Spybot S & D - unnecessary if using Avast? Slowing system?

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).

(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/

Agree…!!!
asyn

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.

+1 for Pondus suggestions.

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.

2nd +1 for Pondus suggestions.

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 ::slight_smile:

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.

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

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.

  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…?? :wink:
    asyn

@@Bosco123456

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

I’m not familiar with Download Blocker. It is not a part of SpyBot Search & Destroy.

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

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.

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?

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.

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”.

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.