Spyware Doctor Version 4 useless or not ?

[misery]

This is a question for both Pctools Support and other users (or former users).

I have the Spyware Doctor 4.0, with a subscription running till November 2007. I was refused a refund.

I have explained elsewhere why I won't 'upgrade' to 4.1. I am not bothered by the 'long' time it takes for the Spyware Doctor to start up, since I do that only once or twice a day. It's not as if I need to attend that.

The Total Disaster with Version 5, the fact that 4.1 gave some users problems (reminds me of Version 5), the problem with cookies, and as I recall the fact that Pctools 'forgot' to include the browser scanner and some other issues have really ensured that I won't 'upgrade' to 4.1. (Don't even mention version 5 !)

Recently, even after the latest Microsoft updates, I have been getting a lot of bad stuff on my computer. (Almost never in the past). And I'm not referring to cookies or anything like that. More serious stuff. Don't ask me for the specifics, I forgot. It usually doesn't happen if I visit a site like yahoo or the website of the BBC, but if I do some research (often with google) I tend to catch bad stuff. And I don't even visit sites that one can expect to be shady. Fortunately, a scan with the Spyware Doctor reveals at least some of it, but it's active protection seems pretty bad. I even use it together with a different antispyware program. They (mostly) use different ways of active protection.

So, what is going on ? Should I just give up on the Spyware Doctor ?

I really don't like this !

[allibear]

Misery all I can say is that I never had a problem with getting infected when I was using SD4 with the On-Guard on, which I used for a year. (I use neither at the moment as I had a chance to get out when all this fiasco with SD5 started, and switched to another product). I still haven't had any problems with getting infected.

What kind of infections are you picking up and what locations are the scan results pointing to on your PC. Are spyware/adware/malicious programs etc. actually installing?

No product is 100% against everything. Did you try the McAffee Site Advisor, just as an additional 'tool'?

I research around google a lot too but I do practice caution. Do you do much downloading? Sometimes your defences can get by-passed with another download. The Internet is an unsafe place these days, you don't have to go to particularly shady places to pick something up. Vigilance and using the head are the best ways to keep out of danger, backed up of course with your security apps. for those momentary lapses when the head ceases to function LOL :D :D :D ).

[Chippa]

Howdy Misery and Allibear :)

Version 4.1 is exactly like the 4.0, but with enhanced OnGuard tools. This to me is still the award winning product as the original 4.0. There are no problems with it. With programs such as these even though most PC's it will run smoothly, you will always get some pc's which will come across these rare bugs. It may only affects a small proportion of PC's. Even with the award winning 4.0, some users would have come across these problems regardless. Not one software is perfect. :D

Protection against malware/spyware is still as good as it was. Still my favourite anti-spyware remover. But like allibear says, not one anti-spyware remover is 100%. You will always have one that will miss something that another will detect. Good idea to have a few other software to help, depending on the level of protection you want.

I much prefer the 4.1 over the 4.0 anyday. Like ive said in many posts, I have a few comps with 4.1 and a few with 5.0, all running smoothly.

Regarding the browser scanner, this has now been fixed.

IMHO, if you have had no problems with 4.0 in the past, download 4.1. You can always uninstall it if its not something that you want.

Cheers,
Chipppa

[misery]

About the dangerous stuff: dangerous spyware that redirects, spyware that is able to take information from my computer. And I am using 4.0's Site Guard.

[Keith Warner]

4.1 is NOT exactly like 4.0! It slowed my system considerably.

[tom.tdw]

hi
the bad stuff may be being downloaded by a malicious downloader which isn't being removed
if you post a hijackthis log here i could check for you (or run malware detective)
to prevent infection i recommend firefox with noscriptThis is a question for both Pctools Support and other users (or former users).

I have the Spyware Doctor 4.0, with a subscription running till November 2007. I was refused a refund.

I have explained elsewhere why I won't 'upgrade' to 4.1. I am not bothered by the 'long' time it takes for the Spyware Doctor to start up, since I do that only once or twice a day. It's not as if I need to attend that.

The Total Disaster with Version 5, the fact that 4.1 gave some users problems (reminds me of Version 5), the problem with cookies, and as I recall the fact that Pctools 'forgot' to include the browser scanner and some other issues have really ensured that I won't 'upgrade' to 4.1. (Don't even mention version 5 !)

Recently, even after the latest Microsoft updates, I have been getting a lot of bad stuff on my computer. (Almost never in the past). And I'm not referring to cookies or anything like that. More serious stuff. Don't ask me for the specifics, I forgot. It usually doesn't happen if I visit a site like yahoo or the website of the BBC, but if I do some research (often with google) I tend to catch bad stuff. And I don't even visit sites that one can expect to be shady. Fortunately, a scan with the Spyware Doctor reveals at least some of it, but it's active protection seems pretty bad. I even use it together with a different antispyware program. They (mostly) use different ways of active protection.

So, what is going on ? Should I just give up on the Spyware Doctor ?

I really don't like this !