Anti-Spyware BETA1 - bugs

[Grant]

A few comments/problems with Anti-Spyware BETA1:

1) Performance of PC severely inhibited while scanning
computer... very slow to run one other application such
as Outlook (compose email message) or Internet Explorer
(browse MS Exchange 2003 web site).

2) When click e-mail feedback to MS via IE session,
various weird errors from Outlook 2003... first BCM
unable to initialize (with option to disable)... caused
re-start and failure on Outlook startup; then error
creating envelope or something to that effect (I was only
creating an email invoked from IE!)... never seen this
error before.... stating outlook would be terminated.

3) Setting scheduled time for scan (SCAN SCHEDULE) to 9AM
and 11AM works but 10AM places some weird data in
window... 112:00 AM every day. Setting to 10:01AM
returns 10:1 AM ... when UPDATE SCHEDULE button clicked.

4) Many links/options require clicking on graphic (eg.
white on blue circle arrow/icon for SCAN OPTIONS) versus
also on text (eg. SCAN OPTIONS).

5) TRACKS ERASER shows WinZip is not installed... I have
WINXIP v6.2 installed.

6) Typo/Spelling in BLOCK STARTUP PROGRAM pop-
up ... "Applicatoion Security Agents"

7) Under RUNNING PROCESSES under SYSTEM EXPLORERES...
you can't widen DECSRIPTION field to see full file
reference

8) WINDOWS SHELL EXECUTE HOOKS shows
Microsoft.AntiSpyware.ShellExecute as UNKNOWN!

Regards... Grant

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Inline:

A few comments/problems with Anti-Spyware BETA1:

1) Performance of PC severely inhibited while scanning
computer... very slow to run one other application such
as Outlook (compose email message) or Internet Explorer
(browse MS Exchange 2003 web site).

Yours is only the third report I've read so far with this criticism. In one
of the previous reports, the poster was able to pin the performance issue
down to an interaction between his anti-virus application and the spyware
scan--disabling real-time protection in the a/v made the machine responsive
during the scan. This may be worth checking.

2) When click e-mail feedback to MS via IE session,
various weird errors from Outlook 2003... first BCM
unable to initialize (with option to disable)... caused
re-start and failure on Outlook startup; then error
creating envelope or something to that effect (I was only
creating an email invoked from IE!)... never seen this
error before.... stating outlook would be terminated.

Hmm--no good ideas, I'm afraid.

3) Setting scheduled time for scan (SCAN SCHEDULE) to 9AM
and 11AM works but 10AM places some weird data in
window... 112:00 AM every day. Setting to 10:01AM
returns 10:1 AM ... when UPDATE SCHEDULE button clicked.

Wierd--good feedback!

4) Many links/options require clicking on graphic (eg.
white on blue circle arrow/icon for SCAN OPTIONS) versus
also on text (eg. SCAN OPTIONS).
Yes--annoying.

5) TRACKS ERASER shows WinZip is not installed... I have
WINXIP v6.2 installed.

The erasers are very version specific--Acrobat Reader 7 isn't covered
either, for example. Anybody else reading have a version of Winzip that is
covered, and can tell us what it is?

6) Typo/Spelling in BLOCK STARTUP PROGRAM pop-
up ... "Applicatoion Security Agents"

7) Under RUNNING PROCESSES under SYSTEM EXPLORERES...
you can't widen DECSRIPTION field to see full file
reference

8) WINDOWS SHELL EXECUTE HOOKS shows
Microsoft.AntiSpyware.ShellExecute as UNKNOWN!

Regards... Grant

Great feedback!

 

[Eric]

I warn you to stay away from this anti spyware beta. It's
horrible. First it slowed down the computer i tested it on
considerably and wasn't responding. It found one piece of
spyware and when it was time to be removed it had to
restart the internet explorer which i wasn't even using.
Hey, if microsoft wants to screw up everyones computer then
surely give this garbage away for free. I ran Ad aware Se
from lavasoft and it found 11 more pieces of spyware and
ran Spybot search and destroy and that found 5 pieces of
spyware. Who is microsoft fooling with this feeble attempt
at anti spyware software. Maybe they should have saved
their money and paid a licensing fee to Lavasoft for a
decent spyware removal software. But for microsoft to give
this crap away is pathetic. How are they ever going to get
people to switch from Mozilla Firefox to Internet Explorer
with junk like this anti spyware software. Like this
software is going to stop the masses from switching to a
better browzer like Mozilla Firefox while microsoft makes
everyone wait until the newest version of longhorn come
out. Microsoft is asleep at the wheel!

 

[Zachary Gutt [MSFT]]

Hello Eric - The discrepancies you saw in the results between Windows
AntiSpyware vs Spybot or Adaware are most likely due to the fact that cookie
scanning has been disabled for beta 1.

--

Zachary Gutt
Technical Product Manager
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Guest]

If you think I am impressed with the need to run 2-3 of
these programs then think again... you state yourself
that each one finds something different then go to their
newsgroups and complain. I am looking for one solution
and the two you mention are so well seasoned that they
should have it down.

 

[codemastr]

5) TRACKS ERASER shows WinZip is not installed... I have

The erasers are very version specific--Acrobat Reader 7 isn't covered
either, for example. Anybody else reading have a version of Winzip that
is covered, and can tell us what it is?

I don't have this problem, but I have the reverse, AntiSpyware is informing
me that I have programs installed that I don't! For example, both Visual
Studio 6.0 and Visual Basic 6.0 are listed as available. However, I have
neither product installed. I used to, but I have since upgraded to Visual
Studio .NET (7.0). It also lists both Office 97 and Office 2000. Office 97
is gone, I upgraded it to 2000.