Installation in Safe Mode--Why not?

[Ralph Miller]

Considering the purpose of this program, to detect and
remove spyware, etc, why must it only be installed in
normal mode. I work at a university and spend a great deal
of time rehabbing student's PCs. I have used this program
in conjunction with Adaware SE Pro and Spybot S&D to rescue
many PCs without going through the rebuild process. What is
annoying and sometimes very frustrating is having to
install this in normal mode. The other programs install in
safe mode and work just fine. However, in some cases a
student's PC will only boot into safe mode or is so
overwhelmed with spyware/adware as to be nearly useless in
normal mode and is therefore next to impossible to install
and/or operate any programs in that mode. I think serious
consideration should be given to scrapping the windows
installer process for this program and a way should be
developed that allows for its installation in safe mode.

 

[AMDGUY [MCP]]

I agree!!! I used to work at a local computer shop and we ran in to alot
of only being able to boot in safe mode.

 

[John]

Sounds like we need to announce that a recommendation for a CLI mode and a
safe mode operation should be considered. If it can't be installed, it
should at least be able to run in some kind of repair mode right from a CD
or USB device.

I say announce because this is the announcements newsgroup so you have to
announce everything in here!

 

[Jim Byrd]

Hi Ralph, John, et al - Try doing your installations and runs from a "Clean
Boot". From one of my "standard" posts. Note that this mode allows
installs because Microsoft services to include the Windows Installer Service
can run in this mode:


"Show hidden files and run removal tools from Safe mode or a "Clean Boot"
when possible. Reboot and test if the malware is fixed after using each
tool.

HOW TO Enable Hidden Files
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2002092715262339

Clean Boot - General Win2k/XP procedure, but see below for links for other
OS's (This for Win2k w/msconfig - you can obtain msconfig for Win2k here:
http://www.3feetunder.com/files/win2K_msconfig_setup.exe ):

1. StartRun enter msconfig.

2. On the General tab, click Selective Startup, and then clear the 'Process
System.ini File', 'Process Win.ini File', and 'Load Startup Items' check
boxes. Leave the 'boot.ini' boxes however they are currently set.

3. In the Services tab, check the "Hide All Microsoft Services" checkbox,
and then click the "Disable All" button. If you use a third party firewall
then re-check (enable) it. For example, if you use Zone Alarm, re-check the
True Vector Internet Monitor service (and you may also want to re-check
(enable) the zlclient on the Startup tab.) Equivalent services exist for
other third party firewalls. An alternative to this for XP users is to
enable at this time the XP native firewall (Internet Connection Firewall -
ICF). Be sure to turn it back off when you re-enable your non-MS services
and Startup tab programs and restore your normal msconfig configuration
after cleaning your machine.

4. Click OK and then reboot.

For additional information about how to clean boot your operating system,
click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:
310353 How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353
281770 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281770/EN-US/
267288 How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows Millennium Edition
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/267288/EN-US/
192926 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/192926/EN-US/
243039 How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows 95
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/243039/EN-US/"


--
Please respond in the same thread.
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP



In

 

[Bill Sanderson]

I'll second this recommendation!

 

[Robin Walker [MVP]]

Considering the purpose of this program, to detect and
remove spyware, etc, why must it only be installed in
normal mode.

Why must it be "installed" at all?

I would very much prefer to see a scanner/removal tool which is a simple
stand-alone Windows .EXE file, rather in the manner of NAI's Stinger.exe.

 

[John]

Exactly!

Why must it be "installed" at all?

I would very much prefer to see a scanner/removal tool which is a simple
stand-alone Windows .EXE file, rather in the manner of NAI's Stinger.exe.

 

[Spider]

1/28/2005 12:36:22 PM

Why must it be "installed" at all?

I would very much prefer to see a scanner/removal tool which is a simple
stand-alone Windows .EXE file, rather in the manner of NAI's Stinger.exe.

Hmm, I think it has to be installed in order to run in real time mode.
That's one feature I hope you are in the minority in terms of not
wanting it.

Spider
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/spider1
http://spider1.blogspot.com/

 

[John]

What are you trying to say?

You don't want the ability to boot from a special CD that will allow you to
run a complete clean-up before any of the malware has a chance to load
itself and hide or lock in so that it can't be removed???

And this request is on top of the normal load in to Windows and run from
Normal mode or Safe mode.

 

[Spider]

I thought I was pretty clear in what I said. I guess it depends on how you
read the first 2 comments John. I did not take the original two posts I
responded to as wanting a tool in addition to the one released but rather
instead of. If you want to read it different I guess you can. Given your
scenario of what the initial posts are saying, sure I'd like something like
that in addition to...

--


Spider
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/spider1
http://spider1.blogspot.com/

 

[John]

Ok, just made the mistake of assuming you were familiar with many of the
other programs that allow you to boot off their install cd to run a CLI
version of the tool for low level or file level repair before running the
tools in Windows.

I thought I was pretty clear in what I said. I guess it depends on how you
read the first 2 comments John. I did not take the original two posts I
responded to as wanting a tool in addition to the one released but rather
instead of. If you want to read it different I guess you can. Given your
scenario of what the initial posts are saying, sure I'd like something like
that in addition to...

--


Spider
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/spider1
http://spider1.blogspot.com/

What are you trying to say?

You don't want the ability to boot from a special CD that will allow you
to run a complete clean-up before any of the malware has a chance to load
itself and hide or lock in so that it can't be removed???

And this request is on top of the normal load in to Windows and run from
Normal mode or Safe mode.

1/28/2005 12:36:22 PM
<[email protected]>


Considering the purpose of this program, to detect and
remove spyware, etc, why must it only be installed in
normal mode.

Why must it be "installed" at all?

I would very much prefer to see a scanner/removal tool which is a
simple
stand-alone Windows .EXE file, rather in the manner of NAI's
Stinger.exe.

--
Robin Walker [MVP Networking]
(e-mail address removed)

Hmm, I think it has to be installed in order to run in real time mode.
That's one feature I hope you are in the minority in terms of not
wanting it.

Spider
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/spider1
http://spider1.blogspot.com/