I am certainly not the only one in this leaky boat and rather than tell my story here and there, I'll organize it here. I hope that LS has a rapid fix and response as I'd hate to see news articles appearing on how many computers were disabled by LS-AE...!!

I joined here because the Anniversary Edition was booting my computer. My first post here

Then I got involved on the long, active thread about AE scan times; my post about that...


I heard that the update of the 29th had helped with scan speed so I updated and posted on the improved speed but with fewer objects scanned. Then I noticed that all my desktop icons, all documents, even my Accessories including System Restore were gone! I was wiped out with no means to recover...!

My post about that...


Then I started seeing other wipe-out reports: a couple here, one here. Got to wonder how many are being wiped out and don't know how to restore, get back online for help, etc - boxing up their machines to take to professionals...?

A Washington Post article claims that AE "can also be carried out on external drives." No way I'd let it scan my External Hard Drive; that's what saved me from lost 15 Gb of documents, including 20,000 photos.

An InformIT article on "Top 5 Security Resolutions for New PCs" includes the necessity of backing up documents, but how many PC owners have and use External Hard Drives? My personal observations are danged few! Excerpting from his article....


I'll attach export logs from the scans surrounding the wipe out...

Hi,

I'm confused from this post whether or not you've experienced the problem yourself. If uou have please follow the instructions in the post.

Please use "Recuva" by Piriform to try and recover any lost files.

http://www.recuva.com/

Can I also clarify, it sounds like you/the person you quoted expect system restore to recover documents. System Restore DOES NOT DO THIS. It really does little more than back up the registry. Windows does include a back up utility, feature vary depending on version and I have a feeling that in Windows XP home you have to manually install it from the Windows CD.

I'm sorry; yes - those were my experiences, and I have edited my first post to clarify that I was quoting myself from other forum posts about the wipe-out.

I never knew if System Restore would help with lost documents; thanks for clarifying that - but then obviously it hadn't on mine, nor did it restore my AOL program. I haven't noticed any other programs losses, but I was surprised that the AOL did not restore. I didn't have the Sys-Res utility even after the wipe out but managed to accomplish it in Safe Mode. As I said above, unclear as it was, I restored my documents from my ExtHD after I did the Sys-Res and reloaded my AOL. I'll have to read up on the XP Home Back-Up utility later this evening.

Back to my question, tho...

Any idea why this is happening? We only know of a handful of cases so far, but even one case of AE wiping-out a PC including all documents seem unacceptable to me. With several cases, I would hope that LS is considering immediate fixes and/or warnings...??

thank you

As to the question, I can only think of a few causes, given that it wasn't experienced during beta testing, but I wouldn't like to speculate in case I'm hopelessly wrong (quite likely).

I'm afraid I can't say how LS are going to respond, but I guess it won't be before Monday whatever it is.

This didn't start showing up until after the Jan 29 update I don't think.

I have not reported to LS other than here; I presume this is enough - and they are aware of the other wipe-outs....??

Thanks for that info about the Jan 29 update - I'll pass it on.

They should be, but again I'll try and make sure they're aware.

I think I saw that there was a Feb 1 update. It would be reassuring to know if Lava Soft knew what caused the increasing number reported wipe-outs and if they knew they had fixed that bug. This is the worst case reaction I have ever heard of for any program - really beyond the "Oops index" to me.

It is sad to see that others are struggling with recovery programs, or just accepting that they lost valuable documents, but the vulnerabilities of computers to lose stored data has been a long and well known fact - and ExtHDs are so cheap now?! Complacency is its own reward I suppose. Also sad to read of some taking their dead computers to professionals for expensive restorations, but if I had not had an alternate PC to search solutions - I may have been in the same life raft. Got to wonder about how many were/will be wiped out by this freebie* as I still see no announcement in recent news releases.

*Freebie: Hehe this reminds me of a famous Greek story and the downfall of the city state of Troy ending a long seize, but then the term for that horse is already in use in computers - and that one was intentional, which of course this was certainly not.

Don, you were on another thread where someone mentioned that Lavasoft's download link went to CNet rather than LS's own secure site. I was surprised to be redirected to CNet & now wonder if my trojan came in from that website.

This afternoon I ran Panda's free online scan, which found a 'generic trj' called "TR/Agentbypass2888402K" of the "TR/Agent\.\2888402K" family of trojans. Panda showed path to the downloaded file "ComboFix" recommended on the Tech Support Forum. The file was scanned prior to opening so obviously this trojan was brought in by ComboFix after it ran!

Decided not to remove & ran a full scan with Ad-Aware AE. AA-AE found it [Path: C:\System Volume Infor \.\21}\RP155\A0014662exe], and when it was removed, the "ComboFix" file was removed as well. I then ran SpybotS&D, which was clean.

I scan ANY/ALL downloaded files with Webroot A-V/Spysweeper, SpyBot & Ad-Aware (all update automatically) prior to opening regardless the source.

I'll be submitting a HijackThis log to that forum section as a cautionary matter.

For my unofficial and amateur opinion, Cnet seems to be a pretty safe source and Lavasoft itself is directing to that source. I think you were commenting on where I suggested that the member had been confused by the second page, where you could choose Download or Get Free Plus Edition. I think many were confused by that page. I send friends to the Cnet download page if they want AE: http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-Anniversa...cdlPid=10998841 - except I am not recommending AE to my personal friends. It's too unstable and dangerous in my above described opinon. After being corrected by a Mod here, I now refer others to http://majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=5947 for the 2008 Edition with no risks and the default option to skip TIA <3. I'm here to learn, help a little if I don't cause problems, and I have learned a lot this week - including complete computer recovery.

I can't comment on any of that, other than to agree that it's probly good to scan downloads even from very reputable sites.

I had the same thing happen to my computer. Now I have it at my companies tech support guy and he is having a hard time salvaging everything.

I am amazed at the efficiency of the slaughter it did to my computer. I tihnk it would make a lot of hackers say, whoaa.

All of this has given me quite a scare considering how close I was to having a possible complete comp melt down after reading the horror stories here.

I've downloaded from Cnet in the past without any problems but the way hackers work these days I wouldn't be surprised that some "enterprising" soul managed to get past their defenses.

I'm glad to hear you followed me to the major geeks site DDon. Us "newbies" in this need to stick to together!

Lmao! I Mod on a tiny forum and even with so few members, we Mods have to go to the confidential Admin forum to rant and scream about some of the newbies and self anointed experts that we must be polite with in the public forum. I suspect that my name may have been mentioned in one here.

After participating for a while in the thread regarding scan times, I've totally stopped using AE for the time being.

It seems strange that there's been so little real alarm expressed about the programme's occasional tendency to remove all people's files etc. I would be really tense if this happened to me. Imagine having to repair the OS or replace it from scratch, then discovering that no Windows re-install disk accompanied your second-hand computer, or that you lost the disk when you moved house.

Nasty.

I'd uninstall AE, but there are three "nasties" in quarantine. And I'm certainly not telling it to remove them, in case it removes a whole lot more. (You guessed it. Second-hand computer - no reinstall disks - sigh.)

Does anybody know whether the latest updates have rendered the application safe for use again? And have they slowed it right down again, or is that not a common experience? I did see it mentioned.

It'd be a shame to give up on AE, as it really looks as though it could be a very useful programme. Could somebody from Lavasoft let us know whether it's safe to try again? (Need a little more detail than "an "issue" was found" - has the tendency to wipe out the wrong files been removed?)

Once I know it's not going to chew binary holes in my machine, I'll certainly give it another go and let you know how the scans go.

*chuckles* Well DDon if I was on your forum you would not hear such from me! I have a firm grasp on the fact that I am a comp newbie and would be screaming for help in a near panic then trying to act as if I knew what was going on.

I too have noticed the lack of alarm newideas. I would have thought such a major defect like that would have garnered a personal response from the higher ups and an offer to restore those comps affected at company expense. That seems to be the right thing for them to do in my humble opinion.

I understand. I am using AE only on a spare computer - the one that kept booting on initial runs, then got wiped-out after the Jan 29 update. I'm going to test it a long time there before I reload it to my other three, but I am always nervous when I click the Fix-It button.

The F8 boot to Safe Mod and Command Run with the long code worked well for programs, but you have to have another computer to find the instructions at this Microsoft link.

I have little pity for those who don't back up their documents, pics, and videos on their home machines to economical External Hard Drives. Some, but not a lot, as it's no surprise that all computers wipe-out eventually, for one reason or another. I understand that data is not really destroyed on a hard drive, so maybe the recovery programs are working for the others. Removing a hard drive and putting it in an enclosure is amateur work, if you have another computer to work with - but the simple, sleep-time back-ups are just good insurance. I got to wonder how many Americans would drive on a wilderness road without a spare tire and tools?

I may have a more forgiving nature - those who don't back up still have my sympathy! As you say, though, it's not that difficult to periodically copy everything you'd rather not lose. Those of us who are home-users, and especially who only turn our computers on when they're needed, aren't really in a position to arrange scheduled back-ups while we sleep. On the other hand, I suspect few of us would need to burn more than one CD or DVD a week to ensure that all our photos and documents are backed up SOMEWHERE.

As a not-particularly-computer-literate person, I have to say that what I've seen of XP Pro's and Vista's back-up utilities seems as confusing as useful - there are merits to having older OSs on one's machine, without those options! However, I wonder whether the term "back-up" sometimes strikes people as something best left to the experts - then forgetting that most of us can simply copy our files and paste them elsewhere with very little expertise!

Still doesn't solve the problem of restoring or reinstalling the operating system without access to a suitable disk, though.

It's interesting that Lavasoft hasn't withdrawn this product until it's been sorted out, or that they haven't at least ensured that its download is accompanied by prominent warnings. Although it's a free product and the EULA doubtless indemnifies them against any damage caused, I can't help wondering whether this would really protect them if vengeful computer owners decided to seek redress.

Fortunately, they still enjoy a fair amount of good will. Had, say, a Large Operating System Software Manufacturer (er - no names) done something like this, I suspect people would have been less forgiving.

All very interesting, though, and I do hope they sort it out.

I'll watch with interest, and try it again once it seems safe to do so.

I don't schedule any such thing, other than have a reminder on my AOL calendar repeating once a week forever that alerts me and emails me to back-up documents. I have different reminders every night at bedtime for different nights, that I'll see in the morning if I go to bed early.

I saw first graders in a computer class where my daughter teaches yesterday. Gawd help them if their parents don't learn how to control the home computers.

Let me explain the extremely simple and basic way I back-up all documents and files...

1: I plug the $50 External Hard Drive into my USB. It turns on automatically when I do, but if not - turn it on.

2: Find it on My Computer, click to enter, click make a new folder, name it for the date.

3: Go to My Documents, highlight all with click&drag or CTRL+a, and select Copy the selected itmes on the left side menu.

4: Find the External Hard Drive folder with today's date, click it, and click Copy.

5: Turn off computer sounds and go to bed, then confirm the copy in the morning by checking size of All Documents vs size of Dated Folder on Ext-HD.

6: Delete old folders now and then to make room, but I actually have kept a few with varying dates over the last couple of years in case I want to go back to look for something I deleted from my computer.

Too easy? I bet those first graders could do it, at least by the time they go to second grade.

All computers die...

I don't have to imagine, newideas, I am living it! I got a pop up with my Ad-Aware Plus program the last time I brought it up to run a scan offering me a fee UPGRADE to AE. I thought, "WHY NOT?" I've used Ad-aware for years and had always been happy with it. I proceeded to download AE and AE proceeded to KILL MY COMPUTER. The first things noticed were missing icons from my desk top, the folders were there from my pictures and my documents but ALL OF THE FOLDERS WERE EMPTY. I immediately went to Accessories and there was NOTHING under it. I didn't take the time to check my programs.....by this time I was freaking out.
What I meant by living it was in regard to your line about having to repair or replace the OS with no Windows disk. My ex boyfriend gave me this computer with no discs to go with it.
I got to system restore and had a restore point dated 01/27 so I said a thank you God and ran it. WEEELLLLLL, I now have a black screen that tells me that the \windows\system32\hal.dll file is either missing or corrupt. Status 0xc000000f. I tried F8 but no matter what I tried, nothing. .
I got my daughter's lap top (which is what I am on now) and started researching, and found a place to burn a vista recovery disc on the Microsoft.com website. That allows me to get into the recovery module (I wish I had my XP back!!!)
where you are given 5 options. Startup Repair which is supposed to automatically fix problems that are preventing Windows from starting. I thought, "Hot d$#&! That's it!!" WRONG. Didn't work. System restore is no longer an option, as it acts like it is going to work and then finally gives an error message. Restoring Your Entire Computer From A Backup is next. I have back up discs made with a recent Norton run on my PC but when I put the first disc in it is telling me that no valid backup locations could be found. So I put in an older disc from a previous back up, and got the same error message. Let me also add here that I haven't a freaking clue about what I am doing here.
The next option is Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool which checks for memory hardware errors. I ran it but it did nothing and I didn't expect it to. The last option is my LAST HOPE. It allows you to bring up a command prompt window. NOW, if I only knew what in the heck to type in there!!!! IF ANYONE IS LISTENING OUT THERE, HEEEELLLLLPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!
I honestly cannot believe that Lavasoft has not yet stepped up to the plate to offer help to people.....this is a MAJOR SNAFU!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS A BE PREPARED TO LOSE A LOT OF PREVIOUSLY LOYAL CUSTOMERS SNAFU.
My whole family and several of my friends have Ad-aware.....several due to my recommendation. I have already called all that I can think of and warned them NOT to download AE.
I have to add here that my recently renewed Ad-aware Plus was giving me issues as well. It would get up to 60 things found and then freeze in the middle of a scan and would have to be manually closed. Scans run with a few other decent programs found nothing more than a tracking cookie or two. I had decided to give it another try when the AE offer came up and I did THE DREADED DOWNLOAD.
CAN ANYONE OUT THERE HELP ME?????? I'm now wondering what is up with my backup discs and whether or not I really have lost all of my files. I have pictures on here of 2 beloved family pets that have passed on and I've already cried over the prospect of losing those pictures forever. I didn't know about getting the external hard drive which I will absolutely do after this fiasco. I'm just hoping someone with more knowledge than myself can help me or tell me if I am S.O.L.

I don't know exactly where you got what there, so this may or may not apply. I used the F8 boot to Safe Mod and Command Run with the long code which worked well for programs; the instructions at this Microsoft link.

I am not qualified nor authorized to give advice here, but the Mods may be able to give you a Recovery program that may help salvage your pics.

Walmart sells Ext-HDs 24/7 in most stores, 16/7 in the rest, and my preferred brand is Western Digital.

good luck!

Thanks DDon I checked it out, but the command prompts do not work for me...I assume because I have Vista. I'm currently working with the Bootrec command I found in a Microsoft article......I'll let everybody know how that goes. I haven't given up hope yet!! Got a Western Digital at your suggestion from the local Wally Mart .....Thanks for your help!!!

DDon...

I began backing up to MyBook (ex/HD) when my win98 desktop croaked. It is such an improvement over burning CD's. However, the last time it copied folders, but not all files. Now I use Webroot's WebBackup, too... JIC!

After a hard boot this morning, I held my breath as everything opened & played nicely together (A-A/AE auto updated Defs to 0146.0004). However, I noted some changes of concern so haven't run a new scan.

These changes are of concern :
1. "Statistics" no longer had the Trojan listed as before.
2. "Registry Rules" in Ad-WatchLive! listed: infocard.exe (inform).

Is there any reason to keep "infocard.exe"? I found it in c:\WINDOWS\Microsoft .NET\Framework\v.3.0\Windows Communication Foundation. Ck'd Add/Remove & found v.3.0 as well as versions 1.1 (w/hotfix) & 2.0 (w/security update). Any reason to keep any of these?

I exported the "RPRegistry.txt" & saved another copy for easy access...JIC!

IMHO, as a computer user since IBM mainframe days, this current state of Internet security is absolute madness. It starts with Microsoft's "every bell & whistle" complex code, which mirrors U.S. auto manufacturers. It got stuck in its own webbing & can't see the forest for the trees. ######-aged hacking wizards are just another bunch of terrorists eating into productivity & pocketbook. If they would work constructively instead of destructively, they could have what Bill Gates built - only better!