Microsoft AntiSpyware.

[Jason Schultz]

I have installed on my computer "Ad-Aware", Spybot Search & Destroy" & I
just installed "Microsoft AntiSpyware". What product do you suggest? I don't
want to run all three I would like to delete two & keep one.

Thanks, jason

 

[Ron Chamberlin]

Hi Jason,
I support using the program(s) you are most comfortable with and that do the
task you wish them to do.
Now that I've dodged your question, one of the things I really like about
the MWAS product is that it protects your machine proactively.

Ron Chamberlin
MS-MVP

 

[Antoninus Pius]

I have installed on my computer "Ad-Aware", Spybot Search & Destroy" & I
just installed "Microsoft AntiSpyware". What product do you suggest? I
don't want to run all three I would like to delete two & keep one.

Thanks, jason

Keep at least two becuase no one product will catch all of the spy/ad ware
out there.

 

[Spider]

I have installed on my computer "Ad-Aware", Spybot Search & Destroy" & I
just installed "Microsoft AntiSpyware". What product do you suggest? I don't
want to run all three I would like to delete two & keep one.

Thanks, jason

Based on recent reliable testing by PC World and spyware warrior, use
MSAS as your primary since it has good built in real time protection and
use Ad-aware as your backup.

--

Spider

http://spiderathome.blogspot.com/
http://spider1.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/24hrsupporthelpdesk

 

[kidtamer]

Hello! I am no expert and I do understand what you mean
about having so many detection/removal tools. However,
most so-called experts strongly suggest that you have
more than one since no one tool can find all spyware. I
use three, it really isn't a problem to update and run
them. I believe that most can be set to automatically
scan when you schedule it. No fuss, no muss...unless they
find something that needs your attention. I recently was
invaded by a new variant of CWS and even the Shredder
didn't find it. MSAS didn't find it either! Just be
careful. It seems that spyware gets more and more
sophisticated every day, heh? If I had to choose, I think
that I would pick Adaware and Microsoft. However, Spyware
Blaster does a good job of stopping many things and works
with Firefox as well as Internet Explorer. Good Luck!

 

[Sandi - Microsoft MVP]

AdAware has been going down in my esteem recently, they are too quick to
remove products from their detection list. For example, after deliberately
infecting a machine with Lop.com, AdAware did not detect its presence.

AdAware is a good starting point (if you empty your IE cache and temp
folders before running the scan to inprove scanning time), followed by MAS,
and then Spybot S&D.

Common theory is to run MAS *twice* in safe mode.

--
Hyperlinks are used to ensure advice remains current
Visit the Internet Explorer Online Community:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/community/default.mspx
_______________________________________
Sandi - Microsoft MVP since 1999 (IE/OE)
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/

 

[D@annyBoy]

any pro in running MSAS twice in safe mode?

AdAware has been going down in my esteem recently, they are too quick to
remove products from their detection list. For example, after
deliberately infecting a machine with Lop.com, AdAware did not detect its
presence.

AdAware is a good starting point (if you empty your IE cache and temp
folders before running the scan to inprove scanning time), followed by
MAS, and then Spybot S&D.

Common theory is to run MAS *twice* in safe mode.

--
Hyperlinks are used to ensure advice remains current
Visit the Internet Explorer Online Community:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/community/default.mspx
_______________________________________
Sandi - Microsoft MVP since 1999 (IE/OE)
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/

 

[Derek N]

Sandi,
I don't intend to be provocative, but I can't understand why you recommend
running MS AntiSpy in Safe Mode, unless of course you have to remove a
difficult Spyware. I must admit that I have only detected and removed one
suspect Spyware (Messenger Plus) with MS AntiSpyware.
Derek N

 

[Bill Sanderson]

I suspect this is a sign of things to come. Recent intentional infections
I've done with some pretty notorious stuff have very clear notices and
licenses and the windows make it clear what the source of the ads is, etc.
HOWEVER, even with all that, I ended up with no removal available in add or
remove programs, so I'm clear that continued listing by Microsoft
Antispyware is justified.

I'm reaching a point where I think that one of the more significant issues
is the clutter in add or remove programs. Very few users can run down that
list and tell you what even a fraction of that stuff is--so even though some
of the most posted bugs here are listed there, folks aren't going there
first for removal, because they don't know what's what.

I don't know what we (Microsoft, the rest of us, etc) can do to help in this
area--XP SP2's removal of the patches from that list is a big help, but
there needs to be more--maybe a hierarchical structure by vendor??

 

[Bob L]

I've been impressed w/ the MS offering but one thing I just came acrossed
was it allowed QuickTime into my startup. I'm guessing sooner or later it
will allow real player as well. These are not items I want at start up nor
did I approve.

Spybot's Tea Timer always asked me and never allowed them. I haven't found
out why the MS offering did.

Based on this I may go back to Spybot being my Primary while MS being my
secondary. I'm not too keen on having them both proactively check.

Bob

 

[Robin Walker [MVP]]

I've been impressed w/ the MS offering but one thing I just came
acrossed was it allowed QuickTime into my startup. I'm guessing
sooner or later it will allow real player as well. These are not
items I want at start up nor did I approve.

Spybot's Tea Timer always asked me and never allowed them. I haven't
found out why the MS offering did.

Because the things that it allowed to be start-up items are known not to be
malware. MSAS is an anti-malware product, not a device for allowing you to
choose your start-up items (you can use msconfig for that).

 

[Bob L]

I do use msconfig for it. But w/o a program like TeaTimer that is asking me
if I want to allow this item in startup, qtask and realplayer keep occuring.
I'm constantly going into msconfig and deleting them.

Bob

 

[Spider]

I do use msconfig for it. But w/o a program like TeaTimer that is asking me
if I want to allow this item in startup, qtask and realplayer keep occuring.
I'm constantly going into msconfig and deleting them.

Bob

Because the things that it allowed to be start-up items are known not to
be malware. MSAS is an anti-malware product, not a device for allowing
you to choose your start-up items (you can use msconfig for that).

Excuse me if I am wrong, but if you go into MSAS / Advanced Tools /
System Explorer / Startup Programs, you can choose to "block this
startup program" or "Permanently remove startup program". I would
assume that if you choose to "block" it, it will not be allowed back in.

--

Spider

http://spiderathome.blogspot.com/
http://spider1.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/24hrsupporthelpdesk

 

[Sandi - Microsoft MVP]

Not as far as I have seen, but some people who's opinion I respect say its a
good idea, and it certainly can't do any harm

--
Hyperlinks are used to ensure advice remains current
Visit the Internet Explorer Online Community:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/community/default.mspx
_______________________________________
Sandi - Microsoft MVP since 1999 (IE/OE)
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/

 

[Sandi - Microsoft MVP]

Unfortunately, with the advent of multiple co-dependent services being used
by spyware, not to mention its tendency to be self aware and able to
recreate itself as soon as an associated service is stopped, the only way to
successfully get rid of malware, sometimes, is to go into safe mode, which
of course uses minimal services - of course, there are some malware that
runs (and can reinstall itself) even in safe mode, but thankfully that's
still an exception rather than a rule.

--
Hyperlinks are used to ensure advice remains current
Visit the Internet Explorer Online Community:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/community/default.mspx
_______________________________________
Sandi - Microsoft MVP since 1999 (IE/OE)
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/

 

[D@annyBoy]

I am sure that you are aware that opinions do not count, only results from
tests

Meself for one (and I am sure many others) have no problem in installing and
running MSAS

No machines are available at my end but I'm sure MS can test infected
machines and clean machines before installing MSAS and share the results