Dr Tweak
join:2004-09-23
Chesapeake, VA
| reply to IZZY3
Re: Spysweeper
I don't understand why some of you are using the real-time protection, there is no point in it. If you have a good anti-virus program and use Firefox, Opera or even "lock-down" IE along with SpywareBlaster and SpyBot's immunize feature then you should be very safe. Spy Sweeper probably has the best detection rate of all the anti-spyware programs I've seen, just simply use it weekly or bi-weekly as an on demand scanner only.
If your pc is setup securely then it shouldn't find a thing.
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buttoni
Premium
join:2005-08-16
Temple, TX
 ·AT&T Yahoo
·AT&T DSL Service
| reply to IZZY3
I tried SS for trial period last year but also uninstalled it for something lighter. CPU usage stayed way above 50% and really slowed down my pc. Running Spyware Doctor 4.0 currently with all Guards active and several on-demand scanners for backup. |
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HA Nut
Premium
join:2004-05-13
USA
| reply to IZZY3
Well, I have several PCs at work on SS and had upgraded all of them to 5.0. One did not run right on it from nearly the time I loaded it (it had been fine on 4.5.) I tried making some minor adjustments but nothing helped.
I still have a couple of unused & unexpired Spyware Doctor licenses and decided to try their new version 4 on it. It was night and day better. So that PC will stay on SD. The others seem to be ok on SS 5.0.
Hopefully, that will be the only one that has that issue...  |
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Gianni45
join:2004-08-22 | reply to IZZY3
LOTS of problems here:
»www.castlecops.com/f163-Spysweeper.html |
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Profixer
join:2005-07-01
| reply to IZZY3
The latest version of Spysweeper seems, on initial analysis, to be blocking memory read access to certain modules as part of its shielding technology. This means that in all probability, applications calling ReadProcessMemory on any of the processes / modules that SS is shielding, will hang... This seems to be the case with Ad-Aware, as it hangs when reading the memory of loaded windows dlls... There are some more posts about this on the Lavasoft Support forums. As I understand it, the problem has been reported to Webroot. This problem seems similar in nature to the Symantec Anti-Tamper protection which some applications, including Ad-Aware have been having problems with.
//Steve |
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Lefky
join:2003-08-01
Greenbelt, MD
| reply to IZZY3
SpySweeper is killing my laptop right now. It is preventing it from booting up. I finally got my laptop up and running and have shut it down. How can I take it out of startup without having to enable it again. I do not see it listed in my startup directory.
thanks |
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HA Nut
Premium
join:2004-05-13
USA
| SS 5.0 starts in 2 places (one of those then starts a 3rd process.)
The SpySweeperUI starts in the registry in the key called
My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
(This can be turned off using MSCONFIG.)
The other is a service called WebrootSpySweeperService (This can be turned off using the Services application in XP.) |
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Lefky
join:2003-08-01
Greenbelt, MD | reply to IZZY3
Thanks, I had turned off the service but I forgot about msconfig. Wish me luck, I am going to reboot to ensure it no longer starts. |
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HA Nut
Premium
join:2004-05-13
USA
| reply to IZZY3
A little followup...
I have a laptop at work and my PC at home running ZoneAlarm and a large HOSTS file (mvps.org.) New Spy Sweeper 5.0 and this situation does not get along well. Even with the HOSTS file shield off, SS still somehow saw the HOSTS file with it's Spy Communications shield and was giving unending warnings about access to bad websites. Since I'm a big believer in a managed HOSTS file, I chose to dump SS on these specific machines (went to Windows Defender at work and Spyware Doctor at home.) After switching, I've had no other issues.
Will continue to monitor the situation with the remaining PCs on SS 5.0. So far, they are ok. |
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owlyn
Premium,MVM
join:2004-06-05
Newtown, PA
clubs:
| said by HA Nut  :A little followup... I have a laptop at work and my PC at home running ZoneAlarm and a large HOSTS file (mvps.org.) New Spy Sweeper 5.0 and this situation does not get along well. Even with the HOSTS file shield off, SS still somehow saw the HOSTS file with it's Spy Communications shield and was giving unending warnings about access to bad websites. Since I'm a big believer in a managed HOSTS file, I chose to dump SS on these specific machines (went to Windows Defender at work and Spyware Doctor at home.) After switching, I've had no other issues. Will continue to monitor the situation with the remaining PCs on SS 5.0. So far, they are ok. You have to turn off the "Common Ad Sites" shield, not the "Host File" shield. |
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HA Nut
Premium
join:2004-05-13
USA
| You have to turn off the "Common Ad Sites" shield, not the "Host File" shield.
It was not on (which I believe is the default.) And at least in SS 4.5, if the HOSTS Shield was on, a large HOSTS file caused failed installations and fairly slow performance. Webroot's fix for 4.5 was to disable both HOSTS related shields. So I did the same thing in 5.0 (since, depending on the PC, WinPatrol or MJ Registry Watcher was already doing that.) |
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davegdb
join:2005-04-09
Washington, DC | reply to IZZY3
yes, a problem with the spysweeper update
With the SS update my machine will freeze for seconds at a time every few minutes. Everything just seems slower too. |
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sexyspotboy
@adelphia.net
|  reply to IZZY3
Re: Spysweeper
 Definitely having issues with 5.0.1268. My system slows to a crawl, especially when waking up from sleep (and when scanning)!!
Memory usage shoots to 100%. I thought I had a virus and then figured it MUST be this version since I just upgraded yesterday!!!  UGH |
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mckenney
Premium
join:2004-09-08
Milwaukee, WI
| reply to Dr Tweak
This is the most logical/reasonable solution offered yet. I totally agree. I too have FireFox, Spybot S&D, AdAware, AVG, and Kerio Personal Firewall, and an excellent MVP HOSTS file, and have found that simply turning off all "shields" in Spy Sweeper eliminates all the CPU usage/freeze problems. Then, Spy Sweeper is scheduled to run a sweep at 1:00 a.m. which it now does. And you're right again, it is an excellent spyware catcher, and with all shields turned off, plus having all the other programs I use doing their job, I seem to be safe, secure, and still fast.
In other words, I totally agree with your post!  |
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Michael R
join:2001-12-23
Tulsa, OK | reply to IZZY3
Deleted 5.0.5. Major slowdown problem solved.
5.0.5 brought my home PC to its knees. Uninstalled Spy Sweeper 5.0.5 and reinstalled Spy Seeper 4.5 and updated XP Home with latest updates. Major Slowdown Problem now solved. |
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wrdplyr
join:2004-12-12
Milton, ON
| reply to IZZY3
Re: Spysweeper
I have been a loyal Spy Sweeper paying customer almost since it's inception. I also was an original paying Window Washer customer. I am so disappointed with this latest upgrade. My computer is slower, it loads multiple times on my task bar and the computer hangs at shutdown. I can't run adaware with this thing on and quiet frankly they better get a fix soon. I had to laugh when my laptop asked me if I wanted to update to the newest version. NO WAY!!
My subscription expires in September and if this is the best version they can come up with I'll subscribe to an alternative.
Hurry Up and Fix this obvious problem !!!!! |
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kryptonian
join:2005-09-14
Philadelphia, PA
1 edit | I was going to make an entirely new thread about SpySweeper but being as my problem touches on some of what you folks have been gabbing about, I figured id put it here. Has anyone here not been able to update to the latest definitions? Everytime I startup my computer, SpySweeper connects and says its downloaded the latest definitions. Great heh? However, its been the same number for a few days now. 144,170 I think? The version I have on my laptop is stuck at 144,140. |
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anthrorules
Premium
join:2003-09-14
Rollinsville, CO | reply to IZZY3
I long ago gave up WebRoot's Products, particularly SpySweeper. Their products are resource hogs to say the least, and the donateware products (SpywareBlaster, SpywareGuard, Spybot Search and Destroy, Ad-Aware, etc.) out there do a much better job! |
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BigPoppa44
join:2005-08-08
Washington, NC
·Embarq
| reply to kryptonian
Kryptonian, I had the same problem. I contacted webroot and here is the solution. (1) Open Spysweeper's Home tab (2) Go to the top of the Home pg. and find the Spysweeper logo in dark bold black letters and put your cursor on it and double click while holding down "ctrl" & "alt" buttons simultaneously. This will open about 6 tabs at the top of the page. Find the tab that says "Download Defs" and click. This will get defs v723. |
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TeMerc
join:2004-01-22
Phoenix, AZ
| reply to IZZY3
From Webroot Customer Advocacy Group:
Webroot would like to thank everyone for their postings about the latest release of Webroot’s Spy Sweeper 5.0.5.1286.
I am a part of Webroot’s Customer Advocacy Group, and wanted to let everyone know that Webroot is aware of the slow performance reports and has a team of engineers looking into a resolution. In the short term, we have published a Knowledge Base article on our Support site that may resolve performance issues if you have installed Spy Sweeper on a system with low available memory. (»support.webroot.com/ics/support/···ptID=776).
Also, if you are experiencing poor performance, please try disabling the Spy Installation Shield, Memory Shield and Key Logger Shield.
We will keep everyone posted when a more permanent solution is available.
Thank you,
Webroot Customer Advocacy Group
Source:
»www.castlecops.com/posts162250-15.html |
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