Spybot, Vista and KB 931768

A

Alan

Hi all,

I just read this article below in the Vista general newsgroup. As I'm still
running XP, it doesn't affect me, but for those of you who ARE using Vista
and SpyBot, it might be of interest.

Alan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


KB931768 problem - ***solved***




I had posted in a couple of various threads that I was also affected by this
update (KB931768) under both Vista and Windows XP. Under Vista, Windows Mail
had become so slow as to be almost impossible to use. Clicking on a post in
the news groups took about 2-4 seconds to show the text in the bottom.
Replying to a post also took about 2-4 seconds to bring us a usable reply
window. Shutting down Windows Mail took the same 2-4 seconds.

I also stated that I thought it was a program interaction. It took me six
days to rebuild my system, installing each program I normally use, rebooting
and then testing Windows Mail. I was creating an image of my system after
every successful program install so I could go back easily when I found a
problem. All it took was loads of time and testing.

About 2 hours ago I finally found the culprit!

Hint! Raise your hand if you have Spybot Search and Destroy installed.

I had been using Spybot Search and Destroy for about 4 years now. I
installed it under Vista and, because it seemed to work OK, I left it in
place. Well, we all know that Spybot S&D was **not** designed for Vista. It
just happened to work.

Unfortunately, it's short comings showed up after the install of KB931768

I installed Spybot S&D - and did not choose to run through the initial
wizard immediately. I closed down Spybot S&D and tested Windows Mail.
Everything was fine. After a reboot everything was still fine. I then ran
through the wizard and retrieved all the available updates for Spybot S&D. I
again tested Windows Mail and found it to work as it previously had (no
discernible problems or slow downs).

I then chose to ***immunize*** within Spybot, which you have to do to apply
the updates for the program.

I again started Windows Mail.

*****BANG***** *****BOOM***** *****BAM*****

Windows Mail had been broken!

Every adverse condition that I listed above was back in all their glory!

Now, here is the unfortunate part that is going to cause countless thousands
of people a bunch of grief. Uninstalling Spybot Search and Destroy (even
with a reboot) ***DOES NOT*** eliminate the problem and take you back to
where you were previously. Uninstalling and then using System Restore may -
if you have just installed Spybot S&D and made no changes to your system
since. I doubt if too many people would fall into this category.

Even scouring the file system and deleting all remnants left from the
install does nothing. Spybot must place, or alter, a registry entry
somewhere that is not touched by the uninstall process. You will have to
rebuild your system from scratch and resist the temptation to install Spybot
Search and Destroy.

I have not yet tested to see if this also solves the alternate placement
problem for the Temporary Internet File Folder but I will be testing for
that as soon as I place this post in the suitable newsgroups. I will also be
testing for this under Windows XP when I recover from the total exhaustion I
have been working under for the past 24 hours. (-:

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
 
J

Jean Rosenfeld

The writer of that article suggests that it is the immunize feature that
causes the problem. That places killbits in the registry for known (to
Spybot) 'bad' activex, etc. and places known 'bad' sites in the restricted
zone (like Spywareblaster).
He does not say whether before uninstalling spybot he undid the immunize
(which is an option in Spybot). If he didn't then of course the registry
changes made by the immunize feature would still be there after uninstall.
If they were the cause, then it is not surprising that uninstalling Spybot
did not help.

If you need to uninstall Spybot, always first undo the immunize and also
first uncheck (if used) both teatimer and SD Helper (which is a BHO for IE)
from advanced mode, Tools, Resident tab.
 
G

Guest

Jean,

I am not an expert on SB S&D [I do not use the Immunize Feature] but it
seems to me that from a trouble shooting point of view, of which I am very
experienced, you make a Very Important Point here.

?:)
Tim
 

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