Spyware Doctor + Av- Bet You Can't Fix It

[adwilliams134]

I have 2 PCs - a Compaq work station connected via ethernet running XP Pro, and a Toshiba laptop (the wifes) which is wireless through the same router that uses Vista home Premium.

Now then, I have the following PCTools programmes:

Spyware Doctor with Anti Virus - Subscriber
Threatfire Pro - Subscriber
Desktop Maestro - Subscriber
PD Tools Firewall 3 - Free edition

They all work hunk-dory on the work station.

They all work hunky-dory on the laptop WITH ONE EXCEPTION. They will not update.


So, having contacted PCTools support and trying everything under the sun they still will not update.

There is no other spyware/virus/malaware products on the laptop.

Windows Defender has been disabled.

The wife is not a big user (ebay, e-mail, MSN Messenger and that's it) as a result the only other programme bar Vista on the laptop is MS Office, iTunes and Logi-Tech webcam.

All the non-PCTools stuff automatically updates perfectly OK.

In desperation, I have even done a complete re-install of Windows Vista on her laptop, turned off the firewall then downloaded just Spydoctor+anti virus as a file in safe mode, then installed it. Auto-update failed. Tried that one programme at a time. Doesn't matter, even on their own they will not update.

They always come up with the same message - error downloading updates. Unable to connect to server. Please try later.

But they all work OK on my work-station. This suggests to me that the problem doesn't lie with the PCTools stuff, rather something in Vista is stopping them connecting through the router to the PCTools site. I have been in contact with PCTools support but I am beginning to get a bit hacked off with them. They don't seem to have any idea which I could accept if I was using an unknown brand of laptop or a bizarre O/S but I'm not. It's a Toshiba Equiim and Windows Vista HP.

They even claimed that this is the first time they've ever encountered this sort of problem, which, if you read through these chains, is complete garbage. It seemingly happens all the time.

Does anyone know how to fix this? Please remember I am not a computer whizz-kid. I need step-by-step instructions.

If PCTools want to compete against the likes of Norton & McAfee I suggest they develop programmes similar to these. Click-download-click-installed & that's it.

[vecchio]

HI
Do you have the process "SWDSVC.EXE" ,"UPDATE.EXE" and "SWDOCTOR.EXE"
Allowed in the firewall?
You must allow this process in order to make update process working properlly
Hope this helps

[djames]

What is your routers name and version/model ?

[adwilliams134]

Hi,

It is a Netgear DG834Gv3 if that means anything to you

[adwilliams134]

HI
Do you have the process "SWDSVC.EXE" ,"UPDATE.EXE" and "SWDOCTOR.EXE"
Allowed in the firewall?
You must allow this process in order to make update process working properlly
Hope this helps

hi. yes done all that

[djames]

http://kbserver.netgear.com/kb_web_files/n101649.asp

About half way down there is the DG834Gv3, try installing the latest Firmware. See if that helps.

We had a similar problem, hence my question.

[AChen]

Could you also check if you have Nvidia - See this thread http://www.pctools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46485&highlight=nvida

This could be related to a Nvidia issue. If you have Nvidia Network Access Manager, see below:

Nvidia Firewall/Nvidia Network Access Manager is blocking the Spyware Doctor update.

We have contacted Nvidia regarding this issue and they have advised us to ask customers to disable the Nvidia firewall/Nvidia Network Access
Manager as it has been discontinued and is an outdated product compared with current available firewall software.

If you temporarily disable the ForceWare Intelligent Application Manager (IAM) or Nvidia Network Access Manager (NAM), this should allow Spyware Doctor to update.

Please complete the steps below:

1. Start > Run > Type in: services.msc > Click OK
2. The services window should open, scroll down the list, right click on ForceWare Intelligent Application Manager (IAM) or Nvidia Network Access Manager (NAM) and select Stop
3. Run the Spyware Doctor Smart Update while the IAM/NAM is disabled
4. To enable IAM/NAM again, right click and select start.

You may want to contact Nvidia as see if there is an allow list to add the Spyware Doctor processes into.

Let me know if this helps and if not, I'll need to get some additional info to assist further :)

[adwilliams134]

Good afternoon people.

Thanks to the help so far.

Sadly none of it has made any difference.

Vecchio - all the .exe files are present
djames - vista firmware installed * SEE BELOW, possibly a major clue !!!
AChen - checked down services.msc and none of those programmes are present.


**MAJOR CLUE. Our ISP is AOL so I normally download through them. When I was on the wifes laptop to down load the netgear update, I tried to do it through explorer and it was having none of it saying it couldn't find the website etc etc, but it was fine downloading it through AOL. Is this connected in someway? Do PCTools progs do their updates through explorer and it's something in the explorer set-up that's stopping them finding the server? If so, what?