Can't update ad-aware

Hi
Tried to update ad-aware stopped at 5% and I get this message....

The download definitions file could not be read. Please update again.

Have tried a number of times.

Ad-Aware SE Personal.

Geri

 

Adaware isnt worth the trouble. And recently the free version became more restricted.

A good free adware remover is Spybot Search and Destroy, and it doesnt weigh on the system like adaware does. It may not block as much adware on the way in as adaware does, but it is way better at removing it. If you have a recent version of an antivirus program, and a good firewall (the one built into XP SP2 is just fine alone) you shouldnt get too much adware anyway.

More often than not adware comes into you PC through free programs and files people download from the net, and adaware or not you will get the stuff on your PC this way.

To get spybot go here....

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

 

Important

Oh by the way

DO REMOVE ADAWARE BEFORE INSTALLING SPYBOT OR THEY WILL SEE EACH OTHER AS ADWARE AND BHOS.

 

Only true if both are run as resident, Ad watch in the case of AAW.



Hi Geri,

Sometimes I have that problem. Switch download locations and see if that resolves it.

Regards - Charles

 

Hi Geri,

I realized later that I confused Spybot and Ad-Aware, can't change mirror sites with AAW.

Yesterday when I updated on one of my installations, had no problem. Today had the same problem as you did when trying to update on my 2nd installation. Give it some time, I'm sure the problem is on Lavasoft's end.

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks charlesvar
Tried tonight and it loaded.
Geri

 

Dez,

I was very shocked and almost horrified upon reading your comments concerning Ad-aware. Ad-aware is likely the #1 recommended anti-spyware product available, and it's creators are diligent in their efforts to provide a FREE tool for the detection and removal of many, many malwares. You'd be hard-pressed to find a malware removal specialist (like myself) that doesn't have it in his own toolbox and recommend it's use.

Like many others, I also recommend using Spybot in addition to Ad-aware. I can only think of one update that caused Spybot and Ad-aware (free version) to clash, and that was quickly fixed.

You certainly are entitled to your own opinion, but know this. In the Welcome sticky of our Removing Spyware & Viruses forum, just as you will find in most malware removal forums, are instructions to run both Spybot and Ad-aware prior to posting a HijackThis log if you need help removing malware. That is because those two products together will remove the majority of junk for us, thereby considerably reducing the effort involved in helping to finish up in most cases. Sometimes, just running those two applications alone will completely take care of any problems. Spybot and Ad-aware do target and remove some of the same things, but their databases on a whole are very different, which is why it's important to use both.

IMO, Ad-aware is a great product, and I will continue to use and recommend it's use until someone can provide very hard evidence that using it would not be in anyone's best interest.

Geri,

Happy to hear you were able to update.

 

The reason for what i said was not an attack on Adaware.

My main point is that i know from experience as a PC tech, and on my own PCs, that a good antivirus program (i use Kaspersky Antivirus these days) coupled with the Windows XP SP2 Firewall is all teh protection you need.

Most people do get adware from nstalling programs, especially Peer-to-peer file sharing software like Kazaa, WinMX, Bearshare, Limewire, Morpheus and teh list goes on. This is because despite protection these program create a tunnel (using PPTP or L2TP) that anything can be chucked down. They also have adware built in.

So this is all you need to avoid and keep clean of viruses and adware:

> Good Antivirus Program. I recommend Kaspersky Antivirus.
> Windows XP with SP2 and firewall enabled. For other versions of Windows i recommend the same antivrus and Kerio Firewall.
> Safe program installation habits. Dont put the weather in your taskbar, dont download illegal free file using teh abovementioned type of software. Dont give your main email address online to sign up for something, get a yahoo or Hotmail account for that. To avoid SPAM and viruses in your email.

You simply dont need the payload of Adaware running on your PC on top of these things, it is overkill that slows down your PC. Spybot is more a remover than blocker, and if you have it handy for the really rare intruder, Adaware is redundant.

Sorry. This is the opinion i have, and i am computer admin for 7 years now and fix about 25 PCs a week. And i own 3. Hope this helps clarify things.

 

Hello Dez,

As good as KAV and SP2 are, not enough. Malware is constantly evolving too many ways into the system by piggybacking, this is quite aside from the bad sites that you mention - that's old stuff.

The free version is an on demand scanner. You'd have a point if the discussion was about Lavasoft's paid version.

Regards - Charles