Spyware engine is starting

[chewycanes]

I am running two toshiba laptops with latest updates for spyware doctor version 5.0.1.205. They both running XP with latest updates and four user accounts. Up until a few day ago both laptop Spyware doctor programmes were updating an running with Onguard in limited mode with no problem after power-up.

A couple of days ago one of the laptops kept saying 'Spyware Doctor Engine is starting' after power-up. I have done the Uninstall of Spyware doctor quite a few times now and each time it loads ok and will continue running ok. If though i power the laptop down and up again it comes up with the 'Spyware doctor engine is starting'.

What cause Spyware Doctor to do this ?

[notE]

I am running two toshiba laptops with latest updates for spyware doctor version 5.0.1.205. They both running XP with latest updates and four user accounts. Up until a few day ago both laptop Spyware doctor programmes were updating an running with Onguard in limited mode with no problem after power-up.

A couple of days ago one of the laptops kept saying 'Spyware Doctor Engine is starting' after power-up. I have done the Uninstall of Spyware doctor quite a few times now and each time it loads ok and will continue running ok. If though i power the laptop down and up again it comes up with the 'Spyware doctor engine is starting'.

What cause Spyware Doctor to do this ?I dont know the answer but you are not alone. Same thing happens to me sometimes but is very intermittent. Problem may go on for weeks and then go away for weeks.

[Support]

Chewy Canes

It appears that something on your computer is removing/blocking the Spyware Doctor service files.

Can you please confirm each of the following:

1. Goto start menu > run > type in: services. msc > ok
Scroll down the list, please confirm that the following Spyware Doctor services are present, set to started and automatic.

Spyware Doctor Service
Spyware Doctor Auxiliary Service

If they are not started then try starting them manually by right clicking them > Properties > Start

If you are unable to start the service, please confirm which service it is and any error messages you receive when attempting to start the service.

2. Can you try running Spyware Doctor in Safe Mode with Networking, this should confirm if another program is preventing Spyware Doctor from running.


Safe Mode with Networking
_______________________

How to Shutdown and Restart the Computer in Safe Mode:

1. Click on the Start button menu on your Task Bar
2. Select Shut Down from the menu (''Turn off Computer'' in XP). The 'Shut Down Windows' dialog box will appear.
3. Select Shut down (or, ''Turn Off'' in XP) and click the Yes (or OK) button
4. When the computer starts back up, begin immediately by pressing the F8 key repeatedly until the Windows Startup menu appears with various options
5. By using the up and down arrow keys on the keyboard, select 'Safe Mode with Networking' and not any other modes.
6. Login to your account (if asked)
7. Wait and eventually Windows will start in Safe Mode
8. Run Spyware Doctor

Please confirm if Spyware Doctor runs.

Please remember to reboot your computer after you completed these instructions.

Note: If you have any difficult getting the Windows Startup menu to appear at step 6, try the following to get into Safe Mode:

• Try holding down the left shift key instead of pressing the F8 key while booting up it. Begin immediately pressing the F5 key, about once a second, until the message 'Windows is bypassing your startup files' appears.

Hope this helps
Cheers

[notE]

Chewy Canes

It appears that something on your computer is removing/blocking the Spyware Doctor service files.

Can you please confirm each of the following:

1. Goto start menu > run > type in: services. msc > ok
Scroll down the list, please confirm that the following Spyware Doctor services are present, set to started and automatic.

Spyware Doctor Service
Spyware Doctor Auxiliary Service

If they are not started then try starting them manually by right clicking them > Properties > Start

If you are unable to start the service, please confirm which service it is and any error messages you receive when attempting to start the service.

2. Can you try running Spyware Doctor in Safe Mode with Networking, this should confirm if another program is preventing Spyware Doctor from running.


Safe Mode with Networking
_______________________

How to Shutdown and Restart the Computer in Safe Mode:

1. Click on the Start button menu on your Task Bar
2. Select Shut Down from the menu (''Turn off Computer'' in XP). The 'Shut Down Windows' dialog box will appear.
3. Select Shut down (or, ''Turn Off'' in XP) and click the Yes (or OK) button
4. When the computer starts back up, begin immediately by pressing the F8 key repeatedly until the Windows Startup menu appears with various options
5. By using the up and down arrow keys on the keyboard, select 'Safe Mode with Networking' and not any other modes.
6. Login to your account (if asked)
7. Wait and eventually Windows will start in Safe Mode
8. Run Spyware Doctor

Please confirm if Spyware Doctor runs.

Please remember to reboot your computer after you completed these instructions.

Note: If you have any difficult getting the Windows Startup menu to appear at step 6, try the following to get into Safe Mode:

• Try holding down the left shift key instead of pressing the F8 key while booting up it. Begin immediately pressing the F5 key, about once a second, until the message 'Windows is bypassing your startup files' appears.

Hope this helps
Cheers In my case it is the tray icon that says spyware doctor starting.If I start a scan the icon changes to say spyware doctor. If I close SD and restart icon is OK. This has not plaged me for a few weeks but it has come and gone several times in the past few months.

[Reodor]

I had the same problem some time ago and to me it seemed to be RAM related.
Se theese posts:
http://www.pctools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48060
http://www.pctools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48120

However one never knows exactly what is going on inside SD.

[chewycanes]

Ok I followed the instructions and the results were as follows :-

Spyware Doctor Serivice was 'Starting & Automatic'.
Spyware Doctor Auxillliary service was 'Started & Automatic'.

Running spyware doctor in Safe Mode with networking allowed spyware doctor to start immediately.

Powered down and up to go back to normal operation and 'Spyware Doctor engine is starting returned '

How do i now find out what is stopping it working when not in safe mode with networking ?

[chewycanes]

I have just checked the memory configuration of each laptop and found:-

Working laptop
Total Physical memory 512 MB
Available Physical memory 228.84 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 1.13 GB

Failing laptop
Total Physical Memory 256 MB
Available Physical Memory 112.34 MB
Total Virtual memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page file space 618.45 MB

So would the 256MB cause this problem ?

[Reodor]

I have just checked the memory configuration of each laptop and found:-

Working laptop
Total Physical memory 512 MB
Available Physical memory 228.84 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 1.13 GB

Failing laptop
Total Physical Memory 256 MB
Available Physical Memory 112.34 MB
Total Virtual memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page file space 618.45 MB

So would the 256MB cause this problem ?

Seems to me most probably.
Do You have the possibility of 'borrowing' the RAM chip from the working one and put in the non-working? (Check specs first - do not kill it!)

[chewycanes]

Will order larger ram for laptop in next few days. Will post back results when fitted.

[AChen]

It appears that something may be preventing Spyware Doctor from running in normal windows. It appears that another application could be conflicting with the SD service, not allowing it to launch as it should. The reason being, if SD launched normally in safemode, no other processes were running, and we'll need to determine what is causing the problem in order to resolve this.

As a troubleshooting step, try starting up your system with no programs running, if you are able to run Spyware Doctor then try enable the first 5 services, repeat steps for next 5 until you are able to determine which service may be causing the problem.

When enabling the services, ensure you group them if they are related services for the one program.

Start the computer with no programs running.

To clean boot Windows with a Selective Startup

- Click on Start Menu > Run > Type: msconfig > OK

- The System Configuration Utility appears

- Click on General Tab > Under Selective Startup, make sure that "Load System Services" is the only item checked. (You will be unable to unselect "Use Original BOOT.INI." This is OK).

- Clearing all the boxes (except Load System Services) provides for a basic clean boot. For a complete clean boot

- Click the Services tab.

- Check Hide All Microsoft Services (You must hide the Microsoft Services before continuing)

- Uncheck all Services which are displayed in the list except for the two Spyware Doctor services

- Click Apply and then OK.

- Click Restart

When your computer reboots, connect onto the internet and try updating Spyware Doctor

To restore your computer to its original settings:

1. Click Start, and then click Run. The Run window appears.

2. In the Open box, type msconfig and then click OK. The System Configuration Utility appears.

3. Click Normal Startup.

4. Click OK.

5. Click Restart.

[chewycanes]

I removed all services as suggested and Spyware doctor updated OK. Enabled other services except for Symantec Norton Antivus 2007 and it was OK.
When the Norton antivirus 2007 was enabled it failed again to load. So it seems to be this that it had conflict with. However i have that on my other laptop and it has no problems.

What next ?

[tom.tdw]

try reinstalling norten:DI removed all services as suggested and Spyware doctor updated OK. Enabled other services except for Symantec Norton Antivus 2007 and it was OK.
When the Norton antivirus 2007 was enabled it failed again to load. So it seems to be this that it had conflict with. However i have that on my other laptop and it has no problems.

What next ?

[chewycanes]

Unistalled norton antivirus and re-installed Spyware Doctor.
First time after power-up works fine. Then as before do a restart and spyware doctor says engine is starting. This time though Ran Spyware update which then stopped spyware engine running and system status became normal. Did Achen thing of only leaving two Spyware services running and still does the same where after a restart engine is always running until Spyware update requested.

Guess i will have to wait to see if extra RAM has any effect when i get it.

[Reodor]

Unistalled norton antivirus and re-installed Spyware Doctor.
First time after power-up works fine. Then as before do a restart and spyware doctor says engine is starting. This time though Ran Spyware update which then stopped spyware engine running and system status became normal. Did Achen thing of only leaving two Spyware services running and still does the same where after a restart engine is always running until Spyware update requested.

Guess i will have to wait to see if extra RAM has any effect when i get it.

Please don't forget to give a feedback.

[tom.tdw]

you could try using winpatrol to make norten start after SD

[notE]

you could try using winpatrol to make norten start after SD
I was wondering about using Winpatrol 2007 for this. I was unsure what apps. should start first. Isnt there something about Host file that should be unchcked in winpatrol?

[tom.tdw]

I was wondering about using Winpatrol 2007 for this. I was unsure what apps. should start first. Isnt there something about Host file that should be unchcked in winpatrol?i have never used winpatrol but i think you should put all the norten stuff starting around 2 mins after sd

[notE]

i have never used winpatrol but i think you should put all the norten stuff starting around 2 mins after sdI have not used winpatrol but may try it if problems with startup come back. Seems to have very comprehensive startup control with the order and timeing of apps..

[chewycanes]

I un-installed Norton Antivirus 2007 and then re-installed it (took ages).

Then enabled Spyware Doctor and it came up with the usual engine starting problem. I thought Sh-t.... however whilst it was still like this i clicked on smart update and about 20 sec later the whole screen updated to a stable system.

I have powered the laptop up & down a couple of times and it seems ok. I expect after i post this it will all fall apart again but i hope not.

It appears to have been a conflict between Norton antivirus 2007 and Spyware doctor which could only be cleared by re-installing both.

I will check again tomorrow morning after the 'laptop has had time to think it over' and report back its status.

[chewycanes]

Powered laptop this morning and no problems. Added extra RAM. So hopefully this will be the last post by me on this subject. Thanks for all the help.

[blondieblue227]

what if spyware is not even listed in the name column in Services?

i'm having the 'start in 3s' too. it's stuck. won't start.


read page two.
will i have to uninstall and reinstall mcAfee to get sd5 to work?
what a pain.

[c_edge]

Before uninstalling anything, enable kernel mode in SD to see if this helps?

Is McAfee and SD starting at the same time on Windows start-up, if you let McAfee load first, and you double click on the SD icon, does it then load?

[spurkza]

I am also having a similar engine waiting for startup engine to start. I downloaded today Spyware Doctor v5.0.1.273 as a trial user. My PC is under a year old with 2GB of RAM and am using Zone Alarm Security Suite v7.0.462 as my firewall. All was fine upon install, definitions updated, and no threats found upon scanning.

I tried changing three of default settings 1) File Gaurd from Processes Only to All Files and Processes, 2) Keylogger Gaurd sensitivity from Normal to High, 3) and I added Scheduled tasks Search and Download Updates and Run Intelli-Scan upon Startup.

Upon next bootup, the startup engine for Spyware Doctor failed to start after a few minutes. I went into Safe Mode, same waiting on the startup engine when I manually started the program.

I uninstalled the program and reinstalled it. I did not change of the default Settings above and set the Scheduled tasks at specific times rather than at startup. Spyware Doctor starts up right away, after multiple boot ups.

I am not sure which of the settings above is causing the startup engine delay/failure. Does anyone have any insight?

[Gambit]

Have you tried the kernel mode setting (ticking the checkbox in settings)? Reason being, you have Zone Alarm security suite running.

[spurkza]

Have you tried the kernel mode setting (ticking the checkbox in settings)? Reason being, you have Zone Alarm security suite running.

I have left that at its default install setting which is checked. Should it be unchecked?

[c_edge]

I have left that at its default install setting which is checked. Should it be unchecked?

This should be checked since you have ZA running.

Try installing SD in safemode to see if this helps. Just a precaution to see that nothing is conflicting with SD during the installation.

You could also test out the SDv5.5 beta, I'm still waiting for this to be released soon. I really like this version :)

c_edge :)

[spurkza]

I am also having a similar engine waiting for startup engine to start. I downloaded today Spyware Doctor v5.0.1.273 as a trial user. My PC is under a year old with 2GB of RAM and am using Zone Alarm Security Suite v7.0.462 as my firewall. All was fine upon install, definitions updated, and no threats found upon scanning.

I tried changing three of default settings 1) File Gaurd from Processes Only to All Files and Processes, 2) Keylogger Gaurd sensitivity from Normal to High, 3) and I added Scheduled tasks Search and Download Updates and Run Intelli-Scan upon Startup.

Upon next bootup, the startup engine for Spyware Doctor failed to start after a few minutes. I went into Safe Mode, same waiting on the startup engine when I manually started the program.

I uninstalled the program and reinstalled it. I did not change of the default Settings above and set the Scheduled tasks at specific times rather than at startup. Spyware Doctor starts up right away, after multiple boot ups.

I am not sure which of the settings above is causing the startup engine delay/failure. Does anyone have any insight?

On further testing, I have found changing the 1) File Gaurd and 2) Keylogger Settings did not cause the Start Engine issue I had earlier.

[c_edge]

On further testing, I have found changing the 1) File Gaurd and 2) Keylogger Settings did not cause the Start Engine issue I had earlier.

At first I thought it may have been another program blocking the service from starting, but if it didn't work in safemode, then it appears to be something else.

I think this was just coincidence that when you changed the File Guard and keylogger settings that caused the engine not starting. Very strange though that after changing this, that it occured. Did you make any other changes besides those settings, like install another program or change some other settings somewhere on you're pc?

How long did SD work for before this started happening?

I guess for now, best thing would be to try SD5.5
http://www.pctools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49590

[spurkza]

The other change I had made, before I had to uninstall and reinstall the program was 3) I added Scheduled tasks Search and Download Updates and Run Intelli-Scan upon Startup.

This seems to be consistent with the responses in http://www.pctools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48120 posts #2 thru #4, though I have 2GB of RAM and dual core processor (less than year old PC).

[c_edge]

The other change I had made, before I had to uninstall and reinstall the program was 3) I added Scheduled tasks Search and Download Updates and Run Intelli-Scan upon Startup.

This seems to be consistent with the responses in http://www.pctools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48120 posts #2 thru #4, though I have 2GB of RAM and dual core processor (less than year old PC).

It could be related to this last change, but you have plenty of ram so I wouldn't see this as a problem. If you disable the scan/update om startup does it still occur?

Another thing to note is, SDv5.5 is the same build in pctools internet suite and performance has been improved and very noticeable. I have personally tested this and it runs very smoothly compared to build 273. See http://www.pctools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49613.

Have you tried this build? The developers may have already fixed it in this build? worth giving it a shot.

[spurkza]

Thanks for your advice. As an additional security precaution, I have my cable modem on standby not connected to Internet during Windows startup until all security software is loaded including Zone Alarm (firewall, anti-virus, limited anti-spyware), Spyware Doctor, and Windows Defender. Since I also have the trial version first installed earlier this week configured for my needs right now, and I can live without update on startup and instead do Smart Updates or use my scheduled updates, I prefer to postpone the troubleshooting of the this Update on Startup engine failure problem for now (also time crunch with the holiday activities). So far, no spyware found on a thorough scan. Until I purchase the software license for 5.0.1.273 probably sometime in the next two weeks, I also hesitate to install the beta version which the license I buy may or may not work. Performance wise I am too satisfied with the version I have - full scan of about 14GB on hard drive including alternative data streams and rootkit hidden files checked in 17 minutes with 2GB processor without PC performance issues. I do look forward to v5.5 with hopefully further improvement on this.