue. Since CS does not provide an
>: uninstaller, I used Add/Remove Programs to get rid of
it.
>: Sure enough, I could update MS AS again.
>:
>: Now, coincidentally, I could not update successfully
to
>: 5733, a situation posted elsewhere on this forum. I
>: thought this might be due to remnants of CS floating
>: around. I contacted Sunbelt's tech support, and they
>: acknowledged a conflict with MS AS that they say will
be
>: corrected in the next version of CS. Exactly what that
>: conflict is was not detailed.
>:
>: So I used System Restore to go back to just before the
CS
>: download, but that did not fix the MS AS update
problem,
>: which it turns out is apparently entirely internal to
MS
>: AS.
>:
>: My suggestion is that you should exercise caution if
>: downloading CounterSpy until they resolve the
conflict,
>: whatever it might be.
>:
>: AS for the 5733 problem, I am going to wait for a MS
fix,
>: if it ever comes. The suggested one here is just too
>: complicated and potentially error prone for my skill
>: level.
>:
>: