Cannot Un-immunize Spybot!

Hi all, brand new forum member here.

I recently immunized with Spybot and found it to be more annoying than useful. It's slowed Firefox to a crawl and is just, well, really annoying. I "un-immunized" and nothing happened. Same blocked ads, same slow browser. A Spybot rep (bless his heart) answered my e-mail, though his advice was useless. I ended up simply un-installing Spybot thinking that would solve the problem, but it hasn't. Same blocked ads, same slow browser.

What on earth do I have to do to get my browser back?

Any advice is very much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

You could first reinstall Spybot and then uninstall it via RevoUninstaller (free). Not sure if it will take care of all the lot of items loaded in your registry by this kind of functionality but I think it's worth a try. If it does not work this way, you will probably have to dig them directly off the registry (sounds worst to do than it realy is, though).

Also, how are you sure that the slowdowns were|are generated by Spybot's immunizer. It could as well be many things like some nasties or even another security product installed on your system!

 

Thanks for the quick reply. I will probably try your first suggestion, though I've not heard of RevoUninstaller. I'm not a rookie computer user, but I'm also not well versed on cleaning my registry. This frightens me.

Thanks again. Nice icon, by the way!

 

I would not be in a hurry to uninstall using Revo. It seems quite likely to me that it would be a big ask to have the Revo program recognize every blocked entry created by S&D.
a bit more info is in order:
What OS, what CPU and RAM (those three all available by looking at "system" from within the control panel) and what other security applications are installed, please?
The method I'd be looking to try would be a reinstall of exactly the same Spybot version (use the same installer if you still have it) followed by selecting "de-immunize" and then wait.
It could take a little while. Especially if you have a low spec system.
I'm not certain this will work, since the application was uninstalled, but it is worth a try.
What was the advice offered by the Spybot "rep", and was this via email or on their forum?

[edit] PS, it would be possible to remove the entries from the registry. There are a lot. It would take quite a while.

 

I tend to agree with Tarq57 on this.While Revo is outstanding at removing all traces of an installation I doubt that it'll be able to undo any modifications made by SpybotS&D.You may have more joy using a reg cleaner such as Ccleaner which should highlight any orphaned keys leftover from Spybot.However it's always best to try and undo anything using the software itself before trying any third party tools.

 

Or the original poster, or someone else wanting to help, could install this same version of spybot on another clean pc/hd, and monitoring the installation+settings with something like Total Uninstall or InCTRL 5. Then the logs could be exported/used to totally clean the messed registry left behind by spybot...

 

@Tarq: Running Windows Vista SP1, Intel Core Duo CPU T5850 @ 2.16 GHz, 3 GB RAM, running Webroot Spysweeper and AdAware's Ad-Watch Live. I don't have the Spybot installer (deleted that, too, because I'm so thorough). The Spybot rep told me to de-immunize which did nothing. He then told me switch to Advanced mode, select 'Tools' - 'Resident' and untick the box in front of 'SdHelper'. That box was already unchecked. Lame. I shouldn't have uninstalled the app. That was dumb. I hope the version I had is still available.

@ andyman: I actually ran CCleaner last night (love that program), though it didn't appear to help. Curses!

 

Maybe that will help.I can do it on xp pro sp3 if the op has the same os.Otherwise i'll sugest jv 16 trial and use it's" registry finder" function .The program itself uninstalls clean.

 

Doesn't Spybot immunize through adding domains in your host files?
What if you go there and reset it by deleting the entries.

 

@ demonon: Noob question - where do I find these "host files?" Thanks!

 

I could be wrong because I quit to use spybot a long time ago, but I think it works more like SpyBlaster, by dumping allot of entries in some registry key. But I think that spybot can be set to use both methods (i mean one or the other, both would be overkill). Feel at ease to correct me here if I am all wrong on this...

 

There are no dumb questions, they are only easier to answer.

In Vista the host files are located in : C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc
(The C depends on where you have installed Vista)
There is a file called hosts. Right click it, and open it with notepad or change the extension to .txt and then open it.

You will see a text like this:

See if there are entries under local host.
Most likely this are the one added by Spybot.
These are the ones that must be deleted.

 

I haven't used Spybot in a long time.
But I know that Spybot and Spyware blaster used to modify the host files.

 

The host file is C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc ( etc being a folder )
I do not use Spybot,but believe it adds entries to the host file.To delete entries you could use Hostxpert www.majorgeeks.com/Hoster_d4626.html

* Unzip HostsXpert.zip
* It will create a folder named HostsXpert in whatever folder you extract it to.
* Run HostsXpert.exe by double clicking on it.
* click Restore MS Hosts File and then click OK.
* Make read only
* Click the X to exit the program

If Vista blocks Hostxpert then

1) Browse to Start -> All Programs -> Accessories
2) Right click "Notepad" and select "Run as administrator"
3) Click "Continue" on the UAC prompt
4) Click File -> Open
5) Browse to "C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc"
6) Change the file filter drop down box from "Text Documents (*.txt)" to "All Files (*.*)"
7) Select "hosts" and click "Open"
Make the needed changes and close Notepad. Save when prompted.

 

It probably isn't a performance issue. If it was, the de-immunize might be laggy to start and slow to complete. You shuld have seen something start to happen as soon a you clicked the button.
Makes me wonder if it's a compatibility problem.
Spysweeper and Adaware running realtime. Probably overkill, and from what I've read, not that effective.

 

Wow, hey thanks EVERYONE for all the help. Status update:

Reinstalled Spybot and tried to undo immunization (again). It's telling me I need Admin status to perform this function completely. I am the Admin.

I'm really, really starting to dislike Spybot. It's my own fault; I should have been more clear on what Immunization did before I ran it.

So I'm in the hosts file, opened in Notepad. Sure enough, there are a TON of entries. It reads: "# Start of entries inserted by Spybot - Search & Destroy" and then lists a few hundred. So I delete these, save and then I'm good?

I'm nervous - never done this before. And thanks for not making fun of me!

 

New status update:

Was able to run Spybot as Admin, un-immunized and opened host file. All Spybot entries now gone. Great! However . . .

Ads are still blocked, browser still slow. Doods . . . when . . . does . . . this . . . end?

 

New Status Update:

Got it. Running Spybot in Admin mode, I was able to get into the "Tools - Resident" section and untick the SDHelper box (just as the Spybot rep had originally told me - why didn't he tell me I had to log in as an Admin?).

So I got my precious ads back. Who would have thought I'd spend so much time trying to get my browser to load ads!!

So I have my ads (and all the tracking cookies that come with them), but I don't care. I got my browser speed back.

I'm going to ditch Spybot (again) and possibly both AdAware and SpySweeper. I like SpySweeper, but I think $40 a year is kind of pricey. So, final question . . .

What do you guys use? I'd like virus detection plus real-time scanning. SpySweeper offers this, but at a premium. Any suggestions?

And thanks to everyone for all the time you spent with me on this. I'll be back - what a great forum!!!!

 

I don't know if you have a similar thread going on the Spybot forum, but I would suggest that that is your best course of action.

In addition, I have noticed that you have so far referred to the advice given by a "Spybot rep" as "lame" and "useless". With you being a self-professed "noob", I submit to you that perhaps you aren't in the greatest position to be passing such derogatory judgements on Spybot support people. I have not experienced any members of "Team Spybot" dispensing either lame or useless advice. Maybe you are hooked up with another user who is trying their best to assist and it isn't working.

Whatever your problem, I'd suggest losing the lame and useless remarks.

Just my opinion.

 

avast! and Avira both offer free versions that have anti-spyware capabilities built in.

 

Page42, I have been nothing but humble, gracious and grateful on this forum, and I think your post is a little over the top. In my defense:

I did post a thread on the Spybot forum and got no response. Thanks.

I said the Spybot rep "bless his heart, answered my e-mail." The rep got back to me right away. I was both surprised and grateful for the personalized service. I did say the rep's advice was "useless," and I could perhaps have chosen my words more carefully. I should have said the advice was not helpful or didn't work.

I never said the rep's advice was "lame." I said that I was unable to untick a box (as the rep had suggested) and that was lame. If you inferred otherwise, that's your problem.

You gave your opinion, now I'll give mine; lose that chip on your shoulder.

 

My point precisely.

What you said was... "He then told me switch to Advanced mode, select 'Tools' - 'Resident' and untick the box in front of 'SdHelper'. That box was already unchecked. Lame."

That sounded to me like you thought the advice was lame. You're now saying otherwise. Okay.

I don't have a chip. As you can see, I am trying to help. Suggesting that you take a different approach is part of that attempt. Like all other advice given, take it or leave it. But I'm definitely going to comment when I see what looked to me like someone (you) making disparaging remarks.

 

Hey Chip,

You sure have spent a lot of time analyzing my posts and reading things into them. "That sounded to me . . . " - "What looked like to me . . ."

Gimme a break. Go pick a fight elsewhere.

Bye chump.

 

So much for, "I have been nothing but humble, gracious and grateful on this forum"...

You took offense where none was intended. Glad you got your problem corrected.