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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: Bosco123456 on June 24, 2010, 07:43:50 AM

Title: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Bosco123456 on June 24, 2010, 07:43:50 AM
I'm trying to get my computer browsing working faster.

I use Avast with all of its shields enabled.
I also have kept Spybot Search and Destroy on my computer.
Once in awhile I may activate it and do a virus scan if I suspect a problem and want extra reassurance that my system is ok.

Just noticed that Spybot states that it runs some Resident Protection (always running) - its "Teatime" and a Download Blocker.

I had (all these years) believed that these 2 had to be activated to provide Realtime Protection.

I don't see any reason to keep this on my computer at this point, since I am happy with the free Avast Antivirus Program, and I assume that Spybot's Resident Protections could be slowing my browsing, or are at least unnecessary since I am using Avast.

Agree? Disagree?

(Apparently Spybot has no forum, so I can't confirm this with them).
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Pondus on June 24, 2010, 08:01:00 AM
Quote
(Apparently Spybot has no forum, so I can't confirm this with them).
http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=4


I would remove SpyBot, and replace it with the best remover out ther
Malwarebytes Antimalware www.malwarebytes.org
forum  http://forums.malwarebytes.org/

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.46 http://filehippo.com/download_malwarebytes_anti_malware/

and if you want an extra scanner
Superantispyware www.superantispyware.com
forum  http://forums.superantispyware.com/
SuperAntiSpyware 4.39.1002 http://filehippo.com/download_superantispyware/
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Asyn on June 24, 2010, 10:31:30 AM
I don't see any reason to keep this on my computer at this point, since I am happy with the free Avast Antivirus Program, and I assume that Spybot's Resident Protections could be slowing my browsing, or are at least unnecessary since I am using Avast.

Agree? Disagree?

Agree...!!!
asyn
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: NON on June 24, 2010, 10:46:06 AM
I'm one of the users using Spybot S&D resident with avast!, but if I were on your situation, I would drop Spybot resident protection, at least TeaTimer.
TeaTimer is useful for me in some aspects, but it is true that TeaTimer consumes huge memory (90,000 kb +- 30,000kb) and sometimes it hugs my CPU. :-\


SDHelper (one layer of download blocker) only works on IE, so if you use another browser, it also can be dropped.

But Immunize protection (another layer of download blocker), this works not only IE but also FF / Opera, should be enabled imho.
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Lisandro on June 24, 2010, 03:53:22 PM
+1 for Pondus suggestions.
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Gopher John on June 24, 2010, 07:45:27 PM
I'm one of the users using Spybot S&D resident with avast!, but if I were on your situation, I would drop Spybot resident protection, at least TeaTimer.
<SNIPPed>
But Immunize protection (another layer of download blocker), this works not only IE but also FF / Opera, should be enabled imho.

I'm having no problems without the resident TeaTimer.  With it out of the way, there shouldn't be any slowdown with SpyBot Search & Destroy as any protection provided is passive.  I left SdHelper active as I do occasionally fire up IE8.  Otherwise, I use Firefox as my default browser.
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: EntitY on June 24, 2010, 08:10:30 PM
2nd +1 for Pondus suggestions.
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Hermite15 on June 24, 2010, 08:27:34 PM
yeah ss&d should be banned ;D ...okay it's a seriously oudated piece of software, scan methods, heavy interface, looks ugly etc...I used it years ago on XP, can confirm tea timer was a mem hog ::)
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: MikeBCda on June 24, 2010, 09:22:39 PM
I dropped SS&D ages ago, in favor of SAS and MBAM (free versions of both), because I wasn't happy with the way SS&D offers part of its (dubious) protection in the form of humongous additions to the Hosts file. Given the rest of my "defense arsenal" (see sig.), I was able to drop back to the default Win Hosts file, which has just the single localhost entry.
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: bo.elam on June 25, 2010, 05:43:01 AM
Bosco123456, Spybot is outdated. Replace it with MBAM and SAS as you
have been advised by other users and use their free version which is not
on real time. Malwarebytes is the best all in one shot against malware.
Bo
 
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Bosco123456 on June 26, 2010, 01:20:04 AM
Thanks to all who replied.

Am I correct that the Spybot "Tea Timer" and Download Blocker are ALWAYS running?
I recall - or I always believed - that it was necessary to check those 2 to activate them.
There is a check box next to each one which I leave unchecked - however, I noticed this week  that it says "Active" next to both of these anyway. Don't know if one of the updates changed this, or if I was just unaware of this previously.
The "Help" indicates that these are always running.
Task Manager however gives no indication that they are running.
??

I already do have MBAM on my desktop.  I had Superantisypyware, but recently deleted it.
It took forever to initialize, took forever to download updates, sometimes locked up the window I was working on while it did those things, and a few other annoying things.


I have kept the final antispyware I occasionally use for an extra scan - a-squared Free - but this is truly only for an emergency, as it definitely turns up false positives - about 8 suspected Trojans last time I scanned. Several of them were positively legitimate programs, and I believe the others it turned up are also - it's done this in the past so I don't trust it - the "Trojans" it turns up are never recognized by Avast and MBAM and Superantispyware.

Thanks for the suggestions.
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Asyn on June 26, 2010, 01:39:08 AM
1. Thanks to all who replied.
2. I already do have MBAM on my desktop.  I had Superantisypyware, but recently deleted it.
3. I have kept the final antispyware I occasionally use for an extra scan - a-squared Free - but this is truly only for an emergency
4. Thanks for the suggestions.

1. You're welcome..!
2. Keep Mbam. You don't need SAS.
3. A² is a good program, if you know how to handle it. As you know about the FPs, keep it.
4. No problem, but did you drop Spybot yet..?? ;)
asyn
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Gopher John on June 26, 2010, 04:55:44 AM
@@Bosco123456

Old Thread, but still relevant about disabling TeaTimer.  http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=2827 (http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=2827)

I'm not familiar with Download Blocker.  It is not a part of SpyBot Search & Destroy.
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: bo.elam on June 26, 2010, 07:43:55 AM
Bosco123456 I have not used Spybot for a long time but I remember that
when Tea timer was running it showed a icon next to the clock.
I think it was not on real time by default but you had to enable it by opening
the expert/settings ? area.
Bo
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: MikeBCda on June 26, 2010, 08:14:44 PM
Thanks to all who replied.

Am I correct that the Spybot "Tea Timer" and Download Blocker are ALWAYS running?
I recall - or I always believed - that it was necessary to check those 2 to activate them.
There is a check box next to each one which I leave unchecked - however, I noticed this week  that it says "Active" next to both of these anyway. Don't know if one of the updates changed this, or if I was just unaware of this previously.
The "Help" indicates that these are always running.
Task Manager however gives no indication that they are running.
??

Thanks for the suggestions.
As I'd mentioned earlier, I'd dumped Spybot quite a while back, so I can't answer for sure about this particular case.  But there are some programs which, when upgraded to latest version (did Spybot do this recently?), insist on resetting everything to defaults rather than "inheriting" your settings from the previous version.

Sun Java RTE does this, most noticeably in resetting updates to auto-update which I don't want since I'll usually learn about its new updates (typically security patches) here or at other forums long before Sun advises me.  I always get the offline-installer version, to avoid getting tied up too long online, and while it does remember other settings (like caching) it always resets the update mode.  It's possible that the online installer works differently and remembers all your settings.
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Bosco123456 on June 27, 2010, 01:09:27 AM
 bo.elam - "Bosco123456 I have not used Spybot for a long time but I remember that
when Tea timer was running it showed a icon next to the clock.
I think it was not on real time by default but you had to enable it by opening
the expert/settings ? area."

Correct about using "Advanced Mode"/"Tools"/"Resident" to access it. In the newest version, no clock and no icon.
I have it unchecked, yet the text says "Active".



Gopher John - "I'm not familiar with Download Blocker.  It is not a part of SpyBot Search & Destroy."

Perhaps I used the wrong name, but it's the other "Resident" program besides "Tea Timer", labeled: "SD Helper" "Internet Explorer bad download blocker".



MikeBCda - "I always get the offline-installer version..."

Offline? No comprendo. From a CD?
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Dch48 on June 27, 2010, 01:26:47 AM
I totally agree with the use of the free MBAM as your fallback malware remover. It just plain works. I also have SAS but very rarely run it and when I do, it never finds anything but tracking cookies which I constantly get rid of by using CCleaner anyway. SAS does have some nice recovery tools included with it though if you would ever need them. They're part of the free package too.
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Bosco123456 on June 27, 2010, 02:17:25 AM
Dch48 - "SAS does have some nice recovery tools included with it though if you would ever need them. They're part of the free package too."

Due to this comment and others in this thread, will reinstall it as a "just in case".
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Daris on June 27, 2010, 05:31:46 PM
I have tried A Squared... fit to be squared... It Is a Big Program and heavy....I Thought it really slowed my comp down...   All 4 Spybot, MBAM, and SuperAntiSpyware and Avast . all together are smaller than A squared....And all are more accurate...I Use Spybot disabled in the Tools  Tea Timer... and bad site blocker ..Unchecked....Than they don't show up in your task manager....or auto start ...I Just Immunize my default settings with Spybot and keep it basically off  ...I also Use Spywareblaster Immunized, which works awesome with Avast...I Update Spybot once a week and do a scan for Tracking cookies and it is the ONLY software that Cleans your Log files and windows files and settings and Tracking cookies, System Internals Scan, basically cleans your computer of junk like none of the others do... plus it has so many options for repairing your computer checking different configurations.. can go on  and on....Ohh and all for free...I still have't found one other software that checks System Internals and Log files... the Only problem I have with Spybot is it takes forever to Load..Other than that you can set it to basicaly be INVISIBLE if you want....Well this is just my Opinion....Luck
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Dch48 on June 27, 2010, 07:14:38 PM
I have tried A Squared... fit to be squared... It Is a Big Program and heavy....I Thought it really slowed my comp down...   All 4 Spybot, MBAM, and SuperAntiSpyware and Avast . all together are smaller than A squared....And all are more accurate...I Use Spybot disabled in the Tools  Tea Timer... and bad site blocker ..Unchecked....Than they don't show up in your task manager....or auto start ...I Just Immunize my default settings with Spybot and keep it basically off  ...I also Use Spywareblaster Immunized, which works awesome with Avast...I Update Spybot once a week and do a scan for Tracking cookies and it is the ONLY software that Cleans your Log files and windows files and settings and Tracking cookies, System Internals Scan, basically cleans your computer of junk like none of the others do... plus it has so many options for repairing your computer checking different configurations.. can go on  and on....Ohh and all for free...I still have't found one other software that checks System Internals and Log files... the Only problem I have with Spybot is it takes forever to Load..Other than that you can set it to basicaly be INVISIBLE if you want....Well this is just my Opinion....Luck
CCleaner removes tracking cookies as well. It will remove all cookies if you let it. I choose to retain some that log me in to certain websites but all the rest get deleted by CCleaner. I only allow cookies for certain sites that tell me I have to to get full functionality. CCleaner also takes care of log files, old prefetch entries, and the list goes on and on.
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: MikeBCda on June 27, 2010, 10:31:53 PM
MikeBCda - "I always get the offline-installer version..."

Offline? No comprendo. From a CD?
If you go to the download page, you'll see both online (very small) and offline (maybe 35 MB) versions of the installer.  The online version requires you to stay connected to the internet while it downloads and installs the rest of the package, which takes forever, while the offline version includes everything you need so you don't have to stay online.  Download time's no big deal with a good connection (they've got good servers), and actual installation takes quite a bit longer, so you might as well do the latter offline.
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Asyn on June 27, 2010, 11:19:54 PM
I Update Spybot once a week and do a scan for Tracking cookies and it is the ONLY software that Cleans your Log files and windows files and settings and Tracking cookies, System Internals Scan, basically cleans your computer of junk like none of the others do...

Sorry, but you're wrong...! ;)
Anyway, which version of avast are you using..??
asyn
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Eric March on June 28, 2010, 08:46:57 AM
Hello!

An interesting thread. But for all, I so often heard one rule, “Do not run a second shield beside an other!”. TeaTimer especially is such a shield.  And further more, some tests I read described SpyBot (and AdAware) to have less abilities then real shield (suites) like Avast! (or Avira, AVG - to mention just FreeWare versions).

So I can not recommend to use such tools, and run any resident shield, including MBAM, beside your standard ›scanner‹ (shiled). But to additional tests, MBAM is welcome.

Eric March

PS: I feel well. So I do not like to see a doctor much often (o.k., dentist, for each half year check up). My PC either does…
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: NON on June 28, 2010, 10:46:33 AM
But for all, I so often heard one rule, “Do not run a second shield beside an other!”. TeaTimer especially is such a shield.  And further more, some tests I read described SpyBot (and AdAware) to have less abilities then real shield (suites) like Avast! (or Avira, AVG - to mention just FreeWare versions).

TeaTimer is indeed resident protection, but I think it doesn't scan files... it scans only executed binaries and certain registry keys.
I have run TeaTimer with avast! and Norton (and Windows Defender) for years but it never conflicts with them.

P.S.
I don't mean avast is not good nor Spybot is superior... just want to say Spybot is not so conflicting software.
Title: Re: Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?
Post by: Dch48 on June 28, 2010, 09:09:15 PM

PS: I feel well. So I do not like to see a doctor much often (o.k., dentist, for each half year check up). My PC either does…
I stopped going to one doctor after I noticed that the skeleton on display in his examining room was put together wrong.