AdAware 2007

[JDPower]

Thanks for the thumbs down Wasn't there a similar discussion relating to the new AVG anti spyware program?

Yup, just a few threads down from this one. I won't be using either if there has to be an unnecessary service running for no apparent reason.

[Andavari]

Thanks for that, saved me installing it to find this out then immediately uninstalling it

You're welcomed! I was just starting to create the Ad-Aware 2007 Free cleaning routine for CCleaner until I found out about that service and decided to uninstall Ad-Aware.

 

Feels sort of strange that I've been using Ad-Aware for so long all these years, and to think it will no longer have a home of my HDD.

[Tarq57]

From a few items I've read, it seems a lot of these programs (Adaware, Asquared, AVG) do install a service that runs at start, and it appears to be largely as a result of Vista requirements.

As mentioned above, easy enough to set it to manual. One has to remember to turn it off after any use, though. It's using just over 20Mb in task manager, without the program even open.

 

I too was a bit nonplussed at the lack of expandable info in the scan results. Turns out the column dividers are invisible, mouse along them to find. Really needs the program to be maximized to see the entire content, though, especially with long strings like registry entries. A bit disappointing, when many other programs just expand the text, or scroll it along in response to a mouse click. I prefer the full expanded text, so much easier to read.

 

I use the MVPS hosts file, it flagged 4 or 5 of the entries. (Checked that the addresses were still what they ortabe, then selected "ignore")

Really, if it's going to be detecting entries with known dodgy names why didn't it detect almost all the hosts file entries?

 

The program does run fast, start fast, and look real slick.

But the main thing, for me, will be how well it detects and disinfects. Only time, and stories from those who know, will tell.

 

Nothing it's done wrong so far is a deal breaker for me. 'Specially since the version I'm using is free. Thing is, I never seem to get malware, so I'm unlikely to be able to test it for real.

[Tom AZ]

Most interesting comments today on the new Ad-Aware 2007 Free. In light of all this dialogue, how does this new release compare with AVG's Anti-Spyware Free? Is one clearly superior over the other?

[Anthony A]

Does anybody know if Ad-Aware will keep supporting the older version? If they keep providing updates I will keep using it.

 

Well?

[Tarq57]

Most interesting comments today on the new Ad-Aware 2007 Free. In light of all this dialogue, how does this new release compare with AVG's Anti-Spyware Free? Is one clearly superior over the other?

 

I don't think anyone will really know until it's put to the test.

 

Well?

 

http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?showtopic=9458

[CeeCee]

Just installed AdAware 2007 and not quite happy with it. Why it starts to scan all the program files folders, even with SMART scan and that aawservice.exe service thing is not good.

 

EDIT:

I just noticed that service is taking 21.3 MB of memory on my system. I'm now uninstalling Ad-Aware 2007 Free.

 

Is it taking that amount of memory, even when service is not running?

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I also checked with Autoruns program and there was a new entry (i think it's new..) under "bootexecute" named lsdelete.exe. Is it created by AdAware 2007?

 

EDIT: Yes, it seems to be installed with AA2007. http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=64898. I think it's for deleting files at Windows start-up.

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Ok. I uninstalled it. Wasn't very pleased with it.

[Farrekker]

Hey i noticed that Aww.service thing as well. Stealling my system resources! GRRRRRR >:! Oni thing is how do i tur ti off i cant find any reference to it in the Adaware Interface(probably the wrong term). I dont see it in settings or in ....well any and every where else i looked.

Could someone tell me where to go????

CHEERS

[hazelnut]

If you disable this service the program won't run.

 

However you can if you want set it to manual so it will start when YOU ask it to.

 

Do on your computer, start>run, and type in services.msc then scroll down and look for aww service, double click on it and set the startup type to manual, press apply and then ok.

[Tom AZ]

What does changing this setting to manual actually do? Does it disable the automatic update feature -- and/or something else?

 

Is there a really GOOD anti-spyware alternative option out there (preferably free and non-realtime) that doesn't always have something running in the background using up resources?

[JDPower]

Is there a really GOOD anti-spyware alternative option out there (preferably free and non-realtime) that doesn't always have something running in the background using up resources?

Probably the free version of Super Antispyware is your best bet at present

[fireryone]

And it doesn't hurt to use Spybot Search & Destroy as well

[David_L]

Against my better judgment I went ahead and installed the new Ad-Aware 2007 a couple of days ago. If it aint broke don't fix it, is my motto, so why did I do it? Well I just updated it and it said there was some software update, not just the definitions update, and asked if I wanted to update so I updated it and then it began to act weird. Ad-Aware screens started to pop up and on the bottom of my screen where it shows what programs you have open it had two Ad-Aware tabs but when I'd click on them nothing was there and I couldn't make the tabs go away. Had to reboot to get the tabs gone and the extra Ad-Aware windows to go away.

 

And on a related note, yesterday there was a big update for AVG Antispyware Free Version 7.5. I updated it and something about that went haywire. After the big update a message popped up that some file or another couldn't be found and told me I'd have to reinstall AVG Antispyware 7.5 so I had to download and then reinstall the thing. Seems to be working OK now.

 

When the latest and greatest Spybot S&D comes out I think I'll pass on it. I mean if it aint broke don't fix it, right?

[Tarq57]

I'd have no issues with updating Spybot. Mr Kola has demonstrated over a long period he has the users interest at heart. And decided for various reasons not to certify it for Vista, instead choosing the "works with Vista" option. http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

 

Re AdAware, tried to register for the forums. No confirmation email. Tried contacting them, message bounced back. Clearly they are not interested in providing support for the freeware version, and I certainly wouldn't recommend it.

[CTskifreak]

I was wondering about upgrading...but also about uninstalling the older version. It hasn't found anything in a while, while AVG has found tracking cookies for Firefox. I'm most likely gonna uninstall it. Quoting Andavari, it is weird to remove it off of my hard drive after having been there for so long.

 

AJ

[Tarq57]

It is weird to remove it, I agree.

However I've just done this, following an attempt to update the defs, which was mildly confusing at best, and achieved an update of the updater, nothing else, whilst all the while the def's information (dated 9/June/07) claimed it was up to date.

I don't know of any other security applications, not popular ones, anyway, that are happy to leave a user non-updated for 11 days (or at least report that as being the case) and since I can't post at the Lavasoft forums, Bye bye. Probably for good.

If anyone working at Lavasoft should read this, please take note.