Spyware program locks up PC

I installed your antispyware program and tried to run it
twice both times it locked up the PC so tight I had to
power it down to recover. Any thoughts anyone ???

I had the same problem once...
You probably have a virus/worm/spyware infection.

Try running a virus scan with your current antivirus
application, or try running one of the free online virus
scans from Trendmicro.com or panda.com.
If the computer crashes when any of these run, it's very
likely you have a similar virus/worm/spyware infection.

After days of trying, i finally installed the hard drive in
another computer as a "secondary" drive.
It was the only way i could scan the drive without it crashing.


>-----Original Message-----
>I installed your antispyware program and tried to run it
>twice both times it locked up the PC so tight I had to
>power it down to recover. Any thoughts anyone ???
>.
>

Not necessarily meaning to bash the product yet, but isn't
the purpose of the program designed to cleanup an
infection? If the machine is already infected, which will
likely be the driving force behind a typical users
installation of the product, wouldn't a user expect it to
run or at least exit gracefully if it can't fix a problem?
Locking up doesn't really solve the infection problem and
typical users won't necessarily have the resources or the
know how to use your work around.

FYI, I haven't downloaded the product myself so hopefully
this isn't redundant suggestion - What about having the
application capable of writing out a bootable spy removal
tool that runs prior to the OS launching? This might be
usefull for situations where the system is too badly corrupted.

Jim

>-----Original Message-----
>I had the same problem once...
>You probably have a virus/worm/spyware infection.
>
>Try running a virus scan with your current antivirus
>application, or try running one of the free online virus
>scans from Trendmicro.com or panda.com.
>If the computer crashes when any of these run, it's very
>likely you have a similar virus/worm/spyware infection.
>
>After days of trying, i finally installed the hard drive in
>another computer as a "secondary" drive.
>It was the only way i could scan the drive without it
crashing.
>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>I installed your antispyware program and tried to run it
>>twice both times it locked up the PC so tight I had to
>>power it down to recover. Any thoughts anyone ???
>>.
>>
>.
>

I would understand this thread if it were and Anti-virus product we were
looking at. But we are merely looking at an Anti-Spyware software
application that has no inherit ability, nor responsibility for detecting
and fixing a worm or virus or trojan infection.

I think perhaps more is expected of thie app than is fair.
Just my 2 cents..

-Wayne



"Jim" <jim.maryland@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:061401c4f428$8b5e9fc0$a301280a@phx.gbl...
> Not necessarily meaning to bash the product yet, but isn't
> the purpose of the program designed to cleanup an
> infection? If the machine is already infected, which will
> likely be the driving force behind a typical users
> installation of the product, wouldn't a user expect it to
> run or at least exit gracefully if it can't fix a problem?
> Locking up doesn't really solve the infection problem and
> typical users won't necessarily have the resources or the
> know how to use your work around.
>
> FYI, I haven't downloaded the product myself so hopefully
> this isn't redundant suggestion - What about having the
> application capable of writing out a bootable spy removal
> tool that runs prior to the OS launching? This might be
> usefull for situations where the system is too badly corrupted.
>
> Jim
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>I had the same problem once...
>>You probably have a virus/worm/spyware infection.
>>
>>Try running a virus scan with your current antivirus
>>application, or try running one of the free online virus
>>scans from Trendmicro.com or panda.com.
>>If the computer crashes when any of these run, it's very
>>likely you have a similar virus/worm/spyware infection.
>>
>>After days of trying, i finally installed the hard drive in
>>another computer as a "secondary" drive.
>>It was the only way i could scan the drive without it
> crashing.
>>
>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>I installed your antispyware program and tried to run it
>>>twice both times it locked up the PC so tight I had to
>>>power it down to recover. Any thoughts anyone ???
>>>.
>>>
>>.
>>

I ran two antivirus programs trend micro online and
inoculan on the PC itself. No viruses were detected. I
ran the spyware program again and it locked up tight
again each time it locks at a different point in time. I
am removing it for now and going back to spybot and
lavasoft's ad-aware. Any other thoughts anyone?
Thanks
>-----Original Message-----
>I had the same problem once...
>You probably have a virus/worm/spyware infection.
>
>Try running a virus scan with your current antivirus
>application, or try running one of the free online virus
>scans from Trendmicro.com or panda.com.
>If the computer crashes when any of these run, it's very
>likely you have a similar virus/worm/spyware infection.
>
>After days of trying, i finally installed the hard drive
in
>another computer as a "secondary" drive.
>It was the only way i could scan the drive without it
crashing.
>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>I installed your antispyware program and tried to run
it
>>twice both times it locked up the PC so tight I had to
>>power it down to recover. Any thoughts anyone ???
>>.
>>
>.
>

Unfortunately, most users will clasify spyware, adware,
malware, viruses, and trojans all as a virus. Most users
are just not that intelligent when it comes to IT, and
most don't want to know more than they have to in order to
get there task done.

Your point about expecting too much from the app is valid,
but to the typical user, they won't understand where to
draw the line.

In any case, the original poster, as well as one follow
up, had a problem with the application freezing up their
PC. I guess I wouldn't expect a single application to be
able to lock up the system to the point of being unusable,
but that's likely not a problem of this application but
rather the OS (oops, a bit of bashing slipping in from a
UNIX & MS Win32 admin/developer). Seriously though, the
application should exit gracefully if an error occurs.

Jim

>-----Original Message-----
>I would understand this thread if it were and Anti-virus
product we were
>looking at. But we are merely looking at an Anti-Spyware
software
>application that has no inherit ability, nor
responsibility for detecting
>and fixing a worm or virus or trojan infection.
>
>I think perhaps more is expected of thie app than is fair.
>Just my 2 cents..
>
>-Wayne
>
>
>
>"Jim" <jim.maryland@comcast.net> wrote in message
>news:061401c4f428$8b5e9fc0$a301280a@phx.gbl...
>> Not necessarily meaning to bash the product yet, but
isn't
>> the purpose of the program designed to cleanup an
>> infection? If the machine is already infected, which
will
>> likely be the driving force behind a typical users
>> installation of the product, wouldn't a user expect it
to
>> run or at least exit gracefully if it can't fix a
problem?
>> Locking up doesn't really solve the infection problem
and
>> typical users won't necessarily have the resources or
the
>> know how to use your work around.
>>
>> FYI, I haven't downloaded the product myself so
hopefully
>> this isn't redundant suggestion - What about having the
>> application capable of writing out a bootable spy
removal
>> tool that runs prior to the OS launching? This might be
>> usefull for situations where the system is too badly
corrupted.
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>I had the same problem once...
>>>You probably have a virus/worm/spyware infection.
>>>
>>>Try running a virus scan with your current antivirus
>>>application, or try running one of the free online virus
>>>scans from Trendmicro.com or panda.com.
>>>If the computer crashes when any of these run, it's very
>>>likely you have a similar virus/worm/spyware infection.
>>>
>>>After days of trying, i finally installed the hard
drive in
>>>another computer as a "secondary" drive.
>>>It was the only way i could scan the drive without it
>> crashing.
>>>
>>>
>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>I installed your antispyware program and tried to run
it
>>>>twice both times it locked up the PC so tight I had to
>>>>power it down to recover. Any thoughts anyone ???
>>>>.
>>>>
>>>.
>>>
>
>
>.
>

I concur in switching to Spybot - long time user here.
This may not be an old time MS product, but asking MS to
guard the PC while MS does such a fine job of opening holes
in the system does not sound logical to me.

>-----Original Message-----
>I ran two antivirus programs trend micro online and
>inoculan on the PC itself. No viruses were detected. I
>ran the spyware program again and it locked up tight
>again each time it locks at a different point in time. I
>am removing it for now and going back to spybot and
>lavasoft's ad-aware. Any other thoughts anyone?
>Thanks
>>-----Original Message-----
>>I had the same problem once...
>>You probably have a virus/worm/spyware infection.
>>
>>Try running a virus scan with your current antivirus
>>application, or try running one of the free online virus
>>scans from Trendmicro.com or panda.com.
>>If the computer crashes when any of these run, it's very
>>likely you have a similar virus/worm/spyware infection.
>>
>>After days of trying, i finally installed the hard drive
>in
>>another computer as a "secondary" drive.
>>It was the only way i could scan the drive without it
>crashing.
>>
>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>I installed your antispyware program and tried to run
>it
>>>twice both times it locked up the PC so tight I had to
>>>power it down to recover. Any thoughts anyone ???
>>>.
>>>
>>.
>>
>.
>

I will agree with you that the line is blurred between Anti-Spyware and
Anti-virus functionality for the vast majority of end-users. That is just a
fact.
I also think that company's like Symantec and the lot have missed the boat
to include a comprehensive Anti-spyware software in their mix.


But as it stands now, there is a fundamental difference between the two.

If an OS is seriously compromised by a virus, and causes Word to lock up, we
do not blame Word for not handling it well. And we do not charge Word with
fixing the problem either. We also do not expect that Word should be able
to exit gracefully if this type of an error if it occurs. We all have not
illusion that Word fixes virus problems.

I woulld argue that Word has as much to do with removing viruses from an
OS, as thie Anti-Spyware software does. And that is simply Nothing.
That being said, it seems to me that we still have raised expectations for
this Anti-Sypware software to do more than it was intended. That is, To be
inherently stable in an unstable OS.

Like I said before, If this were an Anti-virus application, I would expect
that it be able to anticipate and deal with Virus-produced unstability....
I expect Word to process words, Anti-virus software to remove Ad-spyware,
and anti-virus to remove viruses.




"Jim" <jim.maryland@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:0e2401c4f8e7$bfed24a0$a601280a@phx.gbl...
> Unfortunately, most users will clasify spyware, adware,
> malware, viruses, and trojans all as a virus. Most users
> are just not that intelligent when it comes to IT, and
> most don't want to know more than they have to in order to
> get there task done.
>
> Your point about expecting too much from the app is valid,
> but to the typical user, they won't understand where to
> draw the line.
>
> In any case, the original poster, as well as one follow
> up, had a problem with the application freezing up their
> PC. I guess I wouldn't expect a single application to be
> able to lock up the system to the point of being unusable,
> but that's likely not a problem of this application but
> rather the OS (oops, a bit of bashing slipping in from a
> UNIX & MS Win32 admin/developer). Seriously though, the
> application should exit gracefully if an error occurs.
>
> Jim
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>I would understand this thread if it were and Anti-virus
> product we were
>>looking at. But we are merely looking at an Anti-Spyware
> software
>>application that has no inherit ability, nor
> responsibility for detecting
>>and fixing a worm or virus or trojan infection.
>>
>>I think perhaps more is expected of thie app than is fair.
>>Just my 2 cents..
>>
>>-Wayne
>>
>>
>>
>>"Jim" <jim.maryland@comcast.net> wrote in message
>>news:061401c4f428$8b5e9fc0$a301280a@phx.gbl...
>>> Not necessarily meaning to bash the product yet, but
> isn't
>>> the purpose of the program designed to cleanup an
>>> infection? If the machine is already infected, which
> will
>>> likely be the driving force behind a typical users
>>> installation of the product, wouldn't a user expect it
> to
>>> run or at least exit gracefully if it can't fix a
> problem?
>>> Locking up doesn't really solve the infection problem
> and
>>> typical users won't necessarily have the resources or
> the
>>> know how to use your work around.
>>>
>>> FYI, I haven't downloaded the product myself so
> hopefully
>>> this isn't redundant suggestion - What about having the
>>> application capable of writing out a bootable spy
> removal
>>> tool that runs prior to the OS launching? This might be
>>> usefull for situations where the system is too badly
> corrupted.
>>>
>>> Jim
>>>
>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>I had the same problem once...
>>>>You probably have a virus/worm/spyware infection.
>>>>
>>>>Try running a virus scan with your current antivirus
>>>>application, or try running one of the free online virus
>>>>scans from Trendmicro.com or panda.com.
>>>>If the computer crashes when any of these run, it's very
>>>>likely you have a similar virus/worm/spyware infection.
>>>>
>>>>After days of trying, i finally installed the hard
> drive in
>>>>another computer as a "secondary" drive.
>>>>It was the only way i could scan the drive without it
>>> crashing.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>>I installed your antispyware program and tried to run
> it
>>>>>twice both times it locked up the PC so tight I had to
>>>>>power it down to recover. Any thoughts anyone ???
>>>>>.
>>>>>
>>>>.
>>>>
>>
>>
>>.
>>

Jay: you are switching due to non-technical, philosophic reasons. That is
your choice. cool.
Previous post: You are basing your evaluation on a single PC that may, or
may not be stable. Hmm questionable.

Neither of these comments seem to stem from a deep technical analysis of the
product's capabilities . And I wonder how much each one of these folks would
be "pre-disposed" to not like MS in general.

Something tells me that if either one of these folks were honest, they would
admit that they really just don't like MS as a whole.
And this software was really doomed in thier view before they even
downloaded it.

I could be wrong, but that is what my spidey-senses are telling me.

-Wayne

"Jay Em" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:222201c4f8e8$4ed59da0$a501280a@phx.gbl...
>I concur in switching to Spybot - long time user here.
> This may not be an old time MS product, but asking MS to
> guard the PC while MS does such a fine job of opening holes
> in the system does not sound logical to me.
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>I ran two antivirus programs trend micro online and
>>inoculan on the PC itself. No viruses were detected. I
>>ran the spyware program again and it locked up tight
>>again each time it locks at a different point in time. I
>>am removing it for now and going back to spybot and
>>lavasoft's ad-aware. Any other thoughts anyone?
>>Thanks
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>I had the same problem once...
>>>You probably have a virus/worm/spyware infection.
>>>
>>>Try running a virus scan with your current antivirus
>>>application, or try running one of the free online virus
>>>scans from Trendmicro.com or panda.com.
>>>If the computer crashes when any of these run, it's very
>>>likely you have a similar virus/worm/spyware infection.
>>>
>>>After days of trying, i finally installed the hard drive
>>in
>>>another computer as a "secondary" drive.
>>>It was the only way i could scan the drive without it
>>crashing.
>>>
>>>
>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>I installed your antispyware program and tried to run
>>it
>>>>twice both times it locked up the PC so tight I had to
>>>>power it down to recover. Any thoughts anyone ???
>>>>.
>>>>
>>>.
>>>
>>.
>>