Advice regarding SpyBot S&D

[JD]

First, I've noticed Spybot taking longer and longer to run. It used to take
20-25 minutes, but now it takes almost two hours. It has never found any
"problems."
Since I regularly run CA Anti-Virus, Ad-Aware, and Windows Defender, is it
reasonable to conclude that Spybot is unnecessarily redundant?
Another question: Some time ago I discovered (can't recall how) a Windows
file that included a LONG list of entries "added by Spybot S&D." I'd like to
know the name and location of that file so that after uninstalling Spybot I
can check whether those entries have been removed--and whether, if they have
not been removed, I should deleted them manually.

 

[JD]

I remembered the file I was thinking of. It is the "hosts" file. It contains
the following, and the list of "entries inserted by Spybot -Search & Destroy
is very long.
Again, the question: will uninstalling Spybot remove these entries, and if
it does not, should they be removed manually?

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

127.0.0.1 localhost
# Start of entries inserted by Spybot - Search & Destroy
127.0.0.1 www.007guard.com

 

[Gerry]

JD

Before running a Spybot S & D scan it helps to run Disk CleanUp. Same
applies to any anti-virus scan. You reduce the number of items the
software needs to look at so the scan takes less time. I find Spybot a
useful tool.

I cannot answer your question about the host file.


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[JD]

Thanks Gerry. I always run clean-up and defrag before running the scans. I
do wonder why SpyBot has become so slow recently. Maybe it's "slow and
steady wins the race."

 

[Gerry]

JD

Your latest post prompted me look in Google -search criteria Spybot +
slow. A lot of results.

What is the CPU and how much RAM does your computer have? Right click on
the My Computer icon on your Desktop and select Properties to get this
information.

Try Ctrl+Alt+Delete to select Task Manager and click the Performance
Tab. Under Commit Charge what is the Total, the Limit and the Peak?

You can register wth the Spybot forums and get answers there.

In Advanced Mode there is a box to check or uncheck relating to the
Hosts file. You can use Spybot to add sites to the Host files. You do
not have to accept all their recommendations.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Kayman]

First, I've noticed Spybot taking longer and longer to run. It used to take
20-25 minutes, but now it takes almost two hours. It has never found any
"problems."
Since I regularly run CA Anti-Virus, Ad-Aware,

Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware have lost their lustre. And you could do much
better without CA!

and Windows Defender...

....is an application to keep.
Add SuperAntispyware - Free
http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html

is it reasonable to conclude that Spybot is unnecessarily redundant?

Yes, include Ad-aware and CA.

Another question: Some time ago I discovered (can't recall how) a Windows
file that included a LONG list of entries "added by Spybot S&D." I'd like to
know the name and location of that file so that after uninstalling Spybot I
can check whether those entries have been removed--and whether, if they have
not been removed, I should deleted them manually.

Uninstall Spybot S&D, Ad-Aware and CA in Add or Remove Programs window
--or--
Revo Uninstaller
http://www.revouninstaller.com/

Cannot Uninstall CA Anti-Spyware from Control Panel?
Applicable Products
The information in this document applies to the following releases:
CA Anti-Spyware 2007, 2008
CA Anti-Virus Plus (CA Anti-Spyware) 2008
CA Internet Security Suite 2007, 2008
CA Internet Security Suite Plus 2008
http://homeofficekb.ca.com/CIDocume...ExternalCallID=0&Ver=&AddBookmark=0&KDId=3153

Ensure you Windows Firewall is activated!

Avira AntiVir® Personal - FREE Antivirus
http://www.free-av.com/
(The free version won't scan your emails.)

Why You Don't Need Your Anti-Virus Program to Scan Your E-Mail
http://thundercloud.net/infoave/tutorials/email-scanning/index.htm
Ensure your e-mail program is configured to display e-mail messages in
'Plain Text' only.
You may wish to consider removing the 'AntiVir Nagscreen'
http://www.elitekiller.com/files/disable_antivir_nag.htm

Routinely practice Safe-Hex.
http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html
Hundreds Click on 'Click Here to Get Infected' Ad
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2132447,00.asp

On-demand scanner:
Malwarebytes© Corporation - Anti-Malware
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam/program/mbam-setup.exe

Good luck

 

[Frank]

Do you have any removable drives connected when running?

Frank

 

[db.·.. >]

another tool you can
utilize is hijackthis.

in the misc section there
is data pertaining to the
hosts file.

you can manually delete
the hosts file:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc


--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

 

[JD]

No. And all other applications shut are down.

Do you have any removable drives connected when running?

Frank

 

[JD]

Your suggestion is to "delete" the hosts file? After uninstalling Spybot, or
just on principle? You mean it's not an essential system file?

 

[db.·.. >]

i deleted mine a few
months ago and i have not
experienced any problems.

it's only a little database
with references to protect
users from accessing bad
websites or sometimes safe
ones, that is if there is an
erroneous entry in the list.

however, i only access a few
dozen websites and they
are all safe and main stream.

if you review the listing you
will find most if not all of the
entries are really odd and
obscure.

but never the less, there
is the potential of being taken
to them without your knowledge.

---------------

here is an experiment
you can try using the
host file and spybot.

delete the host file as
i had mentioned.

then open spybot and
look under tools for the
host file feature and
click the add button.

now go back to the
windows location and
you will find the host file.

also, you can open it
to review the contents with
notepad.

after your done and the
file is closed, then go
back to spybot and
click on remove the
list.

if you review the host
file again, it will be basically
blank.

-----------------
i think the above will
give you some insight
and further your logic.

-------------

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

 

[JD]

Intel Pentium 4 CPU 2.60GHz 2.59GHz 512 MB of RAM
Commit Charge Total 303M, Limit 1246M, Peak 419392 (when Spybot is not
running)
Why is this info relevant? The slowness of the scan?

 

[Frank]

OK. When my removable drive is attached programs (Spybot, Norton and others)
take much longer. It took a while before I realized the heavy slow-down was
just many more files on the removable drive and I thought it might be your
problem.

Frank

 

[Daave]

Your suggestion is to "delete" the hosts file? After uninstalling
Spybot, or just on principle? You mean it's not an essential system
file?

It's your call. I personally like having a Hosts file. But I like to use
the one mentioned on this page:

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

 

[Gerry]

JD

Scanning a large drive, especially if it is relatively full, is a
significant task. If memory or CPU capacity is limited the scan will
take much longer. Of course you can usually add memory if that is the
bottleneck but limited CPU capacity cannot be overcome without a change
of motherboard. You just have to be patient and not multi task.

In your case you might make sure you are offline and temporarily turn
off teatimer.


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[JD]

Thanks a million for the tip and the link. I had not understood how valuable
a hosts file could be.

 

[Daave]

Thanks a million for the tip and the link. I had not understood how
valuable a hosts file could be.

You're welcome.