BleepingComputer.com: Had To Remove Spybot S&d

Hi All.

Please move this post if I've put it in the wrong place. Even though the issue is with Spybot, it's not a malware problem so I thought it might be better suited to this forum rather than the security forum.

Here's a brief outline of what's happened:

I have/had Spybot S&D 1.5. I checked for updates and downloaded them, without looking what they were first! It turns out that one of them was an update to version 1.6.

Halfway through the update it had a problem. I can't remember exactly what it was, but it was along the lines of: it couldn't replace a file. I was given three choices, cancel, retry, or skip (not recommended). I re-tried several times and then gave up and cancelled. It left a shortcut for the set-up of v.1.6 on the desktop.

Research suggested v.1.5 should be removed before installing v.1.6, so I decided to remove everything related to SS&D and then to start again. Removed two instances of Spybot from Add/Remove Programs. This left the 1.6 set-up icon on the desktop and an entry for Spybot S&D > Advanced on the Start - All Programs list.

More research took me to the How To ... section on the Spybot S&D site, where I found this:

If you want to completely get rid of Spybot-S&D and the Add/Remove does not help, you can delete the installation folder (usually C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\), then download this very small fix and execute it (important! - this will remove all remains from the registry).

I followed the above steps and after running the download a box came up with the following:

Registry Editor

Are you sure you want to add the information in C:\Documents and Settings\mumzy\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\017UC2IU\Remove-spybotsd-settings[1].reg to the registry?
Yes / No

I selected Yes, and that was that.

However, I'd like to know if adding an entry like this is a common way to remove registry entries? And could anyone explain this process to me in simple terms, if poss, please?

Also, I tried opening the Spybot S&D > Advanced, on the Start - All Programs list, but it couldn't find the relevant file/folder so asked me if I wanted to delete the entry, which I did. Hopefully, that part of SS&D has now been removed completely.

As for the desktop icon for the set-up of v.1.6, when opened the set-up screen appeared. How far the set-up process would've gone, I don't know; I'm not sure if any of it was removed with the rest of SS&D. I deleted it (it's still in the recycle bin, though), but don't know how to check for any remaining files, etc..

All-in-all, I've made a right hash of removing this program - and I was only trying to update Spybot!

Any suggestions for how to check for any left over files, or what to do next, would be greatly appreciated. I would love to avoid any more problems when I download v.1.6 again.

Many thanks & kind regards,

A-K

I have spybot 1.6 and when you look for updates sometimes they fail to update, and says 'Bad scum!' Something beside them lines it may just have a few bugs as its just been relesed.

Yes, that is a normal procedure for updating the registry. The .reg file is a script instructing the Registry Editor what registry keys to modify.

Its contents are:

"REGEDIT4

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\PepiMK Software\SpyBotSnD]
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\PepiMK Software\SpyBotSnD]

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\SpybotSD.exe]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\SpyBotSnD]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Spybot - Search & Destroy_is1]

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F}]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"SpybotSD TeaTimer"=-

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.disabled]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.sbb]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.sbe]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.sbi]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.sbs]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.tnfo]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.uti]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.uts]

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SpybotSD.DisabledFile]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SpybotSD.SBBFile]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SpybotSD.SBEFile]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SpybotSD.SBIFile]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SpybotSD.SBSFile]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SpybotSD.TInfoFile]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SpybotSD.UTIFile]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SpybotSD.UTSFile]"

The - at the beginning of each entry will cause that registry key to be deleted if it exists.

Another method to try for corrupted software installation/removals (if an aid like this script is not provided) is to obtain the installer for the exact program version, install it again, reboot to ensure all installation tasks are completed and then un-install it. Hopefully this subsequent proper uninstall should complete and do the job correctly.

However I expect you should be set now to successfully install Ver 1.6

This post has been edited by Platypus: 09 August 2008 - 06:24 AM

Thanks, samuel3.

I occasionally had the same problem with failing to update (bad checksum), in the previous two versions of Spybot S&D. Apparently, this happens when lots of people are downloading from the same server.

However, if you select another download location from the list, and try again, the update will usually install successfully. I read that if you choose a location nearer to your own, the update has a better chance of being successful.

As for bugs in the new release of Spybot - after several hours of reading about it, it definitely has some issues. I'd suggest checking out their forums if you've noticed anything with your own PC since downloading v.1.6, particularly any slowing down. Hopefully though, you've not had any problems with it.

Thanks again,

A-K

I agree with the tactic of trying again from a different server if you get a checksum error. Selecting the SaferNetworking servers, it's a long time since I've seen one.

So far V1.6 hasn't shown any bugs for me.

Thanks, Platypus,

for your informative response. Although I can't claim to completely understand how it works, I certainly get the gist, and feel more comfortable, now knowing what it was that I added to the registry.

I'll go ahead then and install v.1.6; I'll post how it goes - hopefully, there won't be a problem.

Thanks again for taking the time to explain the .reg file, it's much appreciated.

Regards,

A-K

samuel3, on Aug 9 2008, 06:21 AM, said:

Now that was funny!

But seriously, A-K is correct. When a bad checksum!!! error appears, it usually means the server connection has dropped. In such a case, all you need to do is change to a different download location. The servers are often overloaded, especially on days when updates are issued. The location closest to you isn't always the fastest, but it is a good idea to try it first.

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/faq/20.html

Regards,

This post has been edited by Galadriel: 10 August 2008 - 02:46 PM