SpywareBlaster 3.4 won't open. Error Code 4.

I installed SpywareBlaster 3.4 and it won't open. Here is the story:

I had installed SpywareBlaster 3.2 on a friend's computer, which runs Win98SE. He had been using it without any problem, updating it manually periodically until version 3.3 came out, at which time he stopped updating it. By the time he called me to help him with it, version 3.4 was available, so I uninstalled the old version 3.2 and installed the new 3.4, but then found it would not open. Double-clicking the shortcut for SpywareBlaster 3.4 only produces an error message that reads as follows:

"Error while unpacking program, code 4. Please report to author."

So I'm reporting as instructed, and hoping for a quick solution to this problem ... Please.

 

Re: SpywareBlaster 3.4 won't open. Code 4 error.

Bubba wrote in response to my new post:
While I have searched for a possible reason to the error 4 message....I haven't stumbled on anything that sticks out.

Also....since the wording in the thread you started yesterday concerning this same matter is almost identical....I'll close this duplicate thread and ask you to Please continue in your thread from yesterday.

Memyself responds to Bubba's post in the thread he closed:

Well, this is disappointing. Not receiving any responses to my first post, I realized that the post's title and the beginning of the message suggested that the post was about SpywareBlaster3.2, so I tried to delete the post and start over. But I found no way to delete the post, so I edited the message and title and clicked Save. But that only changed the message, not the the title. So I reposted with a new title and Bubba chooses to cancel that one instead of this one that is getting no replies.

Why would SpywareBlaster generate an error message regarding "Code 4" with a request to contact the author, if no one knows what a Code 4 error is?

 

Re: SpywareBlaster 3.4 won't open. Code 4 error.

I'll be glad to change your title to anything you wish....and have for now changed it to SpywareBlaster 3.4 won't open. Error Code 4....if that's agreeable to you.

Please understand....we do close duplicate threads and choose to close the latest one. I hope that brief explanation will be adequate so we can continue with your problem.

Also....the Spywareblaster Forum is not a fast paced Forum and users will eventually drop in on this Forum....but it is not one where it's constantly being looked at

 

Thank you for changing the title, Bubba.

I have done some Googling and found that this exact problem has come up in this forum, as well as other forums, before with at least two other versions, 3.0 and 3.1. I haven't seen a solution mentioned yet, however.

See, for instance:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/archive/index.php/t-27842.html (v.3.1)

http://forums.infoprosjoint.net/showthread.php?t=5452 (v3.0)

http://infoave.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=4163&pid=33220&st=0&#entry33220 (v.30)

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=28003 (v.3.1. In this thread Javacool says, "Hi,

Unfortunately there probably isn't anything that you can do to make it work if your system exhibits this problem.

However I'm working on a fix which I hope to have available soon.

Best regards,

-Javacool"

It seems to be an occasional problem with Win 98 and maybe Win 95 that Javacool has still been unable to resolve.

 

It's very, very rare. In fact, as you found, it might be one or two users per version who report it.

So obviously it's not the easiest of things to resolve.

Again, as you quoted above, if it occurs I don't know of anything you can do that will get SpywareBlaster working on the system, save (perhaps) reinstalling Windows completely - but even then, I make no guarantees.

I'll take a closer look again and see if I can reproduce it under any conditions, but it seems unlikely.

Best regards,

-Javacool

 

Javacool:

Thanks for weighing in here with an update on the situation. Unfortunately it's bad news. Durn! I do so like SpywareBlaster and version 3.2 had no problems at all . . .

Memyself

 

Well, I haven't yet found a way to reproduce it. Nor have I found any odd similarities between the few machines that have experienced the issue (that I know of).

If you have some time on your hands, you could help me greatly by compiling a list of all software and hardware (versions / model numbers included) installed on/in that particular machine. I'm especially interested in running software applications (things that are normally working in the background, or that run initially at boot).

You can either feel free to post such a list here, or send it to bugreports@javacoolsoftware.com . (If you only have time to compile one list - i.e. either software or hardware - that's fine. But both lists would be extremely helpful.)

If you don't have the time necessary to compile such a list, that's fine too. (I realize it's asking a lot.)

Best regards,

-Javacool

 

Javacool:

I just sent the requested information to your bugreports email address.

Included in the attached zip file (ComputerInfo.zip) are a BelArc Advisor profile (just double-click the html file to open it in your browser), a HijackThis log file, and a RegCleaner list of the computer's startup items.

Best regards,
Memyself

 

Thanks - I'll see what I can do about reproducing this issue.

Best regards,

-Javacool

 

My pleasure. Good luck.

 

i get the same error
error while unpacking program, code 4. Please report to author
i noticed it is after running many spyware removal programs this happened
by uninstalling and installing new versions of programs
a list of my spyware removal programs are as follows:

spyware protection from aol
a-squared startcenter
cwshredder
ad-aware se personal
hijack this
spybot search & destroy
registry mechanic
norton system works 2004
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ free scan for spyware and viruses
i notice my norton no longer works also
as well as my media player

hopes this helps
i need your help
thanks very much

 

i got that problem as well -- it all started today, when obviously a spyware croched into my system.

i've already had one spyware that blocked Spyware Blaster -- but it was all fine after i managed to get rid of the darn thing, SB worked fine again.

today i had another attack. dont really know what spyware that was (previously i had a really rare kind of CoolWebSearch), but it added a sort of search bar to all the IE and Windows Explorer windows.
i just focused on running my antiadware programs. i runned Spyboot Search and Destroy, but it kept getting stuck - so i turned it off.
i runned HJthis and found a registry entry linking to an odd .dll file -- which was responsible for the toolbar. i deleted the entry along with the file, and the toolbar was gone.
then i runned Ad-Aware SE personal. it found few thingies, so i got rid of them. then i re-runned Spyboot S&D -- roughly it went trough the system and showed there's no threat.
then i scanned my drive with an online antivirus scanner (skaner.mks.com.pl), it found few leftovers after the spyware (that's what i think it was) and also few trojans. i got rid of everything, till the drive was clean.

the spyware itself seems to be gone, but:
Spyware Blaster now displays Code 4 error
Media Player Classic, after it's run, crashes each system executable, app. by app., till the explorer and kernel32 go off and the system goes silent.
GetRight displays "illegal operation... consult your dealer" error

obviously, reinstalling doesn't help.
i posted about this on castlecops.com forum, but yet, no answer.

clearly, there's a leftover after the spyware, which is still blocking things.
i'm thinking about using System Restore, but i'm not sure, if it helps.

...and i'm getting confused, why is Spyware Blaster getting blocked so easily?

 

I had the same problem( win98e, older system,
adaware,norton,spybot,spywareblaster,avg,cws shredder) could not find the problem at first. Just code 4 when ever I tryed to run spyware blaster. Finally had a .dll message , did mos prompt line by line confirm and found several .exe files DMASJ.EXE, DMVWD.EXE, HGQHP.EXE tryed to delete but could not as they where write protected. Went in and changed the last letter in the file extension, started a new file with the same name with the old file extension, add a note pad with several lines of text (does not matter what) now you have a file with about 0 kb, now you can delete the original file ,when the hidden application looks for the .exe file it finds the new one you made and does not try to replace it. The application can not run (do not know what they did , or why this works 95% of the time) happen on 7-19-05 and no problem after that . What ever they do they mess up certain apps from running, I dont know if that is confict between apps or if that they where meant to stop anti spy programs.

 

i've found something interesting. on this Flash forum, a user complains about the same Code 4 error when trying to run a flash decompiler:
http://www.eltima.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=401


also, i discovered, i've got some weird antivirus program-like icons appearing on the taskbar, saying something about possibility of spyware attack, and a "Windows Security" pop up appearing with a text about spyware or smth.
when i click that antivirus-like icon, it brings up a window similar to Windows Help, with few topics about spyware. it also recommends few tools to install and use -- i'll try to get their names, next time the thing appears.

more than that, my Windows Media Player 9 exe got deleted, and Media Player Classic crashes every application in the memory just after it's run, in the end it crashes kernel32 and the system is dead...

 

Anti spy Icons suggest machine is infected with malware. Use a good spyware product to remove threats

 

I also have had this problem for a month now, Im using w98se.
will try a new malware scan as suggested here.

 

For member Mikebo429,

I have split your post off into a thread of it's own to offer better assistance.

Follow this thread---> SpywareBlaster 3.4....Error Code 4

 

i used Lavasoft Ad-Aware and Spybot Search and Destroy -- both don't find anything.
any suggestions for other software??

aidditionally, when i click on a link in IE, sometimes it happens that a search engine/sex site opens up instead of the desired link... nasty spyware.

 

Hi javacool,

I'm also using win98se and spywareblaster 3.4 was working perfectly until I got infected by a trojan. I have now after 2 weeks of debugging finally managed to find and remove this trojan and spywareblaster 3.4 is now working perfectly again.

This trojan had installed the following files into the c:\windows\system folder: hclean32.exe, cshma.exe and cshma.exe was the file that was responsible for the "Error while unpacking program, code 4. Please report to author." when opening spywareblaster 3.4 .

I have also been able to reproduce this "error" on other win98se installations by copying and opening the .exe files and this zip file [COLOR=Blue]<Removed>[/COLOR] contains the .exe files that was installed by the trojan.

vcd4ever.

 

Yes, thank you for your post vcd4ever - but in the future, if you have similar files to send, please do so privately to bugreports@javacoolsoftware.com

(That way no one will accidentally click on any links. )

Thanks!

Best regards,

-Javacool

 

Hi javacool,

Thanks for the reply and I will post the files the next time I get infected with a spyware that causes this "error".

Update: I have today found that the cshma.exe file is a trojan called "Trojan-Dropper.Win32.Vidro.u"

vcd4ever.

 

Hello All,
I am writing this Hopefully for someone at Javacool to see and PLEASE try to address. I started using SpywareBlaster version 3.2 and have upgraded to version 3.4. All ran well and I liked the product so much I have contemplated buying additional products from Javacool. However...recently I got hit with the Popcorn64 and popcorn72 re-direct programs. As soon as I notriced they struck I lost the ability to run SpywareBlaster 3.4. I too received the "Error while unpacking program, code 4. Please report to author" messgae.
I corrected and cleansed my computer of the popcorn threat, but I still cannot get SpywareBlaster to run. I have uninstalled the program. Deleted all files, cleaned the registry and downloaded a new copy of the program from the Javacool site. Unfortunately I STILL get the error message and the program will not run.
PLEASE HELP!!!
I like SpywareBlaster and don;t want to get a different program. I do use Spybot Search and Destrioy, but it doesn;t contain the same feature mix SpywareBlaster has. So can someone Please tell me how to get version 3.4 to operate?
Thanks
Rrubin1957

 

The reason that made me register in this forum and write this post is that I also received the message "Error while unpacking program, code 4. Please report to author" while I tried to open SpywareBlaster v3.4. And I think this is the last place where I can find some help to resolve the problem. I've used this program for over 2 years and I found it very useful and was grateful and still am to its developers. The first version I installed in 2003 (if I can remember correctly) was 2.0.5 and since then I have upgraded through every newer version including 3.0,3.1,3.2,3.3,3.4. I have had no problems using the program, doing updates,etc. Last version 3.4 which I installed in June 2005 also worked fine until last week 28.09.2005 when I tried to open SB to see if there was a update and the program gave this message. The last definitions files that I have downloaded were from 19.09.2005.
I have a relatively old computer that runs on Win98SE. I have also Ad-Aware Personal 1.06r1, Spybot-Search and Destroy 1.4 and my antivirus program is Antivir 6 PersonalEdition Classic - all with latest detection files and I have used this programs for a long time without pause. I have had no problems with suspicious software before. One of the reasons I could receive this message may be that my computer has been invaded by spyware,malware,etc as it is hinted in some posts. But before this "error 4" I have had no spyware or viruses doing checks with Ad-Aware,S-S&D,Antivir and after I received this error these programs again say that there are no immediate threads(problems)!!! But in fact the previous day (27.09.2005) while I browsing the Internet there was an attemp within my browser to be installed some kind of program (Trojan?) called Carnivalcasino. But I cancelled the installation and Antivir detected and deleted some file(s) from IE cache.
Also on 28.09.2005 before I noticed this error I upgraded my Antivir 6 Personal to new build 1068 (21.09.2005). Could the new version interfere with SpywareBlaster

I would like to thank in advance to everyone who can help with some advice. It seems that this error code 4 is not at all so rare, as it is mentioned above. If it is necessary I can give more details about my system, programs installed, startup items, etc.