Microsoft Antispyware Expiration

[DigitalMan]

I was using the Beta of MS Antispyware but it expired on 12/31/05. On the MS website it says "download latest version to extend expiration to July06" or something like that.

I did that - no difference. Still expired.

Uninstalled and did clean full reinstall. Still expired.

Uninstalled and left it off. Wondering if anyone else experienced this or have a fix?

[sosaiso]

Did you reboot afterwards?

[DigitalMan]

As a matter of course.

[Tassie_Devils]

More than likely a registry entry left telling you it's expired.

have you tried/got a reg cleaner. If so, run it, reboot run again and if any entries still found clean, reboot again, then try install.

if you don't have reg cleaner, then it's up to you if you want to try one of course, as messing with registry can cause problems [but of course you knew that ;) ]

TAS

[DigitalMan]

I figured it was probably a reg entry. I'll try my trusty regseeker.

Not being a registry expert - aren't there restricted areas of the registry for things like software license exipirations, etc. that registry cleaners can't get to?

[lotuseclat79]

Hi DigitalMan,

Just so you know, when the Beta 1 period completes on July 31, 2006, I've heard rumblings about a Beta 2 period. Also, Bill Gates has gone on record at a conference (I forget which one) that when it becomes a product it will be freeware.

One note about MSAS Beta 1, I have had a dickens of a time updating, i.e. whenever there is an update alert, I try to get it manually, and it always claims it is up-to-date. However, a check in the Help About pull-down reveals that is not so.

Inevitably, even though I reluctantly joined the SpyNet after the fact (which may be why it behaves the way it does with updates), I am forced to get the updates by doing the following manual downloads to my Desktop (for any with the same problem):

hxxp://download.spynet.com/ASDefinitions/gcDeterminationData.gcd
hxxp://download.spynet.com/ASDefinitions/gcThreatAuditScanData.gcd
hxxp://download.spynet.com/ASDefinitions/gcThreatAuditThreatData.gcd

Note: the updated files are located at the spynet.com website.

They can just be copied from the Desktop to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Antispyware folder which overwrites the older instances of those files. Apparently, they take effect immediately, because no shutdown re-launch sequence is required to see the results in the Help About and Diagnostics button to verify the version - only the original version date stays the same when it was downloaded/installed.

-- Tom