SpySweeper 5.2.3.2120: Network Connection Failed

[_CL]

I have 5.2.3.2120 running on one PC and 4.5.10.731 running on another. Everything is fine with the 4.5.10.731 version - I just did a manual update and received definitions version 789.

However, my 5.2.3.2120 version is NOT getting definition updates - it gives me a Network Connection Failed error every time I try, yet it can open my browser to say that my program is up to date. (I realize that the definition updates and program updates are separate things.)

I turned off my firewall and AV and still get the same error. I uninstalled 5.2.3.2120 and reinstalled it and still get the same error (tried it both with FW/AV on and off).

Any one else having this problem?

[Chubb]

Originally Posted by _CL

I have 5.2.3.2120 running on one PC and 4.5.10.731 running on another. Everything is fine with the 4.5.10.731 version - I just did a manual update and received definitions version 789.

However, my 5.2.3.2120 version is NOT getting definition updates - it gives me a Network Connection Failed error every time I try, yet it can open my browser to say that my program is up to date. (I realize that the definition updates and program updates are separate things.)

I turned off my firewall and AV and still get the same error. I uninstalled 5.2.3.2120 and reinstalled it and still get the same error (tried it both with FW/AV on and off).

Any one else having this problem?

Hi _CL,

Start Spy Sweeper again and perform an update. When you get the Network Connection Failed error, go to the Options menu, Sweep tab, on the bottom of the tab, View Session Log. See if there is anything in the log that may give you a clue. The log may give the reason for not able to download the update. BTW, do you have other security software installed?

[_CL]

Originally Posted by Chubb

Hi _CL,

Start Spy Sweeper again and perform an update. When you get the Network Connection Failed error, go to the Options menu, Sweep tab, on the bottom of the tab, View Session Log. See if there is anything in the log that may give you a clue. The log may give the reason for not able to download the update. BTW, do you have other security software installed?

Thanks for the response, Chubb. The log entry doesn't offer any additional info.

3:04 PM: There is a problem reaching the server. The cause may be in your connection, or on the server. Please try again later.

At the moment, I have free ZoneAlarm firewall and trial KAV 6 (build 303) with this Spy Sweeper 5.2 on my spare/test PC. In the recent past, I have had NAV 2007 trial, ZA Pro trial, Safe Eyes 2006 trial, and ContentProtect 2.1 trial, but they all have been uninstalled. (I am trying to find a compatible set of FW/AV/anti-malware/parental control to replace NIS 2006 + Spy Sweeper on my kids' PC.)

I previously had the latest Spy Sweeper 5.0 on this PC and it worked fine. I updated to 5.2 this past Wednesday evening. An update did work in the initial 5.2 install (at least, I told it to get the latest and I didn't get any error messages). When I came home from work Thursday, I noticed the network connection failed messages from the hourly auto updates. It could be that it never has worked with 5.2.

[Chubb]

Originally Posted by _CL

Thanks for the response, Chubb. The log entry doesn't offer any additional info.

3:04 PM: There is a problem reaching the server. The cause may be in your connection, or on the server. Please try again later.

At the moment, I have free ZoneAlarm firewall and trial KAV 6 (build 303) with this Spy Sweeper 5.2 on my spare/test PC. In the recent past, I have had NAV 2007 trial, ZA Pro trial, Safe Eyes 2006 trial, and ContentProtect 2.1 trial, but they all have been uninstalled. (I am trying to find a compatible set of FW/AV/anti-malware/parental control to replace NIS 2006 + Spy Sweeper on my kids' PC.)

I previously had the latest Spy Sweeper 5.0 on this PC and it worked fine. I updated to 5.2 this past Wednesday evening. An update did work in the initial 5.2 install (at least, I told it to get the latest and I didn't get any error messages). When I came home from work Thursday, I noticed the network connection failed messages from the hourly auto updates. It could be that it never has worked with 5.2.

Hm....Since it works OK initially, maybe it is Webroot network error in the hours that you performed the update. Were you able to update again today? I am also using KAV with SS and Outpost.

[_CL]

Originally Posted by Chubb

Hm....Since it works OK initially, maybe it is Webroot network error in the hours that you performed the update. Were you able to update again today? I am also using KAV with SS and Outpost.

I don't think it's a network error as my 4.5.10.731 on my kids' PC can update just fine at the same time that the 5.2 on the test PC can't.

But, to see if the problem was related to the 5.2 upgrade or to something else on the test PC, I uninstalled 5.2 and reinstalled 5.0.7.1608. I get the same error with 5.0. Therefore, the problem is not due to the 5.2 upgrade.

The other thing I did about the same time as the 5.2 upgrade earlier this week was to remove my expired ZA Pro trial and install the free version. Hmmmmm. You wouldn't think that this would be part of the cause, but who knows? I will pursue that angle as well as wait for Webroot to respond to the case I opened last night (I am hoping they will be able to tell me how to trace the update until it is blocked.)

[Chubb]

Originally Posted by _CL

I don't think it's a network error as my 4.5.10.731 on my kids' PC can update just fine at the same time that the 5.2 on the test PC can't.

But, to see if the problem was related to the 5.2 upgrade or to something else on the test PC, I uninstalled 5.2 and reinstalled 5.0.7.1608. I get the same error with 5.0. Therefore, the problem is not due to the 5.2 upgrade.

The other thing I did about the same time as the 5.2 upgrade earlier this week was to remove my expired ZA Pro trial and install the free version. Hmmmmm. You wouldn't think that this would be part of the cause, but who knows? I will pursue that angle as well as wait for Webroot to respond to the case I opened last night (I am hoping they will be able to tell me how to trace the update until it is blocked.)

Unfortunately, Webroot don't have an article related to Network Connection Error in their Knowledge Base.

Another angle would be, if your KAV trial can update the signature without problems, that means SS should also be able to connect outside, since you can see the program update page on the web.

Maybe you can try this. In the Trusted Zone in KAV, add the SS executables, for example, ssu.exe, spysweeper.exe, to the trusted zones, ticking all options, I mean "do not scan open files", "Do not scan open traffic", etc, and then perform an update again and see what happens. Or maybe you turn off the Web AntiVirus in KAV and uncheck all ports in Service, Network Settings. See if you can get SS to update after doing all these.

[_CL]

Originally Posted by Chubb

Unfortunately, Webroot don't have an article related to Network Connection Error in their Knowledge Base.

Another angle would be, if your KAV trial can update the signature without problems, that means SS should also be able to connect outside, since you can see the program update page on the web.

Maybe you can try this. In the Trusted Zone in KAV, add the SS executables, for example, ssu.exe, spysweeper.exe, to the trusted zones, ticking all options, I mean "do not scan open files", "Do not scan open traffic", etc, and then perform an update again and see what happens. Or maybe you turn off the Web AntiVirus in KAV and uncheck all ports in Service, Network Settings. See if you can get SS to update after doing all these.

The problem is FIXED. It appears to have been a conflict with KAV of all things.

First, I uninstalled the ZA firewall. That didn't fix the problem. Second, I uninstalled KAV. That DID fix the problem. (Sorry, I did this before I saw your response above). I have not done any changes to KAV since last Friday (10/20), so KAV and SS worked together from then until yesterday.

I did the ZA and KAV uninstalls because I wanted to trial BullGuard 7.0. I have three PCs to protect - BullGuard has good AV and FW components and it is much cheaper than ZA Pro + KAV. Also, I was having another issue with KAV with its Application Activity Analyzer. Kasperky's tech support response was to turn it off, but that didn't sit well with me, particularly if I would be spending $90 for 3 licenses. For that kind of money, I didn't want to have to have any missing options.

In the meantime, I read about the new BullGuard, so I decided to give it a look. I now have BullGuard 7.0 installed and SpySweeper 5.2 still can reach its update server just fine. If I can get another SafeEyes trial, I will test these three together.

Chubb, thanks for all the help.

[Chubb]

Originally Posted by _CL

The problem is FIXED. It appears to have been a conflict with KAV of all things.

Glad to know that you finally find the solution..

[garyrh]

I have Kav 6.0 and I am having the same problem with SS 5.2. I don't want to get rid of KAV. I will try to exit KAV when I get home and see if I can update SS.

[garyrh]

Well I exited KAV and SS updated with no problems. So now is it a KAV or SS problem. I submitted the problem to SS support so we will see what they say.

[_CL]

I found that BullGuard conflicted with Safe Eyes, so I uninstalled BullGuard. Just for grins, I installed KIS 6 (instead of KAV). Guess what? The SpySweeper problem went away. Something to do with the BullGuard install/uninstall. Who knows? But, I am happy about that my test PC no longer has the SS update problem.

The happiness doesn't extend to my "normal" PC, though. I was leaving it alone until the outcome of the testing on my test PC as described above. I have NIS 2006 and SpySweeper 4.5 on my normal PC. A day or two ago NAV decided to start crashing during scans. On top of that, NAV would not apply downloaded virus definitions. So, I said the heck with Norton. I uninstalled NIS and installed KIS 6 on my normal PC before I had finished trialing KIS.

Guess what? With KIS 6 and SS 4.5 on my normal PC, I ran into the SS update problem. (I don't know if this is the reason, but at one time, my normal PC had SS 5.0, but I took it off because of the memory leak conflict with NIS 2006). Well, if I was going to have an update problem with SS 4.5, I might as well have it with SS 5.2, so I uninstalled SS 4.5 and installed SS 5.2. With 5.2, the update problem still exists.

So, right now, my test PC has KIS 6 and SS 5.2 with no SS update problem, while my normal PC with the same has the SS update problem. I'll play with it some more before I give up and add SS to the trusted application list.

[Longboard]

Guess what the common thread is in your problems: Spysweeper!
The updates to the various version 5's has caused uncounted problems.
Would not play nice with my NIS: neither SS nor (suprisingly helpful) Symantec could give a fix. The new AV option is imo poorly thought out.

Dont get me wrong here; I had the last V4 before updating and was v.happy.
Thought the upgrade had to be a good thing. Unfortunately not.
Had actually paid for license just prior to V5's

There were 2 or 3 upgrades prior to V5.2, hardly confidence inspiring !!
Now 5.2 causing probs.
Posts already appearing re 5.2 and IE7 issues.
Lots of still hot threads at castlecops SS forum

I had always thought that SS was a good utility but now pretty much over it, would might be happy to try again when the 5.2 gets updated, but not holding out much hope.

I have no interest in Webroot's suite concept/inception.
There are other Antispyware options that run like silk.
YMMV
Regards

[Nathalie]

In a first time: sorry for my english !

I've the same problem with SS 5.2 and KAV 6. I've found the solution:
Go to KAV 6 configuration tab
Click on "PROTECTION" (at left)
click on "ZONE DE CONFIANCE" button
Delete all spy sweeper lines
ADD new "SpySweeperUI.exe" and check all boxes. Click on OK. Make the same with "SpySweeper.exe"
That's all

I hope that you understand me...Have soon

[nightingale]

I have had the same problem of receiving that error message.No matter what I did it would 'fail to update' and the techs at Spysweeper could not fix it.I use Sunbelt Kerio firewall and Bitdefender v10 .Disabling the firewall did nothing and after 3 weeks of no updates and no real help I deleted spysweeper.Spysweeper has gone from a great program to a flawed one that only has problems.Unfortuanately I need a good antispy program and am not sure what to get.I tried the new avg (ewido) program but it would not update.The newsest trend micro version did with no problems but it was whacky on my comp .Any suggestions?