AdAware

Repa, just got a popup box offering new upgrade.

is this new version free? i could not determine?

thanks

There is a free version of AdAware 2008 here:

http://www.lavasoft.com/download_and_buy/product_comparison_chart.php

ad-aware didn't mention anything about not continuing to issue updates, when i received that pop up, so maybe i don't need to do anything. now, after further thought, it appears to me that they are just trying to sell a paid upgrade version.

do you know if this is true? have you seen that popup when you update ad-aware? please tell me what i need to do, if anything?

wcturner wrote:

ad-aware didn't mention anything about not continuing to issue updates, when i received that pop up, so maybe i don't need to do anything. now, after further thought, it appears to me that they are just trying to sell a paid upgrade version.

do you know if this is true? have you seen that popup when you update ad-aware? please tell me what i need to do, if anything?

No, this is a free upgrade to Ad-Aware 2008, v. 7.1.0.12 called the Anniversary Edition. You can download it by clicking the Download Now button, but let me check it out more first as it looks like it has a realtime resident shield and an antivirus engine. You don't want another antivirus application running with your current antivirus, which I think you have Avast, if I remember correctly. I may download it on my laptop and see if the anti-virus engine can be disabled. For those who may want to use this package with the antivirus enabled, please note that it is a very basic antivirus engine and will not give adequate protection against viruses. You need the protection that Avast provides.

After reading a number of reviews, I see that the new Ad-Aware gets both good and bad reviews. The bad reviews are more than I would like to see. Right now, until I can do some more research and check out the Anniversary Edition on one of my computers, I suggest using Ad-Aware 2008 as an extra scanner only, as Ad-Watch cannot be enabled in the Free version. In this version, they seem to have fixed the problems with updates that were present in the 2007 version, and it seems to scan ok. But it looks like Ad-Watch might be enabled as an option in the Anniversary Edition and that's what I want to check out.

Ad-Aware 2008, v. 7.1.0.12 is what i've already got and have had for several months, beginning in, maybe october 08, or whenever it was first offered to me. that's why i was confused, i had not had this version that long, and thought it odd that i was offered another new version.

waiting for your recommendation,thanks.

bump

Repa, anything new about this?

Repa,

why is ad-aware pushing that upgrade?

Well, it is their latest and greatest. I have it on my machine and testing it. It does update faster and run faster scans. It is more streamlined and ergonomically pleasing. It has Ad-Watch enabled in the anniversary edition with a basic integrated real-time protection against processes starting that are or could be harmful. It does not protect against downloads. Ad-aware 2008 does not have the Ad-Watch feature enabled.

Ad-aware Anniversary Edition has an anti-virus engine that is not enabled by default, but can be activated. I don't believe you would want the anti-virus engine enabled because it would likely conflict with Avast or other anti-virus applications. But, without it enabled, I'm not sure that activating Ad-Watch's "Processes protection" does anything since nothing is, or can be activated in the Detection Layers if you don't activate the anti-virus engine. This is what I'm trying to find out, so hold off until I do. I'll try to get something posted on this early this week. If you should want to download it and use it as a scanner, just don't activate the anti-virus engine, or you could even disable Ad-Watch until I can get an answer on how the "Processes protection" works.

as i mentioned above, i thought i already had the latest version(Ad-Aware 2008, v. 7.1.0.12).

i'll just wait for further instructions from you.

Repa,

i cannot get ad-Aware to open up in order to update it, are you having similar problems?

I've been using the Anniversary Edition for a while now and it doesn't appear to be giving me any problems. I suggest you uninstall your current version and download the Anniversary Edition and install it. You will find it here:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/Ad-Aware_Free_-_Anniversary_Edition_d6104.html

Repa, don't i need to uninstall my current version, then download it from your majorgeeks link, to my desktop, and go from there?

Yes

Repa, i've tried several times to remove the old adaware from add/remove programs, and it gives me error, & won't remove it. i'll write below what it says, then later try a screen shot.

ADAWARE Error 1921. Service 'Lavasoft Adaware Service' (aawservice) Could not be stopped. Verify that you have sufficient privileges to stop system services.


Retry or Cancel

Do you know the meaning of the error message above? I was trying to remove old version in Admin. Level privileges. Do you know how i can get the old version removed?

wcturner wrote:

Repa, i've tried several times to remove the old adaware from add/remove programs, and it gives me error, & won't remove it. i'll write below what it says, then later try a screen shot.

ADAWARE Error 1921. Service 'Lavasoft Adaware Service' (aawservice) Could not be stopped. Verify that you have sufficient privileges to stop system services.


Retry or Cancel

Do you know the meaning of the error message above? I was trying to remove old version in Admin. Level privileges. Do you know how i can get the old version removed?

There are 2 ways to approach this:

1. Stop the Lavasoft service first.

Start > run > type services.msc > enter > find Lavasoft Ad-Aware Service > right click and choose stop.

Try to unininstall your current version and if successful, delete the folder Lavasoft in C:\Program Files\Lavasoft if it is still there and then install the Anniversary Edition.

If this doesn't work:

2. Go into safe mode and login to the Administrator account and see if you can uninstall the program from there. If successful, delete the folder Lavasoft in C:\Program Files\Lavasoft and then return to normal mode and install the Anniversary Edition.

i tried your 2 suggestions. # 1 didn't give me the option in the drop down menu to "Stop".

i then tried #2: i went into Safe mode, as admin., and then> Start > run > type services.msc > enter > find Lavasoft Ad-Aware Service. I assume I was to do as i did in #1, meaning> START> RUN, etc., to try to Stop it?

i'll try to post the screen shot now. I couldn't get the screen shot to post.

Here's why it said i couldn't REMOVE adaware: tHE wINDOWS iNSTALLER sERVICE COULD NOT BE ACCESSED. This can occur if you're running Windows in safe mode, or if installer is not correctly installed.

What can i do now to remove it? i hope you know

wcturner wrote:

i tried your 2 suggestions. # 1 didn't give me the option in the drop down menu to "Stop".

Ok, try this: In normal mode in an Administrator (owner) account select:

1. Start > run > type services.msc > enter > find Lavasoft Ad-Aware Service

2. Double-click on "Lavasoft Ad-Aware Service." A window will open. Under "Service Status" click the "Stop" button.

3. Under "Startup Type" click on the drop-down menu arrow and select "Disabled."

4. Click OK to close the window. Reboot.

5. Go to Add/Remove Programs and uninstall Ad-Aware and if successful, delete the folder Lavasoft in C:\Program Files\Lavasoft if it is still there.

6. Download the Anniversary Edition to your "My Downloads" folder and install the program from there.

i then tried #2: i went into Safe mode, as admin., and then> Start > run > type services.msc > enter > find Lavasoft Ad-Aware Service. I assume I was to do as i did in #1, meaning> START> RUN, etc., to try to Stop it?

No, I wanted you to try to unstall Ad-aware from Add/Remove Programs. The Ad-Aware service would not be running in Safe Mode.

Here's why it said i couldn't REMOVE adaware: tHE wINDOWS iNSTALLER sERVICE COULD NOT BE ACCESSED. This can occur if you're running Windows in safe mode, or if installer is not correctly installed.

What can i do now to remove it? i hope you know

Did you get this error message in Safe Mode or Normal Mode when you tried to uninstall Ad-Aware from Add/Remove Programs? If it was in Safe Mode, try uninstalling it in Normal Mode after doing the steps I gave you above. If you get this error message in Normal Mode, try this:

1. Start > Run and type cmd in the text box. Click ok.

2. At the command prompt, type msiexec /unregister and press Enter. (note the space between msiexec and /)

3. At the next command prompt, type msiexec /regserver and press Enter.

4. Now try to uninstall Ad-aware

Note: Ad-aware has its own uninstaller, so you could try that instead of going to add/remove programs. The uninstaller can be found at Start > Programs > Lavasoft > Ad-Aware > Click Uninstall Ad-Aware and follow the wizard prompts.

If the above doesn't work, you may have to go into the registry and remove all references to Lavasoft and Ad-Aware, delete the Lavasoft folder in C:\Program Files, and then install the Anniversary Edition.

Repa,

i tried your 2 above remedies from yesterday, & they didn't work. I don't feel comfortable messing with the registery alone. Can you help me?

WC, what exactly didn't work? Were you not able to stop the Lavasoft Ad-Aware Service? Or did that succeed but you couldn't uninstall Ad-Aware from Add/Remove programs? Did you try using the Ad-Aware uninstaller? Exaclty what did you do in what steps, and what happened in each step?

I wasn't able to stop the Lavasoft Ad-Aware Service. From the beginning of this thread, I followed your instructions in the order that you gave them. I tried to stop, & disable lavasoft in normal mode & in Safe mode.

The following is the Error message I got in Normal mode:ADAWARE Error 1921. Service 'Lavasoft Adaware Service' (aawservice) Could not be stopped. Verify that you have sufficient privileges to stop system services.

Then, in Safe Mode in Add/Remove it would not Remove the Adaware program. The reason was something about making sure I had Admin. privileges, which I was attempting the removal in the "Owners" level. So, I followed your instructions from the git go, & in the order that you gave them. And, I tried them 2 times, to no avail. Hope you can understand this.

I also tried using "Ad-Adware's own Uninstaller", it would not uninstall the program either. Don't remember the reason it gave for not removing the program.




Below I'm trying to describe the steps I took as you requested.
Ok, try this: In normal mode in an Administrator (owner) account select:

1. Start > run > type services.msc > enter > find Lavasoft Ad-Aware Service

2. Double-click on "Lavasoft Ad-Aware Service." A window will open. Under "Service Status" click the "Stop" button. The Stop button isn't highlited in order for me to click on it. So, i could not stop it.


3. Under "Startup Type" click on the drop-down menu arrow and select "Disabled." I tried disable, when i first used your initial instructions at the beginning of this thread, when at that time as now, the "Stop" button isn't highlighted, & is not clickable. so, there was no reason to reboot.


1. Start > Run and type cmd in the text box. Click ok.

2. At the command prompt, type msiexec /unregister and press Enter. (note the space between msiexec and /)

I tried this next, and it did not work either, I don't remember the reason it gave for not completing task.

Sounds like something may be corrupted in Ad-aware or the registry. How long ago did your problems start with Ad-aware? Can you restore your computer to a point before that? If you can, then try doing what I told you again about stoping the service. If you can't stop it and disable it in Normal mode, try doing it in safe mode in the Administrator account. If you are successful in doing this, you should be able to use the Ad-aware uninstaller to uninstall Ad-aware.

Here's something else to try that I just thought of to stop the service:

1. Open the Task Manager (press the Control+Alt+Delete keys simultaneously) and select the Processes tab.
2. Highlight the process AAWService.exe and click the End Process button. The process should disappear from the list of processes.
3. Highlight the process AAWTray.exe (if it is present) and click the End Process button.
4. Now try uninstalling Ad-aware using the Ad-Aware Uninstaller.

If none of the above works, you could also try installing the Anniversary Edition over the current version of Ad-aware and see if it will take. If nothing works, you are probably going to have to remove it from the registry.

I am traveling right now, but expect to be home Friday or Saturday. There are some things you need to be aware of going thru the registry and it will take some time to give you detailed instructions. There are a lot of entries for Ad-aware in the registry, and a few that should not be deleted because they actually refer to malicious sites in the Restricted Sites table

I'm looking into another free anti-spyware program that may be much better than Ad-aware and may eventually recommend it over Ad-aware in the near future. Not ready to do that just yet, though.

Repa, I'm not sure when problems with Ad-aware began, but, i just did a system restore on March 14;2009. That was a point before I noticed my computer becoming real slow, & acting strange. As I had mentioned, it seemed to help a little, but, it wasn't restored to being as fast it was before.

I haven't been able to try your suggestion of tutorial #4, jasons toolbox, etc., yet, since i've been stuck with this adaware problem. But, for some strange reason, I noticed last nite, that computer had started becoming faster, acting more normal, like it was before I reported the slow down to you. Why, I don't have a clue.

I'll just keep trying what you've suggested, trying to remove it, & wait til you get back home, & wait for your post here again. If I am able to make any progress, I'll report it here, & go from there.

Drive defensively, & get home safe!!!

Repa,
My computer seemed back to normal recently, so, I went to add/remove to again try to uninstall adaware. This time it worked. I then clicked to install the Anniversary Edition. And, it would have uninstalled the old version in the new install process.

1) Do you have any idea why my computer began to run so slow & then after a system restore, & a couple of weeks later, started to act normal again?

2) How should I set the settings on the Anniversary Edition, or do I just leave them as they are from the installation?

Well, that's good, WC, as the registry removal would have been difficult and time-consuming. As far as Ad-aware settings go, click the settings button and under the Update tab, make sure Automatic updates (2 places) are turned on, and check "Do not send files to Threatwork." Under the Ad-Watch Live! tab, make sure Processes Protection is checked and Anti-virus engine is unchecked or not active.

I don't know why things cleared up for you because I don't know what you did in what steps and in what order aside from restoring to an earlier date. Remember, when your computer starts acting abnormally, the first thing you should think of to do is to restore to an earlier date where you had no visible problems. You can always undo the restore if the problem is not fixed by doing that.

What about this. under adwatch Live! it has realtime protection > ON

Do i leave it on?