# Microsoft Anti-spyware Software



## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

Anyone tried this yet?

I've been running it for a couple of days and I must admit (through clenched teeth







) I think it's quite good.

Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta 1

It's only in beta so it may still be a bit buggy, but I haven't encountered any problems so far. If you try it, I suggest you disable any other resident anti-spyware programs first.


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## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

I'm always dubious about using Beta software. Just me perhaps.

Go on what's the catch - you mentioned clenched teeth?


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

> Go on what's the catch - you mentioned clenched teeth?


It's Microsoft







(or at least it is now after they bought it!) I'm not known for liking anything Microsoft. I even got an email from someone at work saying they couldn't believe I was "advocating" a Microsoft program









The real catch is that it will probably be the main anti-spyware program that the spyware and adware coders deliberately try to defeat.

However, I was impressed with the GUI. No one can deny that MS programs have nice, fluffy GUI's! It picked up one instance of adware on my work PC that I didn't know was there







It also alerts you about various types of remote control software (of which I have several varieties) and, whilst warning you of their presence, it usefully defaults to "ignore" when it comes to removing them as they are legitimate programs. I'm talking here about programs like DameWare's mini remote control and Symantec's PC Anywhere programs. It also features a very useful "Always Ignore" option so that any programs it decides are dodgy but which you wish to keep can be excluded from subsequent scans.


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## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

I got Adaware on mine. I had another, which has strangely disappeared. Shame because that was more user friendly. Can't remember the name though.

I just run it now & then. Can they be set to work all the time?


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Hi Rich,

Downloading it now.







I think MS has finally realised that it has to help protect its customers from the vulnerabilities in its products.







'Bout time.

It was nice of MS to validated my OS before downloading the file, all those nasty pirates should beware, Bill will get you.


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## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

I've been booting in Linux for a few weeks now - seems a much better option for keeping the hackers at bay that anything Bill might be thinking of right now.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Stan said:


> It was nice of MS to validated my OS before downloading the file, all those nasty pirates should beware, Bill will get you.


 i'd better not try it then


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Long John Silver eh PG.









I have a skull and cross bones painted on my PC, because the next time the OS crashes it going to get a jolly rogering.


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

Validation is optional at the moment, although I suspect it will become the norm









Another excuse for MS to go poking around on my PC ...or digging for buried treasure









Another good thing about the Microsoft one though, at least from a corporate network point of view, is that you can hide the System Tray icon so all the dumb lusers can't go fiddling with the settings and breaking it









Mr C:

I think Adaware can only be made to run permanently in the background if you buy the "Plus" or "Pro" editions. It's been a while since I've Used Adaware though so maybe the free version does it now as well, I'm not 100% sure. The other good one is SpyBot S&D which has a resident utility - called "Tea Timer" for some bizarre reason - which runs all the time if you want it to. This is the one I generally use. It's added to your Startup folder on installation.


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## USMike (Mar 16, 2003)

Not sure if I'm going to install it but I was surprised I was able to download it using Netscape 7.2. Microsoft usually blocks downloads with any browser except IE.

I may wait a week or so and keep checking back here to see if anyone's PC dies as a result of this program. Bill Gates has never been my friend.

Oh yes, if you installed Windows with a valid key, the source doesn't matter to the validation program.


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

> I may wait a week or so and keep checking back here to see if anyone's PC dies as a result of this program


Most Windows PC's die within a week of being switched on anyway


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

And, if you upgrade your machine too often MS wont let you activate Windows XP.

It seems that I don't own what I paid for, it's owned by MS and my original hardware.









Good way to drive people to Linux,................. or even piracy.


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

I was having a clear out today and found legit copies of DOS 5 and Windows 3.0. You can have those if you like


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Windows 3.







On floppies?

That could be interesting.







I wonder if I could get it working on my current PC?

It would run like stuff off a chromed shovel if I could. Naah, I have an Amiga A1200 upstairs with Workbench 3.1 installed, from about the same era.

It was plug and play and multi-tasking with 16 million colours, who needs Windows 3?
















Might be fun trying, though.

But if I was to put that much effort in I might as well do it with something worthwhile like Linux.


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

It may not matter much, but just in case anyone gets confused, I said:



> SpyBot S&D ... has a resident utility - called "Tea Timer" for some bizarre reason - which runs all the time if you want it to. This is the one I generally use. It's added to your Startup folder on installation


...and I was completely wrong









In order to run in the background and on startup, it actually creates an entry in the following Registry location when you enable it through SpyBot's GUI:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run


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