Just an FYI

  • Thread starter Thread starter R. McCarty
  • Start date Start date
R

R. McCarty

I've been using AntiSpyware since it's release with no issues.
However, I've encountered a situation that is worth passing on.

Since AntiSpyware doesn't use the Giant Cookie scanning, I
downloaded & installed Sunbelt's product. Luckily, I took a
system image before this misguided try out. And yes I know
that installing it wasn't a good idea.

Any way if you uninstall Sunbelt, it will damage or remove some
parts of MS-ASW and cause your system to act erratically.
So just be aware that mixing both ASW & Counterspy isn't
a good idea.
 
-----Original Message-----
I've been using AntiSpyware since it's release with no issues.
However, I've encountered a situation that is worth passing on.

Since AntiSpyware doesn't use the Giant Cookie scanning, I
downloaded & installed Sunbelt's product. Luckily, I took a
system image before this misguided try out. And yes I know
that installing it wasn't a good idea.
Click to expand...
Useful Tip, thanks, as I was thinking about trying
Counterspy.
That was last resort to remove spyware I cant delete.
Some tracker Cookies and executables.
Any tips

Regards.
 
Hi there,

Here's a letter from sunbelt about this,The letter isnt
correct about them both always running nicely
together.This is a known issue,that SunBelt missed on
their post. The same happened to me after having
Microsoft for some time and later on downloading
CounterSpy. No more Updates from Microsoft, so I asked
them and got the below reply.


Letter From Sunbelt
----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------

If you have both Microsoft AntiSpyware and CounterSpy
installed all should run well. We have tested this and
they seem to play nicely together when installed

However if you uninstall either one of the products the
other seems to break.

Scenario 1:
1. Both CounterSpy and Microsoft AntiSpyware installed
2. Uninstall CounterSpy
3. Microsoft's gcasDTServ.dll pegs CPU at 100% and will
not end from the task manager.

Workaround:
1. Boot Windows into Safe Mode
2. Launch msconfig and uncheck gcasServ.exe and any other
gc*.exe in the startup tab then restart. (If you are not
running a version of Windows that has msconfig you can
delete the registry entry
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersi
on\Run\gcasServ)
3. From Control Panel - Add or Remove Programs click on
Microsoft AntiSpyware and then click Change
4. In the installer click Update and follow the rest
5. Launch msconfig and check all the unchecked gcas*.exe
files (Confirm that gcasServ was added back to the
registry at the location above)
6. Reboot
7. All should be better

Scenario 2:
1. Both CounterSpy and Microsoft AntiSpyware installed
2. Uninstall Microsoft AntiSpyware
3. When CounterSpy is launched and an error message is
displayed and will not launch.

Workaround:
1. From the Control Panel - Add or Remove Programs click
on CounterSpy
2. Click the Change Button
3. In the installer click Update and follow the rest
4. Reboot
5. All should be better

Thanks,
Product Manager
Sunbelt Software

----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------

Ive not checked MS recently but their is some big
differences between the two products.

The CounterSpy installation is larger: 64 MB compared to
about 14 MB for MS.
The files examined by CS are about 62,000 compared to
20,000 by MS.
The Registry locations examined are about 12,000 for CS
and 8,500 for MS

CS have have their own definitions plus have all the
definitions that Microsoft send them so they are in a
stronger position than MS in my view,especially while MS
is still in the beta testing stage.


Regards

Andy Manc
 
I haven't tested this first hand, but the impression I have from other
messages in these groups, is that a repair installation of Microsoft
Antispyware should allow the two apps to coexist harmoniously. Control
panel, add or remove programs, Microsoft Antispyware, change, update.
 
Thanks Andre

I believe Counterspy now have a so called 'spy sniffer'
that works in the same way as google's site bots.

If you add a site into google's site submissions page
after a few days it sends a bot to the site you want to
add to scan everypage and get as much info as possible
about the site and also sends the bots back weekly.This
helps google update the search engines and be able to
show screen shots from the site so i think its a great
idea Counterspy have come up with a way to use the same
method to scan sites for malware/adware etc..

Ive not seen this in action but i do like the idea of it
and think Counterspy would have the best definitions
lists out of all the removers if that idea works out.I
dont use that either though as i never have enough
problems to justify paying for a spyware remover ;)


Andy
 
And somewhat more than half the installed base for Microsoft Antivirus
enable Spynet reporting--which is some of the muscle behind the definitions
in Microsoft Antispyware.

Counterspy needs their own mechanism, because in just a bit over 2 years,
the contract by which Microsoft is presently supplying definition
information to Sunbelt will expire.
 
Hi Bill,

Yeah i agree they need to work on their own definitions
which it appears they are trying to do but its a great
bonus to them having the best of both worlds with their
own methods and Microsofts definition information,

Like you say its going to expire in 2007 but untill MS
Antispy is fully released i dont think it can compete
with Counterspy, like you say though in 2007 it could be
the reverse with MS Antispy overtaking sunbelt,that side
it really up to MS though they need to keep the updates
coming to keep up with the spyware and find ways to make
removal effective even if it means a auto boot into safe
mode.Im not sure that feature will ever be added to a
remover though but its required a lot of the time .


Andy
 
Well Steve Dodson says they do better on the LSP breakage issue in the next
update--we'll see soon.
 
Yeah Bill im looking forward to testing the next version,

Im sure all pc users would rather use a scanner by
Microsoft than the some unknown remover from
www.InfectmewithaVirusPlease.com type sites

*thats not a real site but you know what i mean :)

Microsofts already got the customers so they dont need to
compete with anyone really im sure its all coming
together for them and will be great by the time its
released especially with all the feedback they generate
through this site,
 
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