Disabling protection, can someone repeatedly do this?

[Space Toker]

I reinstall Service Pack 2 regularly, and the same thing always seems to happen. They all seem to work great at first, in that you are able to regularly update them, and they find stuff and keep it out. Then, after a while, Windows Update never has any new updates, and neither do some other free antispyware programs. Do these providers of free antispyware just shut you off after a while or is it something more sinister? For instance, is it possible that someone could repeatedly target the same person they have something against, always finding ways to disable their antispyware and antivirus? If so, is there any way to stop them and make them pay a consequence for their anal actions?

To get a little more specific, I started out with just Webroot Spy Sweeper and Trend Micro Security Suite 2006. These still regularly update. Then there are the freebies.... Spyware Blaster, and moreso Spybot, and even more so Ad-Aware, these seem to never update or find anything anymore. So today, I added the stand-alone Trend Mico Anti-Spyware, and that found Com.com and Effective, I, Inc. But when you tried to delete them, it said there was some kind of error, and then it froze up and forced you to use Windows Task Manager to forcibly shut it down. It did this again on subsequent attempts. Is this something serious or just harmless little inconveniences? OK THANKS
PEACE

PS. I THINK I mentioned this, but Windows Update also has not updated in weeks or maybe even over a month.

[OldSog]

sounds like something has mucked up the update feature. the spyware makers and anti-spyware are constantly battling. once they fix one thing a new pops up in not too long. have you tried uninstalling, spybot, adaware, and spysweeper and then installing them one by one? spysweeper will not allow you to update for free anymore.

what does hijackthis or startuplist.exe say are running?

[plantbuilder]

start in safe mode
kill the anti-virus shit
get the latest wga fix
peace
pb

[Space Toker]

well I have the paid version of Webroot and Trend Micro, and in the past I know there was a lot more extensive Hosts file then there is now. I see the Hosts file as shown in Webroot settings, and it just says local host and a number. I haven't checked the Hosts file as shown in System32 lately, but when I did, it was more extensive, but still not the 32 KB or MB [forgot which] it once was.
Long story long, it seems that Webroot was blocking updates for Spybot and Ad-Aware, when I shut down Webroot briefly I could update it FINALLY! But the Windows Update still had no updates apparently. What the hell is TeaTimer for anyway? With my most recent download of Spybot, I for once allowed Teatimer .... anyway, It shows ctmon.exe or something like that in system32 and if I want to allow or deny, I had no clue so I denied something but allowed something else. I don't know what to allow or block, never did, how do you know? I likely block crucial things or allow junk in, like I said I have no clue on that stuff!
So I do not have those things you mention, startuplist and whatever else, can you provide links yet again? I redo things so often I lose links.... ok well I think the sky is not falling at the moment so I should be thankful for that. PEACE

[Space Toker]

no pgp or Tor/privoxy either at the moment, as I said I lack the links. Uninstalling the Spybot in particular and re-installing it seems like a good idea, if for no other reason than that TeaTimer thing seems useless and nothing but a nuisance.
Thanks for all the help past and present! PEACE

[OldSog]

http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-20&qt=hijackthis
you can pm me the list.

[burnie]

I`ve been running Quick Access info bar from PC World . An icon next to every start up program lets you click to see just what it is , and whether it`s safe to delete it . Can be found at : find.pcworld.com/52758 Just thought it might help out here . peace...burnie

[Space Toker]

pb, what do you mean by wga fix?

I tried that Quick Access thing, but maybe I did not download the right thing. All I got when I clicked on the Quick Access icon on my desktop was that it pulled up Windows Task Manager, and I had "My Pictures" open at the time and it showed that as it flashed intermittently. Didn't seem to have any useful purpose that I could see and that flashing was freaking me out so I uninstalled it. What is it SUPPOSED to do?

[burnie]

ST , must not have loaded correectly for ya` . What it does is show your Task Manager...all your start up programs . In front of each program is an icon . You click on the icon and it tells you what the program is , what it does , and whether you need it or not . Certain spyware will hide in the start up files and be a real biotch to find and eliminate . Plus , all those abbreviations....who knows what`s what . This just helps ya` figure it out . Hope that helps some ! peace...burnie

[Space Toker]

well that's what I need to know, whether I need it or not, or whether something is safe to allow or deny when the firewall pop-ups pop up! Thanks, I will try downloading it again. I don't want to have to rely on people who may or may not get back to you, I want to learn for myself and this program seems to guide you to the path. I will give it another shot. PEACE