Version 5.5.1.336 Beta results

[FrodoBaggins]

I have been using Spyware Doctor for many years and my subscription has just been renewed for a year. The last two builds have been causing serious instability on my system (Vista 32 bit SP1) and have been removed.

I am also running Symantec Internet Security 2008, that worked just fine so far along with Spyware Doctor. I would stick with PC Tools as the only security provider on my system, but, for an unknown reason, even if NIS is completely removed, PC Tools Firewall Plus does not work on my system. I am not getting any prompt for program Internet access, the allowed program list is nearly empty and never populated, so no program can get out. One should exceptionally have to manually add programs to allow them Internet access; in my case it had to be manually done for all. So, without Firewall Plus functional, NIS must stay on my system.

So, I tested your 5.5.1.336 Beta. On install, quick scan ran without problem. Then I did a Full Scan but the SD interface froze on me almost at the end, task manager was not even accessible. I had to hard reset the system. On the following boot, I did a quick scan then a full scan. On the full scan, the system froze again midway through the scan. So Spyware Doctor was removed.

I had contacted Stardock Inc. a few weeks ago because Spyware Doctor was suddenly giving false positives (Trojan.Packed.Execryptor) on two of their programs (Deskscapes and WindowBlinds). I was then told they got in touch with you. You must have implemented corrections, because I did not receive any warning or automatic quarantine on these programs with the 5.5.1.336 beta build, at least on Vista startup. So, this might be the only good news I can give on this Beta version.

[gilbeg]

If I were you, I wont mix and match PCT with other antivir/IS programs. I know some people have done so but I personally wont. In the pass I have to completely remove NIS before SD can sit quietly and does it works. Simple uninstall on NIS did not work, I had to go to Symantec website to get a proper description on how to install NIS. SInce then I stay away from Symantec.

[haapy]

I agree with gilbeg. One active anti-virus, one active anti-spyware, one firewall. More than one and you are asking for trouble.

Symantec is not one of my choices either. More problems than it is worth.

[tip-top]

I just installed the SD beta 5.5.1.336, installation was quick and very smooth, intelli-scan ran without any problems and currently running a full scan while im typing this post :) Will see if it freezes or come across any problems. Haven't noticed any slow downs or anything and all the guards have been enabled. Will report back soon. One other thing I noticed, OnGuard has now changed to IntelliGuard :)

[looney2ns]

I have been using Spyware Doctor for many years and my subscription has just been renewed for a year. The last two builds have been causing serious instability on my system (Vista 32 bit SP1) and have been removed.

I am also running Symantec Internet Security 2008, that worked just fine so far along with Spyware Doctor. I would stick with PC Tools as the only security provider on my system, but, for an unknown reason, even if NIS is completely removed, PC Tools Firewall Plus does not work on my system. I am not getting any prompt for program Internet access, the allowed program list is nearly empty and never populated, so no program can get out. One should exceptionally have to manually add programs to allow them Internet access; in my case it had to be manually done for all. So, without Firewall Plus functional, NIS must stay on my system.

So, I tested your 5.5.1.336 Beta. On install, quick scan ran without problem. Then I did a Full Scan but the SD interface froze on me almost at the end, task manager was not even accessible. I had to hard reset the system. On the following boot, I did a quick scan then a full scan. On the full scan, the system froze again midway through the scan. So Spyware Doctor was removed.

I had contacted Stardock Inc. a few weeks ago because Spyware Doctor was suddenly giving false positives (Trojan.Packed.Execryptor) on two of their programs (Deskscapes and WindowBlinds). I was then told they got in touch with you. You must have implemented corrections, because I did not receive any warning or automatic quarantine on these programs with the 5.5.1.336 beta build, at least on Vista startup. So, this might be the only good news I can give on this Beta version.


Norton NIS is so invasive to systems that it should be considered malware it's self.

Unless you manually go throw your registry and search for the words Norton and Symantec, and delete the hundreds of keys that are left behind, you can't declare it removed.
Symantec should be ashamed of themselves.

[gilbeg]

Completely agree with looney2ns, I had to gone through a pain staking process to clean up my PC. I felt like my PC had been hit my a mortal, pieces of sharpnels struck through its metal case :-(

[swannie]

Agree, agree! I had the same problem getting rid of it after finding it preinstalled on my new laptop. Finally resorted to the specific uninstaller from the Norton website, too. That did seem to get rid of it - finally!!!

[FrodoBaggins]

Please have in mind that previous versions of Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus did not conflict with software on my PC (be it NIS or any other). Trouble started with the last two builds and with the Beta one.

What I am more interested in are the lock ups. In a recent PC World article about ThreatFire 3.5 it was noted that on “one heavily used PC with a wide range of installed programs and utilities” the computer locked up each time they attempted to run an on-demand scan using ThreatFire's signature scanner.

Are the new versions of SDA incorporating similar routines that could freeze up a system? Why is a system running perfectly well suddenly start displaying instability?

[tip-top]

I don't know much about TF so can't really comment. I'm waiting for behavior guard which is suppose to be the same. I just installed the latest beta version of SD yesterday and seems to be running quite without any dramas.



Are the new versions of SDA incorporating similar routines that could freeze up a system? Why is a system running perfectly well suddenly start displaying instability?

My attempt at answering this :)
As infections are getting more advanced, so do security apps. If these vendors are constantly making changes to their software to keep up with the trends. Things may have worked well before, but then a change comes in and then the 2 or more products start to conflict. As a user its hard to determine what the problem is and which product is at fault. Possibly both the products are at fault.

I had heaps of problems with McAfee in the past and im about to purchase the AV plugin since I recently purchased SD and now Im actually interested in the pctools internet security package with behavior guard.

[antontonkovic]

I upgraded to the new version (336) and ran a quick scan and all semed ok.
I then ran a full scan and sd just froze 23% into the scan. I had no choice but to switch off the computer at the wall as the screen froze and I was unable to use the mouse to do anything. I then unintalled sd and then installed it again and ran a full scan again and 23% into the scan, it froze again.
I uninstalled sd 336 and installed sd 332 as this freezing of the program was obviously fustrating me.
Why the freeze?
I'm running windows xp and recently installed windows sp3 and have 2gb of ram. Could sp3 be the reason? I noticed that "onguard" is now "intelliguard" on v336.
I have sd with av and site guard and email guard was not included on v336.
I thought that these guards were automatically includerd on future versions.
Do these guards need to be installed seperately via the add-on link?

I hope this freezing is fixed in he next version
who else is having similar problems?

Tony

[ohso]

> Norton NIS is so invasive to systems that it should be considered malware it's self.

I guess I agree with that.

> Unless you manually go throw your registry and search for the words Norton and Symantec, and delete the hundreds of keys that are left behind, you can't declare it removed.

Is this necessary if you specifically use the special Norton Removal Tool? I'm not asking for a guess or a belief here, but if you actually know for certain. Have you used the Norton Removal Tool?

On this computer (that I'm posting from) in previous years (plural) I used NAV 200x. When I purchased SDwAV I used Win add/remove to uninstall NAV, rebooted, ran the Norton Removal Tool, rebooted, ran ccleaner, and rebooted. Then I installed SDwAV. The only problem that I've had is that when I logged in to the admin acct (only) the computer froze for several minutes before I could do anything. That behavior went away, somewhere around .212.