Spyware Dr V4.0xxxx and PCTools Anti-Virus

[Jaguar]

I have been running Spyware V4.0...something on XP SP2 for over a year and haven't had a problem. I recently added the PCTools Anti-virus program because of frustrations with Norton V7.0. Both had run fine for a week or so. I now have problems with Spyware Dr V4.0xxx and the PCTools Anti-Virus. This past weekend I started getting the "update failed" message on both PCTools products and then I was able to connect to the internet but Interent Explorer V7.0 and Outlook Express would not work - I would get error messages as if I was not connected. (I did check at the command prompt and yes I was connected to the internet). So I uninstalled and re-installed both PCTools products and I was able to use the internet AS LONG AS I DID NOT TRY UPDATING BOTH PCTools products. I also had anti-virus protection tell me I had 953 days left on my 1-year subscription. Huh? This message eventually corrected itself mysteriously to show alittle less than 1 year. I tried updating both products 2 nights ago and that worked and mymachine worked fine afterwards! So I thought the 2 PCTools programs cured themselves.

NOW, last night I tried to update both products again. They updated just fine. But when I tried to use the computer after updating I was locked out of the internet again just like a few days before! I immediately tried my old trick of uninstalling and reinstalling. I had no problem with PCTools Antivirus but Spyware Doctor was a real pain. It was running continuously in the background (showing no icon) using 90%+ of the CPU clock cycles. I eventually stopped Spyware Dr. in the CPU usage screen. I was then able to uninstall and reinstall. I now can use the internet again!

After all of this:

Question - do these PCTools products have a compatiability issue? (I updated both products consectuctively without a re-boot.) Do I need to update 1, reboot, update the other, and then reboot again?

Question - what in these PCTools programs is locking me out of the internet after updating?

Question - After my uninstall and reinstalls (without consequential updating) both PCTools programs show they are updated up-to-date. Is this actually correct?

Thanks -

[mjq424]

Hi
Can you say precisely which versions of both programs you are using?
There should not be a compatibility issue here (i have run both these programs together before). The most likely thing locking you out of internet is the antivirus as this has a LSP (Layered Service Provider) to filter your internet traffic. Can you try turning Internet Guard off in PCTAV?
For updates, can you say what database versions are present for both programs?

[Jaguar]

I am at work right now but I can check those things at home tonight.

Thanks -

[mjq424]

Ok
Let me know

[Jaguar]

For my Spyware Dr. the Product version is 4.0.0.2621 and the database version is 3.06221

For my PCTools Anti-Virus the Product version is 3.1.0.14, the engine version is 4.03.11 and the database version is 9.066.001

Right now my IE V7 and Outlook Express are working. I can turn off the Internet Browser Filter (HTTP) and the File Transfer Filter (FTF). I can also deactivate all of OnGuard.

[mjq424]

Hi
Your problem may lie withing the LSP (Layered Service Provider) in PCTAV as this filters all internet traffic (regardless of whether internet guard is on/off). A new version of PCTAV has been released (3.1.0.17). Can you please download it and try the following:
1. Shutdown PCTAV (right-click on the systray icon and select shutdown/exit)
2. Uninstall PCTAV using the PC Tools uninstaller
3. Restart PC
4. Install the new version downloaded (check before installing that it is 3.1.0.17)
Hope that helps

[Jaguar]

I'll download the newer release and install it per your instructions.

Thanks -

[mjq424]

Hi
Please let me know if your problem persists.