6 replies to this topic

[super-ninja]

I was using the Anniversary Edition but some files became corrupt and even after reading the help files and threads on this forum, I was unable to get it to work, so I uninstalled it and downloaded version 8.1.4 instead.

Now that I have it installed, I've noticed the following "issues":

1) It automatically runs on startup (when I turn on my computer). How do I disable this? It wastes resources. I only want Ad-Aware to run when I tell it to scan.

I cannot access the "scheduler" menu because I have the free version. I even found a menu in the start menu (Start --> All Programs --> Lavasoft --> Ad-Aware --> Tool box --> Startup Manager) and I thought "awesome, this will be it!" Nope, it says I can't access it with the free version.

2) I run a keylogger at all times so that when I'm typing a long post or email or whatever and my browser crashes/power failure/hit submit and the connection dies, etc., I can easily recover my post and not have to spend 10-20 minutes typing it again. The keylogger was detected by Ad-Aware (as I would expect), so I added all the files and processes to the "ignore" lists so it wouldn't detect them anymore. However, the keylogger was still blocked from running (I had to manually start the keylogger rather than having it start automatically when Windows boots). I added the process to the safe list so that it would run, but now every time I start they keylogger, Ad-Aware "detects a malicious process" and runs a scan automatically. Why is it detecting malicious processes when they have been added to the safe list already?

Here's the bottom line. I love Ad-Aware. I've used it for the last 6 years. To be honest, I like it more than Spy-Bot S&D. But these two issues are absolute dealbreakers for me. How do I fix them?

If they cannot be fixed, where can I get a previous version of Ad-Aware that doesn't auto-scan when Windows starts?

Thanks!

Edited by super-ninja, 13 February 2010 - 07:03 AM.

[casey_boy]

1) It automatically runs on startup (when I turn on my computer). How do I disable this? It wastes resources. I only want Ad-Aware to run when I tell it to scan.

Do you mean it runs a scan or it starts as a background process?

• If you mean a scan, then I believe the reason it scans at start-up is simply because Ad-Aware has detected your keylogger, so when the ignore list is fixed this behaviour should stop.
  
• If you mean background process, you can disable this feature but you should note that you will not be protected from any threats. To do this easily, right click on the Ad-Aware icon in the notification area and click exit then click yes in the confirmation.

I cannot access the "scheduler" menu because I have the free version. I even found a menu in the start menu (Start --> All Programs --> Lavasoft --> Ad-Aware --> Tool box --> Startup Manager) and I thought "awesome, this will be it!" Nope, it says I can't access it with the free version.

You are correct. The scheduler is only available in the pro/plus versions - if you wish to use this tool you will need to consider upgrading. A full product comparison is here.

... I added all the files and processes to the "ignore" lists so it wouldn't detect them anymore. However, the keylogger was still blocked from running (I had to manually start the keylogger rather than having it start automatically when Windows boots). I added the process to the safe list so that it would run, but now every time I start they keylogger, Ad-Aware "detects a malicious process" and runs a scan automatically. Why is it detecting malicious processes when they have been added to the safe list already?

There is a confirmed bug in Ad-Aware 8.1.4 in which the ignore list is not working. This will be fixed in future updates/releases

Casey

Edited by casey_boy, 13 February 2010 - 12:47 PM.

[super-ninja]

Thanks for the reply, casey_boy. Let me make sure I understand what you are saying.

Do you mean it runs a scan or it starts as a background process?

• If you mean a scan, then I believe the reason it scans at start-up is simply because Ad-Aware has detected your keylogger, so when the ignore list is fixed this behaviour should stop.

I mean it starts a scan.

Here's an image of what I see:

(I blurred out my name)


Now, I will admit that it doesn't waste too many resources (compared to some other popular programs I've used... and deleted... that took >50% CPU Usage while running constant/unscheduled scans), but still.

If you mean background process, you can disable this feature but you should note that you will not be protected from any threats. To do this easily, right click on the Ad-Aware icon in the notification area and click exit then click yes in the confirmation.

No, I don't care if the process starts at startup (aawtray.exe or whatever it's called). I just don't want auto scans.

You are correct. The scheduler is only available in the pro/plus versions - if you wish to use this tool you will need to consider upgrading. A full product comparison is here.

Is "scheduler" the only way to turn off the autoscan at startup? Or are you saying that, as soon as the "ignore list" feature is fixed, that it will stop scanning automatically at startup, because the reason that it is scanning at startup is because it is detecting the keylogger? If I am going to keep using this product, I have to be able to disable the scan at startup. It's annoying and intrusive.

There is a confirmed bug in Ad-Aware 8.1.4 in which the ignore list is not working. This will be fixed in future updates/releases

Is there a supported previous version that I can download in the meantime?

If I use an older version, can I still get the most recent threat definition files?

Thanks!

Edited by super-ninja, 13 February 2010 - 05:02 PM.

[visitor]

Have you tried going into advanced mode settings to turn off Ad-Watch Live?

[casey_boy]

...are you saying that, as soon as the "ignore list" feature is fixed, that it will stop scanning automatically at startup, because the reason that it is scanning at startup is because it is detecting the keylogger?

Correct

Is there a supported previous version that I can download in the meantime?

If I use an older version, can I still get the most recent threat definition files?

Yes and no. You can use AE and download definitions files, but you'll have to disable auto-updating to prevent it updating to 8.1 and, as such, you wont get any actual software updates for that version.

You could also try what visitor suggests and disable the Ad-Watch component, however, you will be left without real-time protection.

Casey

[super-ninja]

When I boot up my computer, it "detects a malicious process" starts scanning as mentioned before.

http://i50.tinypic.com/21oa137.jpg

(note the time in that pic)

I would open Ad-Aware and click the "Stop Scan" button, but it takes 30-60 seconds before the command actually registers (annoying).

But, then I found that I could right click on the icon in Systray and choose "Stop Scan." That was nice, because it stopped the scan within seconds rather than within a minute like when I have to go into the program and do it.

However, within a minute or two I got another popup window: "Ad-Watch Live! detected that a malicious process is running and started a scan in background mode":

http://i50.tinypic.com/34656c7.jpg

(note time)

The strange thing is that now, when I right click on the icon in Systray, it says "Run Scan>" rather than "Stop Scan." Yet when I go into the main program, a scan is definitely running. So that's strange that the menu options in systray do not actually reflect the current state of the program (another bug?)

And every minute, I keep getting that same message window saying a malicious process has been detected and a scan is running. The process that is in my ignore list, too

So if I disable Ad-Watch Live! then this will stop, right? But I can still scan manually whenever I want?

Maybe I will just disable Ad-Watch Live! until the ignore list bug is fixed.

Edited by super-ninja, 15 February 2010 - 04:58 PM.

[casey_boy]

So if I disable Ad-Watch Live! then this will stop, right? But I can still scan manually whenever I want?

That's correct

Casey