Updating problem

[Guest]

I saw a flurry of messages about this issue but then they seemed to just
stop. I am at my vacation home and the PC here is only used every 2-3 months
and noticed last night that I cannot update the definitions, getting a
meesage "Warning, could not connect to the internet" follow by a line that
says "Updates have failed. Auto updater could nt detect an internet
connection."

Obviously my interconnect connection is fine. I was able to download the
latest version (1.0.701) and update from my previous version.
Am I now alone with this problem out here?

Here is the details from my diagnosis:
Microsoft AntiSpyware version 1.0.701
Windows OS: XP
Windows OS Version Info: 148
Windows OS Major Version: 5
Windows OS Minor Version: 1
Windows OS Build: 2600
Current Path: C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware
Install Path: C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\
Session.RunMode: 5
Session.TimeBombDaysRemaining: 221
Session.TimeBombExpirationDate: 7/31/2006
Real-time protection running: True
Real-time protection enabled: True
Security Agents Application Enabled: True
Security Agents Internet Enabled: True
Security Agents System Enabled: True
Security Agents Checkpoints: 59
Definitions Update Date: 7/5/2005 2:25:19 PM
AutoUpdater Enabled: 1
AutoUpdater AutoApply Enabled: 1
Definitions Increment Version: 84/84
Definitions ThreatAuditThreatData: 1447565
Definitions ThreatAuditScanData: 2558768
Definitions DeterminationData: 489910
Software Update Check Date: 7/5/2005 2:25:30 PM
AutoUpdater Software Enabled: 1
TotalThreatsDetected: 0
TotalScansRun: 25
LastScanDate: 12/21/2005 4:00:20 PM
Is US Locale: True
Locale Language: English (United States):English (0409)
Locale Country: United States:United States (1)
Processor Identifier: x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 4
Processor Name: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.53GHz
IE Version: 6.0.2900.2180
msvbvm60.dll: 6.0.96.90
vbscript.dll: 5.6.0.8820
gcUnCompress.dll: 2.0.701.10
gcmd5query.dll: 1.0.0.1
openports.dll:
SDelete.dll:
gcASSoapLib.dll: 1.0.0.701
gcPorttoProcess.dll:
gcTCPObjLib.dll: 1.0.0.701
gcasDtServ.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcAntiSpywareLibrary.dll: 1.0.0.701
gcIPtoHostQueue.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcasServ.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcasServAlert.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcasServHook.dll:
gcASHashLibrary.dll:
gcASThreatAudit.dll: 1.0.0.701
gcASCleaner.exe: 1.0.0.701
GIANTAntiSpywareUpdater.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcASPrivacyLib.dll: 1.0.0.701
gcASShredCtxShell.dll:
gcasSWUpdater.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcSoftwareUpdateLib.dll: 1.0.0.701
GIANTSpywareScan.exe:
gcasDtServ Status: Loaded
gcasDtServ IsAuthorized: True
gcAntiSpywareLibrary Status: Loaded
gcAntiSpywareLibrary IsAuthorized: True
gcASThreatAudit Status: Loaded
gcASThreatAudit IsAuthorized: True
Now: 12/22/2005 10:06:08 AM

 

[Guest]

Engel,

I did by turning each of them off independantly one at a time and also tried
disabling both at the same time....same result for all 3 methods

 

[Guest]

I would have also tried by back-up dial-up line but Bell South has those down
for today....unsure when that will be back up

 

[Dave M]

Joe, out of curiosity, are your Norton firewall permissions set to "automatic"
or "permit all" for the FIVE executables that MSAS specifically needs permission
for to access the internet? I believe they should have Norton "permit all",
see if that helps.

These are (from Mikolaj Kaminski):

1. GiantAntiSpywareMain.exe (the primary Microsoft AntiSpyware application)
2. GiantAntiSpywareUpdater.exe (provides functionality to update the latest
spyware definitions)
3. gcasDtServ.exe (provides access to SpyNet for reporting unknown applications)
4. gcasServAlert.exe (provides access to SpyNet for reporting unknown
applications)
5. gcasSWUpdater.exe (should also be allowed to access the Internet for updates)

 

[Guest]

Dave,
Thanks for the try
They were set to "Automatic....so I deleted them and re-added them with all
set to "Permit"......no change still cannot update definitions

 

[Dave M]

Well thanks for taking a look... that was actually a Webroot suggestion, I
think this will do it for you though:

Try this (Bill Sanderson):

start
all programs
accessories
communications
new connection wizard
next
connect to the internet
next
set up my connection manually
next
connect using a broadband connection that is always on
Finish

 

[Guest]

Dave,
Tried that without any change.....also I got back my dialtone so I connected
via my dial-up, disabling the high speed connection and still the same......I
am at a loss here......help

 

[Guest]

I also had tried completely uninstalling MSAS (including deletion of the
directories) and installing it fresh.....still NG

 

[Dave M]

Hi Joe;
I really thought that was going do the trick, sorry. Meanwhile, I looked over
your past posts and realized that you're definitions are way way behind. This
seems very strange since you've installed the .701 which should come with at
least recent definitions. Please give this a try and see if we can't jump start
the definition updates:

There is a completely manual download/apply/update procedure if you (or anyone
else
that really needs immediate updates) wish.

Follow these steps:

Right click on MSAS icon within systray and choose Shutdown.

Go to these sites:

http://download.spynet.com/ASDefinitions/gcDeterminationData.gcd

http://download.spynet.com/ASDefinitions/gcThreatAuditScanData.gcd

http://download.spynet.com/ASDefinitions/gcThreatAuditThreatData.gcd

Save and overwrite if necessary these files to C:\Program files\Microsoft
Antispyware (or your favorite MSAS foldername)

Restart MSAS

Then would you run another diagnostics and post the complete results. I see
that your last updates were: Definitions Update Date: 7/5/2005

That should at least get you current and safer, then we'll see where to go from
there, but if the autoupdates don't kick in, I'm leaning toward:

Uninstall MSAS via Add/Remove,
Delete MSAS folder including all subfolders,

delete in C:\windows\system32 the following files (which will be re-installed):
GCCollection.dll
hashlib.dll
gcUnCompress.dll

run a regceaner (CCleaner)
http://www.ccleaner.com/ccdownload.asp
Use the Cleaner and Issues functions of CCleaner.

Do a fresh install with version .701 to a non-default location, for instance
C:\program files\MSAS

 

[Guest]

Dave, Sorry to say but I did both sets of instructions and still NG on the
"Check for updates" , still getting the "Warning, could not connect to the
internet"message.
Here is the new diagnostic report:

Microsoft AntiSpyware version 1.0.701
Windows OS: XP
Windows OS Version Info: 148
Windows OS Major Version: 5
Windows OS Minor Version: 1
Windows OS Build: 2600
Current Path: C:\Program Files\MSAiS
Install Path: C:\Program Files\MSAiS\
Session.RunMode: 5
Session.TimeBombDaysRemaining: 219
Session.TimeBombExpirationDate: 7/31/2006
Real-time protection running: True
Real-time protection enabled: True
Security Agents Application Enabled: True
Security Agents Internet Enabled: True
Security Agents System Enabled: True
Security Agents Checkpoints: 59
Definitions Update Date: 12/24/2005 6:03:34 AM
AutoUpdater Enabled: 1
AutoUpdater AutoApply Enabled:
Definitions Increment Version: 138/138
Definitions ThreatAuditThreatData: 1345263
Definitions ThreatAuditScanData: 2963787
Definitions DeterminationData: 744384
Software Update Check Date:
AutoUpdater Software Enabled:
TotalThreatsDetected: 0
TotalScansRun: 2
LastScanDate: 12/24/2005 6:14:59 AM
Is US Locale: True
Locale Language: English (United States):English (0409)
Locale Country: United States:United States (1)
Processor Identifier: x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 4
Processor Name: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.53GHz
IE Version: 6.0.2900.2180
msvbvm60.dll: 6.0.96.90
vbscript.dll: 5.6.0.8820
gcUnCompress.dll: 2.0.701.10
gcmd5query.dll: 1.0.0.1
openports.dll:
SDelete.dll:
gcASSoapLib.dll: 1.0.0.701
gcPorttoProcess.dll:
gcTCPObjLib.dll: 1.0.0.701
gcasDtServ.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcAntiSpywareLibrary.dll: 1.0.0.701
gcIPtoHostQueue.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcasServ.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcasServAlert.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcasServHook.dll:
gcASHashLibrary.dll:
gcASThreatAudit.dll: 1.0.0.701
gcASCleaner.exe: 1.0.0.701
GIANTAntiSpywareUpdater.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcASPrivacyLib.dll: 1.0.0.701
gcASShredCtxShell.dll:
gcasSWUpdater.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcSoftwareUpdateLib.dll: 1.0.0.701
GIANTSpywareScan.exe:
gcasDtServ Status: Loaded
gcasDtServ IsAuthorized: True
gcAntiSpywareLibrary Status: Loaded
gcAntiSpywareLibrary IsAuthorized: True
gcASThreatAudit Status: Loaded
gcASThreatAudit IsAuthorized: True
Now: 12/24/2005 6:25:42 AM

 

[Dave M]

No problem, Joe. The good news is your now up-to-date definition wise. In the
worst case you could run that manual update anytime after the new weekly
definitions are announced here and be current. That's a major step forward,
because you're now protected by the recent signature additions. The "Warning,
could not connect to the internet" message, is MSAS speak meaning MSAS itself
could not connect to the update servers in order to check for updates.

Also, there's other clues in that file, but I'm not sure what it all means:
gcmd5query.dll: 1.0.0.1
I have no such dll file anywhere on my system though it's listed in my
diagnostics without a version number , can you do a search and see where it's
located on your system?

Here's some other strangeness...
AutoUpdater AutoApply Enabled:
AutoUpdater Software Enabled:
These should have either a 1 or a 0 after them (meaning true or false) yours are
blanks.
Would you go to Options > Settings > icon AutoUpdater, and check mark everything
on that page as well as set the Check for updates to daily at some time when
you'd likely be online. Then most importantly hit SAVE (lower right), and
recheck diagnostics to confirm the 1 now follows those Enabled entries.

I'm mostly drawing blanks on this one, maybe I should just let a fresh pair of
eyes take a look at what we've done so far, since your in good shape safety
wise. I think you can feel some comfort in that alone.

 

[Guest]

Dave,

The Autoupdater options were checked but what I did was un-ckeck them - save
and then rechecked them and resaved, they now have the 1s as listed in this
new diagnosis report but the updater is still giving the same error message:

ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE HAVE ANY OTHER IDEAS

Microsoft AntiSpyware version 1.0.701
Windows OS: XP
Windows OS Version Info: 148
Windows OS Major Version: 5
Windows OS Minor Version: 1
Windows OS Build: 2600
Current Path: C:\Program Files\MSAiS
Install Path: C:\Program Files\MSAiS\
Session.RunMode: 5
Session.TimeBombDaysRemaining: 217
Session.TimeBombExpirationDate: 7/31/2006
Real-time protection running: True
Real-time protection enabled: True
Security Agents Application Enabled: True
Security Agents Internet Enabled: True
Security Agents System Enabled: True
Security Agents Checkpoints: 59
Definitions Update Date: 12/24/2005 6:03:34 AM
AutoUpdater Enabled: 1
AutoUpdater AutoApply Enabled: 1
Definitions Increment Version: 138/138
Definitions ThreatAuditThreatData: 1345263
Definitions ThreatAuditScanData: 2963787
Definitions DeterminationData: 744384
Software Update Check Date:
AutoUpdater Software Enabled: 1
TotalThreatsDetected: 0
TotalScansRun: 4
LastScanDate: 12/26/2005 2:00:15 AM
Is US Locale: True
Locale Language: English (United States):English (0409)
Locale Country: United States:United States (1)
Processor Identifier: x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 4
Processor Name: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.53GHz
IE Version: 6.0.2900.2180
msvbvm60.dll: 6.0.96.90
vbscript.dll: 5.6.0.8820
gcUnCompress.dll: 2.0.701.10
gcmd5query.dll: 1.0.0.1
openports.dll:
SDelete.dll:
gcASSoapLib.dll: 1.0.0.701
gcPorttoProcess.dll:
gcTCPObjLib.dll: 1.0.0.701
gcasDtServ.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcAntiSpywareLibrary.dll: 1.0.0.701
gcIPtoHostQueue.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcasServ.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcasServAlert.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcasServHook.dll:
gcASHashLibrary.dll:
gcASThreatAudit.dll: 1.0.0.701
gcASCleaner.exe: 1.0.0.701
GIANTAntiSpywareUpdater.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcASPrivacyLib.dll: 1.0.0.701
gcASShredCtxShell.dll:
gcasSWUpdater.exe: 1.0.0.701
gcSoftwareUpdateLib.dll: 1.0.0.701
GIANTSpywareScan.exe:
gcasDtServ Status: Loaded
gcasDtServ IsAuthorized: True
gcAntiSpywareLibrary Status: Loaded
gcAntiSpywareLibrary IsAuthorized: True
gcASThreatAudit Status: Loaded
gcASThreatAudit IsAuthorized: True
Now: 12/26/2005 1:05:09 PM

 

[Guest]

If this helps, I copied the entries from the "errors.log" file in the MSAS
directory:
7::ln 10:Out of memory::gcasDtServ:ScheduleScans:Update::12/24/2005 6:02:56
AM:XP:1.0.701
0::ln 0:Software updates could not contact update server,
IsConnectedToInternet returned false (Error:
1)::gcasSWUpdater:modMain:Main::12/24/2005 6:03:44 AM:XP:1.0.701
438::ln 0:Object doesn't support this property or
method::gcasDtServ:modMain:ShutDown::12/24/2005 6:09:03 AM:XP:1.0.701
7::ln 10:Out of memory::gcasDtServ:ScheduleScans:Update::12/25/2005 2:00:15
AM:XP:1.0.701
0::ln 0:Software updates could not contact update server,
IsConnectedToInternet returned false (Error:
1)::gcasSWUpdater:modMain:Main::12/25/2005 6:00:17 PM:XP:1.0.701
7::ln 10:Out of memory::gcasDtServ:ScheduleScans:Update::12/26/2005 2:00:14
AM:XP:1.0.701
0::ln 0:Software updates could not contact update server,
IsConnectedToInternet returned false (Error:
1)::gcasSWUpdater:modMain:Main::12/26/2005 1:15:16 PM:XP:1.0.701
0::ln 0:Software updates could not contact update server,
IsConnectedToInternet returned false (Error:
1)::gcasSWUpdater:modMain:Main::12/26/2005 1:15:22 PM:XP:1.0.701

 

[Bill Sanderson]

This is interesting--I don't have a machine handy at the moment to see the
current update number levels, but if I read this correctly, you are, in
fact, up to date--even though the machine claims it can't update.

I'll double check tomorrow, but I believe you are now on newer defs than
came with .701, so an update must have ocurred. It'd be interesting to know
how that was managed!

My money is on the firewall(s.)

I don't trust third party firewalls in terms of "off" being really "off."



--

 

[Guest]

Bill,

Dave M on 12/23 (see his reply) gave me manual download instructions to get
the latest signature files which required 3 separate downloads, that worked
as a work around until I can get the update working again.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

So--is a manual update the explanation for the 138/138?

That would make sense.

The error message can be caused by any break in connectivity between the app
and the def servers. This ranges from firewalls, to cables, to servers
down--and we see all of these in these groups.

I don't know how best to assure yourself that your firewalls are not the
issue--I'd be inclined to use msconfig, perhaps, to make sure all related
services are disabled--or perhaps safe mode with networking, if you are
behind a router or hardware firewall, or have the Windows firewall active.

--

 

[Guest]

I have a similar problem, I can manually update without any problem, but
every time I try to run I get the start up wizard operating to get me to
"save" things I thought had been saved.

I tried the workaround used in the past by changing language to English US
saving changes and resetting to English UK.
This doen't seem to work with the newer version.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Check my reply to your other post--not sure which group that was.