1. You are viewing our forum as a guest. For full access please Register. WindowsBBS.com is completely free, paid for by advertisers and donations.

New Microsoft Anti Spyware version

Discussion in 'Security and Privacy' started by charlesvar, 2005/11/22.

Page 1 of 3
  1. 2005/11/22
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2002/02/18
    Messages:
    7,024
    Likes Received:
    0
    charlesvar,
    #1
  2. 2005/11/23
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

    Joined:
    2002/05/10
    Messages:
    28,896
    Likes Received:
    389
    Hi Charles

    Thanks for the heads up on this - have you actually downloaded and installed it?

    Have a rather strange problem here - downloaded the file, ran it, selected update - program apparently ran to a 'normal' conclusion, but the installation on the PC remains at 1.0.615 :confused:

    Uninstalled MSAS and reinstalled from the downloaded file - still 1.0.615 :confused:

    Even more confused since the installation file size is different from the earlier version I have on disk.
     
    PeteC,
    #2


  3. to hide this advert.

  4. 2005/11/23
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2002/02/18
    Messages:
    7,024
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi Pete,

    Yes, I've installed/scanned with the .701 version and everything appears ok.

    As you can see, I just updated to 5779.

    Regards - Charles
     
    charlesvar,
    #3
  5. 2005/11/23
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

    Joined:
    2002/12/17
    Messages:
    6,585
    Likes Received:
    74
    Hi Charles!

    I have removed MAS from the RUN section of the registry and if I remember correctly, so have you. Did the new version re-enter itself in the RUN section of the registry?

    The absence of a simple check box to control if it starts with Windows or not is annoying. I don't want to have unncessary applications running in the background and having to edit the registry is an inconvenience.

    In addition to that, it has never found anything that Ad-Aware or Spybot S&D didn't find.

    Those two combined will probably lead to the decision on my part to live without MAS.

    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #4
  6. 2005/11/23
    Welshjim

    Welshjim Inactive

    Joined:
    2002/01/07
    Messages:
    5,643
    Likes Received:
    0
    I have had no notification of either definition or software update from MSAS yet. I ran update manually from within the program (not the link provided by charlesvar). No changes.
    Interestingly when I go the the About MSAS page I show "Spyware Definition Version: 5779 (11/20/2005 4:43:43 PM) ". The Software version still is at 1.0.615. So I supposedly have the latest definitions but with a different date than charlesvar and still the old Software.
    I seem to remember a thread the last time MSAS updated the Software. People were getting different results depending on how they updated.
    I think I will just wait a few more days to see what happens.
    MSAS seems to have been a good program. Wonder what MS plans to do since the Dec. 31 expiration for the beta only five weeks away.
    EDIT--Just saw Christer's comments. I have liked that MSAS' "Agents" asks for approvals when changes are made to Trusted Sites, Winsock, etc. Free AdAware does not do that. I do not run SpybotS&D.
    Under Option|Settings you can chose to have MSAS's Agents start at boot or not,. You can also disable gcasserv.exe in MSCONFIG Startup tab.
     
    Last edited: 2005/11/23
    Welshjim,
    #5
  7. 2005/11/23
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2002/02/18
    Messages:
    7,024
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi Christer,

    I have removed MAS from the RUN section of the registry and if I remember correctly, so have you.
    Yes I did. Like you, don't want it to run on startup :)

    Did the new version re-enter itself in the RUN section of the registry?
    Oh, yes :rolleyes:

    After the first time with fooling with the reg entry directly though, I use either autoruns to delete that entry or have System Safety Monitor - a process control app - block the startup. Right now I have SSM blocking it.

    Regards - Charles
     
    charlesvar,
    #6
  8. 2005/11/23
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2002/02/18
    Messages:
    7,024
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi Jim,

    Wonder what MS plans to do since the Dec. 31 expiration for the beta only five weeks away.
    The new expiration date is July '06.

    Regards - Charles
     
    charlesvar,
    #7
  9. 2005/11/23
    Welshjim

    Welshjim Inactive

    Joined:
    2002/01/07
    Messages:
    5,643
    Likes Received:
    0
    charlesvar--Thanks. That must be another change in version 1.0.701 . My About page still reads Expiration Dec.31, 2005.
     
    Welshjim,
    #8
  10. 2005/11/23
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

    Joined:
    2002/12/17
    Messages:
    6,585
    Likes Received:
    74
    Jim,

    Maybe I should give it a chance at running in the background. I have only used it as a scanner and on one occasion, it warned me about something wanting to make changes but I don't remember what and which.

    I have it (version 1.0.615) running now and went to File > Check for updates ... > it updated the definitions to 5779 but it said that I have the most recent software!

    If I remeber correctly, I tried to uncheck the boxes for "Startup options" and "Real-time spyware threat protection" but it started anyway (or the boxes came back re-checked). That's when I edited the registry.

    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #9
  11. 2005/11/23
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2002/02/18
    Messages:
    7,024
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi Jim and Christer,

    The issue for me with MS AS startup is not the real time stuff - unchecking that did work and still does.

    What wants to startup on boot is gcasServ. That is the tray icon that if you click on brings up the main page.

    Regards - Charles
     
    charlesvar,
    #10
  12. 2005/11/23
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

    Joined:
    2002/12/17
    Messages:
    6,585
    Likes Received:
    74
    Charles,

    Are you sure?

    I have always had the boxes unchecked but every time I open the program, real time protection is running. I interpret that as I have started the real time protection by opening the program.

    To test, I checked the boxes and restarted. Nothing different running in Task Manager. The usual 28 processes at idling.

    When I open the program, three processes appear in TaskManager:

    gcasServ.exe
    gcasDtServ.exe
    GIANTAntiSpywareMain.exe

    GIANTAntiSpywareMain.exe goes away when the Main Window is closed and only the icon in the Notification Area is visible.

    I am confused since I don't remember how many entries there were in the RUN section of the registry. Was it one or two? I remember it as being only one ...... :confused: ...... !

    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #11
  13. 2005/11/23
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2002/02/18
    Messages:
    7,024
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi Christer,

    Are you sure?
    Yes, that was not an issue for me.

    If you dig out that looooong thread, that was the big issue for you, at least that's how remember it.

    gcasServ.exe is what wants to insert itself in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run when installing a new version.

    Nothing else wants to insert itself I assume, because I have the real time stuff dsabled and the new version is updating: I'm not doing clean installs.

    Regards - Charles
     
    Last edited: 2005/11/23
    charlesvar,
    #12
  14. 2005/11/23
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

    Joined:
    2002/12/17
    Messages:
    6,585
    Likes Received:
    74
    I need to learn how to quote, my question "Are you sure?" pertained to the words in bold:

    If I check or uncheck doesn't matter. Nothing changes in TaskManager until I manually open the program.

    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #13
  15. 2005/11/23
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2002/02/18
    Messages:
    7,024
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi Christer,

    If I bring up the main page, for me from QL, and do the scan, that's it. No real time stuff starts running.

    BTW, the annoyance that I was never able to solve was that after the scan, the tray icon (gcasServ.exe) remains and I have to manually shut it down with a right click > "do you really want to..." blah, blah, blah.

    I hope that answers your question.

    Regards - Charles
     
    charlesvar,
    #14
  16. 2005/11/23
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

    Joined:
    2002/05/10
    Messages:
    28,896
    Likes Received:
    389
    Hi Charles

    Problem solved - downloaded the .exe again and this time it updated correctly! I just wonder if MS had the old file on one of the servers.
     
    PeteC,
    #15
  17. 2005/11/23
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2002/02/18
    Messages:
    7,024
    Likes Received:
    0
    Pete, good to hear that; like that first thread about MS AS that I referred to, everyone seems to have a different "experience" with this software :)

    Regards - Charles
     
    charlesvar,
    #16
  18. 2005/11/23
    BillyBob Lifetime Subscription

    BillyBob Inactive

    Joined:
    2002/01/07
    Messages:
    6,048
    Likes Received:
    0
    I just uninstalled MSAS using Add/Remove.

    I ran RegSeeker after uninstalling and it found about 80 entires still in the registry.

    The machine is runnning much, much, smoother than did while MSAS was installed.

    BillyBob
     
    BillyBob,
    #17
  19. 2005/11/23
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

    Joined:
    2002/12/17
    Messages:
    6,585
    Likes Received:
    74
    Charles,

    Funny you should say that!

    With the boxes unchecked (or checked, it doesn't matter) the system summary tells me:

    Scan Schedule > In-Active (yippee - something works)
    Real-time Protection > 3 of 3 Active (but nothing runs unless I open the program and let the icon in the Notification Area stay)
    AntiSpyware AutoUpdater > Active (I want it to run when I open the program)

    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #18
  20. 2005/11/23
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2002/02/18
    Messages:
    7,024
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi Christer,

    Ok, took a picture of the tray icon's status when I bring MS AS up for a scan.

    That disabling remains constant for me thru the versions.

    I remember doing this in the 1st thread :)

    EDIT: When the main page is up, the running processes are:

    gcasDtServ.exe
    GIANTAntiSpywareMain.exe

    Thinking some more about this, gcasServ.exe (the process that wants to auto start) never shows up, and can't be the tray icon - don't know what is.

    If I shut down the main page, gcasDtServ.exe is left, and that I shut down with a right click.


    Regards - Charles
     
    Last edited: 2005/11/23
    charlesvar,
    #19
  21. 2005/11/23
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

    Joined:
    2002/12/17
    Messages:
    6,585
    Likes Received:
    74
    Well, the attachment shows what my right-click brings up ...... :cool: ...... and a pretty picture of Yours Truly taking off in a classic glider (ASW 17).

    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #20
Page 1 of 3

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Accept Learn More...