I need to remove Spybot. When I boot up I get a message "Loading Spybot Search and Destroy", but it doesn't quite load. A message comes up, "Get Legal Stuff...etc." and continues, "If you remove this message..." I click OK, and a box comes up that says "Error". It has a red O with a white X in it. I can click OK, but I have to End Task to get rid of the Error box and Spybot to start using the computer. In the background is Spysweeper. I suspect that it is not doing whatever it is that it does because when I End Task, Spysweeper also goes away, even though I am only End Tasking Spybot.

You have spybot set to run at start up and the same for spysweeper. I'm not fimiliar with spysweeper but I can help you with spybot. Let your computer start up and open spybot At the top click on mode and select advanced, click on settings and then click on settings in the menu, scroll down to automation and uncheck the first 3 boxes under program start, the put a check next to no automation in the next set. Spyware sweeper should have something similar.

You may have a conflict with SpySweeper as well. I would suggest you uninstall both then reinstall, as you are asking about. Besides if you are still running version 1.3 of Spybot you need to upgrade to 1.4 as the older version won't update any more.

Follow unrepper's advice on how to disable Spybot's automation and then do the following to uninstall:

Open 1.3 . Go to Immunize. Click on UNDO at the top. At the bottom, take the checkmark OUT of "BrowserHelper> "Enable permanent blocking..."
This will disable all protection. Make sure ALL has been disabled.
If you are using Spybot's TeaTimer disable all protection there as well.
If Opera Browser is installed, de-select protection for Opera Immunity
Then go to Add/Remove programs via Start>Settings>Control Panel and REMOVE Spybot.
Reboot
Go to your Program Files and delete the old Spybot folder.
Delete the old desktop icon.
Then you are ready to install the new version.

Download Spybot S&D 1.4 here:
http://safer-networking.org/en/news/2005-05-31.html
or
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download2471.html

Before uninstalling SpySweeper:

Open SpySweeper and click Options | Program Options.
- Uncheck "load at windows startup".
Over to the left click "shields" and uncheck all options:
- Uncheck "home page shield".
- Uncheck 'automaticly restore default without notifiction.
-If you have an icon in the system tray, right click it and choose Exit.

I don't recommend ever using the automated scanning with Spybot. They have always had problems getting it to work right. Just scan with it once or twice a week unless you're doing a bunch of high risk surfing/downloading.

Thanks for your instructions. I have followed them explicitly. Removing Spybot 1.3 seemed to be a breeze (altho I keep finding shadows of it in the most unlikely places); however, when I tried to load Spybot 1.4, big problems. I'll elaborate when I have more time.

In the meantime, my computer is working much better and, the best part, my geekless husband, is not frustrated by it.

Thanks for your help. I'll keep in touch since I came across Spykiller as well as Spysweeper and I doubt seriously if either of these is doing it's thing.

spaynneuter

If you have Spykiller, you need to uninstall it, as it's on the Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites list.

I found a thread of Spykiller when I went to Start, Find, Files and Folders, Browse, Spykiller. But I don't know if it's doing anything. How do I get rid of it?

Is it listed in your Add/Remove Programs list?

No. Spykiller isn't listed in the add/remove programs list nor is it listed in my programs list (from the Start menu).

What was the complete path to the file?