Maybee I would uninstall the program and download again - from Safer Networking them selves at the link below, update and run the program again.

There are rogue programs using very similar names to confuse people.

Here is a link that might be useful: Spybot S & D home pagsite

Owbist...that was the site where I was at...I followed the steps to the free download and it takes me right back to where I was..the same thing. I get a screen saying I have two parasites and I need to register. When I click to register, there is a fee

It also puts an icon right in my control panel along with it being listed under "add remove". I've seen Spybot recommended here but I just can't seem to make it work for me.

Wow! That seems something new. Perhaps visit Trend Micro and do a free online scan to rid yourself of whatever is there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Trend Micro - Housecall

Maybee,

Below is a link for S&D at FileHippo.com a respected mirror site. The link is for v1.5.1.15. This is the last true release ready for download version.

The two more current versions are beta and a decsion has to be made by the user as to whether or not to use.

DA

Here is a link that might be useful: File Hippo.com

I think I'm just going to not do this....after messing with it for a long time yesterday and coming up with nothing, I'm just going to bail. My blood pressure doesn't take too much of this stuff not working. I just thought it might be a good thing for me to have since so many have recommended it.

Good idea Maybee, no point in getting stressed out on one program when there are plenty of others equally as good. We need to enjoy our computers rather than have then seemingly control us LOL.

I tried the site that DA posted and, indeed, it takes you to Spybot S & D. Yes, the download is free and the installation is free, but you have to register it, and the registration "isn't" free....so this is no longer a free program.

Maybee, the link that DA posted does take you to the correct download site. It seems that maybe you clicked on the wrong download. Do NOT click on "spy bot" on the left side of the screen. The correct download is a GREEN arrow on the right side of the screen. Spybot Search and Destroy does not require a registration of any kind to use the program. The other download looks to be some rogue program using the similarity in names to trick you.

AVG Anti-Spyware (free) is a great alternative to Spybot S & D.

I have run them in competition to each other, with AVG Anti-Spyware removing more unwanted items.

Vista Home Premium.

Vista (Microsoft) attempts to corral the virus/spyware packaging with Windows Defender and Windows Firewall, making several alternatives un-loadable .

Hope this post is not off subject.

Okay, I got it this time...I swear that green arrow is what I clicked on yesterday. Now, I need to study up on the thing :o)

And here is some reading on spybot.

Here is a link that might be useful: Spybot Information

Thank you zep...I'm reading that and will print it off...

So...since I know nothing, how badly can I screw things up if I don't do it right?

I don't think you can hurt anything with spybot, the most important thing with any scanner is to be able to interpret the results of the scan and always be careful what you delete, most everything spybot finds can & should be deleted if in doubt never delete an item you are nor sure of, this is especially true when using any registry cleaner. The golden rule here:

If in doubt don't do anything....

Don't worry. I've used it for years and just let it do what it wants. I tell it to delete whatever it finds. I've never had a problem. I also use the Tea Timer which is part of Spybot.

Jane

My main complaint with Spybot S & D is that the scan takes so long. Of course, maybe it's doing a more thorough job than some of the others.

AVG is the longest scan I've ever used. Spybot is short compared to AVG. I run it at night and go to bed. Does anyone else find that it is very long? Just wondering if its just me...

Jane

AVG takes about half an hour here. It seems to use a ton of memory while running, which slows down other programs. Would imagine if you're a bit light on memory its going to be running the pagefile 'hard faults', lots of hard disk accesses.

Depending how thorough and how many files you have, SuperAntiSpyware (SAS) Free edition can be rather lengthy too. Mine takes about an hour

Okay...hate to keep beating a dead horse, but I keep coming up with things I wonder about. Does S & D always run in the background. I downloaded it and thought I would go easy and take things step by step and do my first scan when I had time..and I wanted to read the information zep suggested.

It puts an icon in my system tray which I don't like, but from what I read, I can change that when I use it for the first time.

But..this morning (and sorry I didn't save the exact message) when I booted up, there was a warning from S & D that there had been an unauthorized registry change and did I want to allow it? Well, the "when in doubt, do nothing" option wasn't there...I had to make a decision and since I know nothing, I clicked on "no". A little box then came up by my system tray that said something to the affect that there had been an unauthorized try to change my desktop.

As stated, I had clicked "no", and I can't see anything unusual now, but I haven't even used the program as yet.

I would prefer to run it manually when I want to run it and not have it running all the time...do you guys (and gals) do that? Is that the wise thing to do?

What you saw was the Tea Timer, it warns you of anything trying to change on your computer. It was probably warning you that SB was trying to put an icon on your start-up.

Its a good thing as it warns you when anything tries to change something. It warns of registry changes. It does run in the background keeping an eye on things. Spybot does not run unless you tell it to.

I like Tea Timer,

Jane

Ha ha, I like determined people and you seem very determined with this one.

I have never seen an icon in the system tray if you mean the area near the clock. Open the program, click Help and About to see which version you have installed. The latest is 1.5.2 RC1 which came out on January 9th. While you are there also click on Mode and see if you are running in Default or Advanced mode. Changing to Advanced brings up a cautionary warning.

Spybot S&D is an 'on demand' type program that runs only when instructed to do so by the operator. As an aside there are updates today, January 16th for those running the program.

Regarding the pop up warnings in the lower right corner are you sure those are from Spybot S&D?

Mine is started manually about every 1 to 2 weeks depending on my feeble memory.

Ah, while writing Jane replied. I have never ran Tea Timer because of comments elsewhere, perhaps I need to study thast a bit :-)

1.5 default mode....yes I am determined to master this...

But..there is an icon in my system tray down by the clock.

It's been my understanding that people who choose not to run Tea Timer do so because it (supposedly) is something of a resource hog.

Can any more experienced SB users confirm this ?

Here is a short run down on the Tea timer on Spybot.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tea timer article

Just for those who might be interested:

For those who do not know an RC 1 version is defined as a release candidate. In this case, v1.5.2 RC1 is still declared a beta on File Hippo.

File Hippo further reports beta software may contain more bugs than released version.

Be informed and make a well-rounded decision when installing any application.

DA

I used to use both Spybot S&D and Ad-aware. I found that if Ad-aware was run first, S&D found nothing more afterward.

So now I no longer use S&D, just Ad-aware SE personal (free from Lavasoft) in safe mode. Very good results, even if it occasionally can't remove something.

I just looked at Task Manager and it says Tea Timer is using 33,376K memory. Firefox, 80,384.

I don't know what that means - whether that is heavy. What I like is it warns you if some program is putting a icon on your start menu or wants to go into your start-up. It lets you know that something is attempting to change the registry. If you download something (like Spybot) it will warn you about the Google Toolbar if you forget to uncheck the box. It warns about Quicktime frequently.

I think its a neat feature. BTW, what is Search Indexer? (I noticed that in Task Manager.)
Jane

Search Indexer is one of Microsofts great features. They keep trying to improve it, several version around. It speeds up your local searches of your files. You know, when you click Start then Search files and folders.

Many people turn it off because it can slow down things & because it can use quite a bit of memory ...on some computers.

I"ve never been overly impressed with the free version of AA. My experiemces and from my readings I found it always to be "lite" and transparant. I used it in the old days along with S&D as there was nothing else to replace it. Now that there are other more viable options I wonder if AA's time has past.

When using AA I have never found anything other than cookies and insignificant data miners. I know of no one else who has ever detected anything significant with it, and delving into my memmory I do not recall anyone here reporting a horrific discovery. The same can be said for the other forums I participate in.

I ask, Has anyone ever detected a viable threat on their system using AA?

DA

Homebound...I think that is what started all of this discussion in the first place. AdAware SE is no longer supported. Yes, I had that for years and no...it never did find anything but tracking cookies. So..if AdAware SE no longer works you need another plan of action :o)

DA says, "For those who do not know an RC 1 version is defined as a release candidate. In this case, v1.5.2 RC1 is still declared a beta on File Hippo.

File Hippo further reports beta software may contain more bugs than released version."

Are you playing with my mind :o) Now...see you've gone and muddied the waters again....

Maybee hang in there.

This link will define the stages of an applications development.

Also, if you look up S&D on File Hippo you will notice the red box identifying the application as beta. Place your cursor over the word beta and the appearing box will present the quote I cited above.

No intention to throw you a bowling ball when you are treading water. I am a firm believer of providing complete information to users whenever I have it available so a user can make an informed decision.

DA

Here is a link that might be useful: Release Life Cycle

Maybee, as long as you downloaded using the GREEN arrow, you have the full final release version and not a beta version.

Sorry Bobbie but that is technically inaccurate. If you use "the green arrow" the appearing download box will clearly identify that the executable file is a RC1 rather than a full final release. Is an RC bad? Perhaps not. A user just has to be informed and prepared for still existing bugs.

DA