Genealogy Chat

Can anyone recommend a free download to detect and remove spyware please. I have tried spybot but it keeps freezing mid scan - are there any other programs??

Hi Heather I use Ad-Aware and Spyware Blaster as recommended by Judy in the States. I have virtually no problem with pop ups and spyware these days Jeanette x

This product is very good (Ad-Aware SE). http://www.lavasoft*com/ (change the * for a dot!) Free to download too. Jason.

Think that's the Ad-aware one isn't it Jason?

Hi Heather, Try the free Windows AntiSpyware from the Microsoft website. It is the top option under 'Popular Downloads' on the main page www(.)microsoft(.)com. It is only a Beta edition, but it blows everything else out of the water! I had a browser hijacker spyware on my PC. Used SpyBot, then Adaware and both of these could not remove it, even though they detected it. Finally installed the AntiSpyware from Microsoft and it was gone in 10 minutes! Tracy

Hi, many thanks - I already have Ad-Aware. I have run a scan from one anti spyware site and it came up with something like 130 potential hazards, including some dangerous but it requires you to buy their product before they will remove them! Spybot search and destroy is just freezing. I cant have the microsoft one as you need XP or 2000 and I have ME. I have looked at the spyware blaster and that says it will not remove any spyware on your pc, just stop any further infections. Oh dear. Any other suggestions please guys?

Are you sure you have the latest version of Ad-Aware SE? Maybe uninstall the version you have and then download the latest version. I think it may have the latest definition files that have the latest info on zapping the nasty files that get into your PC. Worth a try, it worked for me. J.

Heather If you go to Spybot site it gives a list of programs that can conflict with them it could be that, is it stopping a the same point each time? you can e-mail them with your problem. I use AVG, Avast, Ad-aware plus Spy-bot with Windows XP and they all seem to run together OK.

The one program I am a bit concerned about is my free sygate which does seem to cause some sites to freeze and then I get a smc not responding message. On spybot it freezes after finding 3 items and I get an error occurred message and then something in german! What worries me is when I ran a top starred spy detector it came up with lots of items including some key striker spies. None of these had been detected by my ad-aware or any other program I run.

Try cw shredder

Heather Sorry bit late getting back, if you still have problems try Spybot forum www(.)forums(.)net-integration(.)net/index(.)php?showtopic=28120# That has a list of all spy-bot problems and fix's, I kept getting an error message in German a few months ago but a update fix it. Keith

My adaware removes eveything for free.

Hi, what worried me is a ran a scan from a '5 star' spy remover program and it found dozens of scarey ones. Yet I have had ad-aware and avg7 on all the time plus sygate firewall. I will have a look at that Keith see if the patch will work. Thanks.

Keith - no luck. Ive checked and its says Im up to date, even with the skins for colour blind people!!(?). But ran scan again and up pops Z-Demon error daten fur (something or other). What a nuisance.

Just for the record.....ADAWARE has two versions, one is free, the other on you pay for.....not much difference between the two.....both are available on the LAVASOFT website. Judy :)

Heather Is this the message Z-Demon (Ungultiger Datentyp fur ') is there any mention of Altnet or Kazaa? Keith

Yes Keith, thats the message. No mention of the others though. Just that message and then underneath, Congratulations, you are clean (or whatever!).

Heather It looks like spy-bot had a version that removed Z-Demon but for other reasons it was removed www(.)forums(.)net-integration(.)net/index(.)php?showtopic=25904&st=0&#entry121114 Lots of answers here some technical some not, they have a new Beta version but no good for ME, does give web site to download old version. Also this site claims (Y a h o o) free anti-spy removes it. www(.)faqfarm(.)com/Q/How_do_you_remove_Z-demon I'm not that technical maybe someone with a little more knowledge on site could comment. Keith

Keith, many thanks for your advice. I have been to the majorgeeks site and read that Spybot is giving a false 'clear' reading unless you have downloaded the DSO exploit patch. I have done that and it has whizzed through and cleared the ZDemon. Many thanks - may be others should be checking this out as it does say that you have no major threats but in fact that may not be true.