Spyware, viruses, & security : Regarding anti-spyware programs
No longer use Spybot
by phil66 - 2/28/07 7:26 PM In reply to: (NT) Your welcome,thanx for posting back by tomronWould you like to eleborate as to why you no longer use Spybot.
Maybe you can convince me as to why I have been leaning towards uninstalling.
Ray
(NT) I got tired of tea timer
by tomron - 2/28/07 7:38 PM In reply to: No longer use Spybot by phil66spybot
by bigskygramps1 - 3/3/07 8:58 AM In reply to: (NT) I got tired of tea timer by tomronusded to use spybot, but found it did not get anywhere near the spies that some others do. for one adware personal, works great, and is free, has updates all the time
Spybot and Ad(a)ware
by one2three - 3/3/07 3:35 PM In reply to: spybot by bigskygramps1Is that Ad-Aware SE Personal, or is it another product? I use Ad-Aware and Spybot . . . don't really know why I'm mentioing that! :S
I AM Still using Tea Timer (bit of pest occasionally) since
by tobeach - 2/28/07 10:11 PM In reply to: No longer use Spybot by phil66I chose not to purchase full paid AVG AS 7.5 (Ewido). I have kept the free scanner, but had I purchased full version with it "background guard" I would then keep Spybot and disable the Tea Timer portion as coverage would be equal or better than TT and would avoid possible conflicts (of 2 background guards). My faith in the trust worthiness of Patrick & Team is greater than with any other product.
For example: When pressured by numerous rogues claiming defamation and demanding to be removed from scan until convicted in court (decades away?) most programs just quietly drop them from scan list (usually with no warning to users).
Spybot , in contrast, puts a check mark in user accessible box in the "ignore products" list, where the user can remove the check mark to return the rogue to the scan for removal . This is & should be the users right since it's his /her machine (You listening, MS??).
This is CLEARLY indicative of Spybots "Our users protection, first & foremost" corporate mentality. Wish I could say same of all.
Admittedly, with such limited resources (compared to Symantec, McAfee, AVG etc.) Spybots' scans list is by necessity more limited/ selective. You don't see them spending their limited funds, on multiple corporate take-overs to limit/remove the competition.
As I said, in my books, they are trustworthy to the MAX. JMHO. 
Spybot
by phil66 - 3/1/07 9:14 AM In reply to: I AM Still using Tea Timer (bit of pest occasionally) since by tobeachHi Sandy
Now you have opened a whole new can of worms and need to help me sort them out.
I have not used tea timer for years because of the resources hog that it is.
I have kept Spybot around because of the host file.
I use Win Patrol to control the changes to my regristry.
I use Spyware Terminator for real time protection.
I use avg as for offline scanning.
If I uninstall Spybot do I need to install a host file to replace the one in spybot.
My problem with spybot is that it never finds any problems when the other scanners find minor or critical problems. I understand that it does not detect the same type of problems at all times but at other times they are the same problems as other programs and still no detection.
Seems redundant to run something that no longer is top of the heap software.
Thanks for the reply
Ray
Hi, Ray Sorry for being so long replying.....
by tobeach - 3/3/07 11:56 PM In reply to: Spybot by phil66Yes, given the group of other guards you have, I believe you are plenty covered w/ or without Spybot.
Yes, a host file is something to have (there are several other well known ones) but most important is to "lock" it as "read only" so it can't be invaded and used against you. I also like S&Ds lock down of your Home & Search pages to stop browser hijackings as well as the ease of removing the numerous re-directs that came w/ XP OS (approximately 6 of each).
I also like & use S&Ds start-up programs service to select what runs at boot up. I find it easier than MSConfig.
Note that these type of features tend to be offered mostly in the "Advanced Mode" which many don't know exists until told of them.
Another factor (which I just got hit with by AVG AS) is the frequency of false positives. I made the mistake of accepting at face value, without further checking, and proceeded to have it remove several things I shouldn't have. It seems the more sophisticated the program, the more frequent the FPs. Kaspersky & several others have been known for this.
You mention others finding something S&D scans for but S&D didn't find.....that is when I'd suspect a FP as possible.
I mentioned how many ,if not most, other programs tend to cave and leave you exposed to malware they don't want to fight with ($$$). This has to be considered also.
I recall getting hit with one of the Virtu Monde group (Spy Sheriff etc) and although Spybot Tea Timer didn't completely prevent attack, it prevented so many reg changes in a few seconds, that I was able to clean it up with my normal method, without having to go through the program downloads etc. that most have to. I cleaned it, while off-line, in 1+ hours simply 'cause it couldn't get rooted properly (Thanks TT).
Since then I do use TT as it's my only reg protection despite occasional annoyances. Mind you, ALL my protections are Free as I won't expose my Credit Cards to the Web.
Choice is yours as always & to be truthful, I've had basically way fewer problems since getting a hardwired router which may do more good than I know. Thanks for posting your points Ray!!
Spybot is brill . . don't use it??
by one2three - 3/3/07 2:49 AM In reply to: I AM Still using Tea Timer (bit of pest occasionally) since by tobeachSorry, but it seems very sad what you are saying. Spybot is a product that you support "to the max" but you have stopped using it, and inadvertently advise others to follow the same path, presumably in favour of using programs and supporting organisations which you do not rate so highly? 
I guess I also don't understand why, if you had a full version of AVG, you would continue to use Spybot, but as you've only got the free edition you don't???
Hi, One2Three. I'm Afraid You've Misunderstood Some of ...
by tobeach - 3/4/07 12:17 AM In reply to: Spybot is brill . . don't use it?? by one2threemy comments. I said "they are "trustworthy" to the MAX.".
I did not say I have stopped using it (S&D). I still use it including Tea Timer. My point was AVG AS (EWIDO) background guard was equally as good or better (?)(more coverage?) and to avoid possible conflicts between the two, I would choose one: TT or AS paid background. I would still keep & use the rest of Spybot even with Paid Full AVG AS.
Sorry for any lack of clearness on my part. I tend to post in the fuzzy hours past 3am local as that's the only time I have available & brain may get fuzzy then!! 
Tea Timer works fine
by trialmanager - 3/4/07 8:28 AM In reply to: No longer use Spybot by phil66and it's not as intrusive as the Spyware Terminator's Realtime Shield (so far the only thing it didn't ask my authorization for is to let me go to the toilette).
Its even less intrusive than CounterSpy in asking you authorizations to run sofware.
In Addition
by tigercat1963 - 3/2/07 4:58 PM In reply to: In addition by tomronI don't recommend CCleaner, the latest version can mess your system up real bad, it has did it 3 times to my system, and I won't use it again, I use Nod32, it is a Antivirus and Adware program in one, it does the job for me.
tigercat1963
by tomron - 3/2/07 7:49 PM In reply to: In Addition by tigercat1963"I use Nod32, it is a Antivirus and Adware program in one"
What does that have to do with ccleaner which is a registry cleaner.I don't normally hear any negativefeedback regarding ccleaner.
Tom
Sorry to Read You've Had Problems w/CCleaner....
by tobeach - 3/4/07 12:49 AM In reply to: In Addition by tigercat1963most unusual to see. It is possible (to my cautious mind) to be too aggressive with the settings (MRUs etc)& use of some features such as cleaning registry
"Issues" but I find that possible with any program that cleans registry items.
I tend to use CCleaner mostly as a temp file (IE/Mozilla/Java & history cleaner.Daily. I suggest not using the toolbar version (use "Slim" version instead). See my recent post on settings I use:
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6142_102-0.html?forumID=5&threadID=236150&messageID=2417291#2417291
Beyond that, as a general thought, that I'm coming more to follow as MS puts out more OS versions (later than mine: MCE,Vista IE7 etc.), which these program providers have to accommodate by re-working their current offerings to be compatible with, it seems they are often degrading the compatibility with my system as each new version appears.
I'm coming to believe if I have a good working version of something, without any bugs that affect me, I tend to keep & use it as is. CCleaner is a possible case in point. I just stopped getting new versions back at version 134 which showed none of the bugs mentioned as being fixed in newer versions. I've used it since back in the low 120 versions. I won't be going to IE7 (as I don't use IE and don't need new bugs). Just call me stick-in-the-mud!!
Clean UP?
by tallin - 3/13/07 11:51 AM In reply to: In addition by tomronWhat do you think of Cleanup Tomron? It has been recommended to me to use in the default settings only? Would like your comments please?
http://www.majorgeeks.com/CleanUp_d4895.html
kind regards,
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