Lavasoft : Ad-aware

[The Voice]

Dear Gurus'

As is my usual weekend practice I was running all the usual suspects removing all the clutter etc from the gizmo.

When it came to Ad-awares turn, I dutiful selected check for updates, and the fun started. I don't think it's my computer, but the update would alternate between 5% and 30% retrieved before ending itself. In an effort to overcome this, I downloaded and then clean re-installed v 1.06R personal and tried updating again. No luck either, in fact the updates are now 504 days old.

Any ideas?

I had a squizz to see if there were any forums to self help and I couldn't find any of those either .. I'm such a girl ... ;) :sad:

[Tarq57]

Lavasoft has recently updated it's home page, first time I visited took forever to open. Possibly that has something to do with it? I have noticed the updating at times recently to be a bit slower, but when it connects, it updates to 100% no problems. Could another program be blocking the update? Installed anything else recently? When the update ended prematurely did you get the standard "update failed" message? (Repeatedly)
I had this problem ages ago on the old computer, and found reinstalling worked OK,provided that after uninstalling it I deleted the lavasoft program files before reinstalling. You could try that.

[P.Pilcher]

Adaware seems to be working fine for me but they did have a long period between updates recently and my copy was moaning that it hadn't been updated for over 15 days and would I like to update it now? Naturally I said 'yes' to receive the reply that there were no updates available. However this has now been rectified.

Some of the gurus are recommending "ewido" as it is claimed to be able to sort out more problems than most other adware/spyware detecting software. I don't know what the general opinion of the board here is about this one, but you can get it for a free 1 month's protection before having to pay, and not only does it clean out ad/spyware but it gives you continuous protection against same. After the month it can still be used to clean out ad/spyware but you lose the continuous protection that it otherwise offers. It is available from www.grisoft.com (http://www.grisoft.com). Incidentally, if you want continuous monitoring, it is available from Lavasoft itself for a small, once only fee in the form Ad-Aware SE and adwatch. I've got it and ad-aware rarely finds anything to remove on my machine these days when I run a scan.

P.P.

[woolyalan]

Why don't you use Spy-bot, it allegedly keeps the rubbish of the computer

[Tarq57]

Ewido (Now AVG antispy 7.5) was purchased by Grisoft and is considered an excellent anti trojan application. Good! Had one of those once, devil to remove! Rather less effective, but still fairly good as an antispy.
One of the better rated antispywares (according to a few of the geek sites I peruse) is SuperAntispyware. Comes in freeware and paid versions, same as AdAware, similar functionality. The only realtime freeware antispy programs I know of are SpywareTerminator (which I use) and SpyDefense (which I did use, but started to doubt as the updates were even less frequent than AdAware's)
Spybot S&D has an "immunise" feature which is worthwhile having.

[seacue]

I run Spybot and then AdAware on a computer used by someone who can't refrain from looking at jewelery and department store sites.

Spybot leaves quite a few items for AdAware to catch - usually more than Spybot caught.

[frostbite]

I have had AdAware on my computer for a long time but haven't run it for about six months because it only ever caught the 'usual suspects' (insignificant) for the last couple of years.

Maybe that's due to Avast and ZA doing a good job?

[The Voice]

OK .. I have no idea what the heck is going on and I still can't update .. I have uninstalled it yet again, chucked the old program folder from the C drive, and had another crack at it - nada/zip/zero/zilch .. it's still doing the 5% - 30% then retrieval failed thing .. :ugh:

I have had a look at the lavasoft.com page and there isn't any user help stuff unless you buy the pro version.

I have happily used this program for the 4-ish years and can't for the life of me understand what's going on.

I did note that when I uninstalled it this morning, a got a install.log 'error message' - like it couldn't find it, however the other messages all said uninstall successfull. I'm so confused :sad:

I use spybot/avg and zone alarm f/w as well and nothing seems to have changed for them to suddenly not allow ad-aware to load ... :zzz:

[Tarq57]

Try downloading them manually here:http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Definition-File/3000-8022_4-10587705.html?tag=lst-0-4 Just ask if you need manual installation instructions. It's all fairly logical.

[The Voice]

Thanks for the link - I have downloaded the file, and despite following my nose, I can't get the file to unzip! :ugh:

:sad: I have tried every which way to open the darn thing and have actually downloaded that zip file 4 or 5 times - always ending up not being able to unzip it!

:oh: I refuse to be beaten by a plastic box and a bunch of mumbo jumbo!! :*

[Tarq57]

Do you have a zip utility on your pc? Like winzip etc (I use Extract Now)
The answer is in how to use that application. What happens when you click on the downloaded file? Me off to slave over a hot runway, now, be back in 8hr or so. Sure there are others who can help with this, too. Will seem complex, actually isn't. (Especially if you're NOT using winzip.)

[The Voice]

thanks Markjoy for your patience.

Well I went in search of your unzipperer and found it ..

it appears real easy to use - until I do so!! what does it do with unzipped files? buggered if I can find them!

:{ feeling old and dumb now ... :(

I'm off socialising now .. back in a couple of days .. (well, thats when I'll be back - got an o/nite tomorrow night!)

[Tarq57]

Ok, just went through the procedure myself, go to woah, to make sure it works. It does, but I'm sorry to say the def's on the Download.com site are already out of date. Current definitions are for the 12/10/06.BEFORE PROCEEDING check any new posts underneath, in case some kind guru has posted a better way of doing this. A guru I aint.
Anyway, open ExtractNow. One of the bottom tabs is "settings". In general,you might want to tick "save list on close," and "associate with zip files in explorer" Underneath that is a window showing options for where the files are extracted to. I think it defaults to the Extract now program folder. Have a look, see where it goes on yours. That's where to look for your files. Each time you unzip a file, you can specify where it goes by using the browse button, (grey rectangle, two dots at the bottom centre). What your looking for is titled defs.ref, is about 776kb. Remember where to find it. Now open the Lavasoft program file (usually: My computer> Local Disk C:/> Program Files>Lavasoft>Ad-Aware SE Personal.) In it you'll see, amongst other things, "defs.ref" and "defs.ref.old" (It keeps the last defs as a backup). Delete the old defs. Rename the defs. "defs.ref.old". Use the same format/lowercase that were there already. Find the defs you just unzipped. Right click, select "cut". Go back to the AdAware folder in program files, right click in a blank area of the folder, select paste. "defs.ref" will appear. Lavasoft will use these definitions. How it knows to use them is via a process known in Lavasoft circles as "magic". Are you still awake? Just decided to throw a bit of colour in to break it up a bit. Other things you might see in that folder are 2 or 3 other folders, titled "language, skins, plugins, depending on what options you have. Also "install log, license.txt, AdAware.exe, unregaaw.exe, UNWISE.exe. and an alert.wav (which if clicked upon makes a juicy fart.) If there's anything else in there, let me know, please.
I've found in the past that just the action of doing this "resets" it somehow so it downloads updates ok. Don't know why.
Now open the program. a window will open, bleating that your definitions are (26) days out of date. Try connecting for new def's now. Hold your breath, but pretend to be a bit "couldn't-care-less" about it. (Unless you've got a Dell. Then you should plead with it, beg and genuflect, maybe spill a drop of blood onto the casing/promise it your firstborn etc etc) Hope like hell this works. Good luck.