MS AntiSpyware update loop: permanent fix
After much debugging, I have found that the problem with
definition update failures and repetition is because of
an incorrect version of the file gcUnCompress.dll in
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ (for XP) or C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\ (for
2000 or systems upgraded from 2000).
The incorrect version is of length 130,272 bytes.
The correct version is of length 95,448 bytes.
To update your system to install the correct version of
the file, do the following:
1. In the System Notification Area, right-click on the
MSAS icon and select "Shutdown Microsoft AntiSpyware".
2. In Explorer, navigate to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\, locate
the file "gcUnCompress.dll", right-click on it, and
select "Delete".
3. In Control Panel "Add or Remove Programs",
select "Microsoft AntiSpyware" and click button "Change".
4. Click "Next".
5. Select "Update Microsoft AntiSpyware", click "Next".
6. Click "Install".
7. When the re-installation finishes, click "Finish".
8. In Explorer, in folder C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\, check
that
"gcUnCompress.dll" is now 95,448 bytes long, by right-
clicking it and selecting "Properties".
9. Launch MSAS, pull down the File menu and select "Check
for updates" - this time it really will update your
definition files to the latest version.
10. In Explorer, open the folder C:\Program
Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware, and satisfy yourself that
the modification dates of the three definition files have
changed:
gcDeterminationData.gcd
gcThreatAuditThreatData.gcd
gcThreatAuditScanData.gcd
Done!
You won't ever have to manually install the definition
files again, nor will the update keep repeating every
time you try.
