18 replies to this topic

[Ultimate Predator]

My PC since I uninstalled my old internet security suite (f-secure bundled with my internet connection), screwed up me updating my PC in most ways.

This means any new program I put on my PC, or programs that I had not updated before, will not update, they all come through with the similar error that they could connect me to their server. Yet programs that I update regurely before, update fine now. I posted up a hijackthis log on CCleaner forums when the problem started happening, I was clean. I have no visible proxy, do you have any ideas?

Many Thanks,

Ultimate Predator

P.S I was recommended to get Dial-A-Fix which I have, but what the hell do I click on to hopefully fix this problem?

[gunner]

I am not a pro, but I am a long way from home and have a briefcase. Can I assume you have checked your security settings since you uninstalled?

[Andavari]

F-Secure supposedly has BackWeb or BackWeb Lite bundled with it, probably as an update component.

Running Spybot SD can deal with some (not very much actually) of BackWeb's stuff in the registry however the only way I could get rid of most of it after installing Kodak digital camera software was to first run Spybot SD, and then use RegSeeker. Using RegSeeker's 'Find in registry...' tool. I searched the registry, and then the hard disk for BackWeb and bwpfile to get rid of it. You'll have to look in the Windows directory and sub-folders to find even more of it and manually delete it.

Some places to look in the registry for manually removing BackWeb are:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\BackWeb
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\bwpfile
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\BackWeb

[Ultimate Predator]

I will run DJ Lizards and check it all, and run that. If that does not fix the problem I will get spybot, regseek all backweb, and then manually delete all of the rest of backweb. Thanks.

UPDATE:

Dial A Fix did not sought out the problem unfortuantly, and you are right about F-secure using Backweb, I remember seeing it in there terms and conditions, and when I first used spybot ages ago when it wiped out backweb my antivirus went mad, so I'll take your advice and hope no other programs on my PC use backweb!

[Andavari]

Ultimate Predator, on Nov 19 2005, 06:50 AM, said:

I'll take your advice and hope no other programs on my PC use backweb!

If they do an easy way to check would be in their program folder. For some reason most programs that I've seen that use BackWeb place the components into folders with numbers which I suppose represent the BackWeb version.

[Tarun]

Logitech installs backweb, I've recently found.

[Ultimate Predator]

I do not have logitech, but I have a helluva lot of programs... I'll backup what I delete via Spybot, reboot, and see if there is a problem.

[Ultimate Predator]

Right, some strange things... Spybot was able to update itself, and when I scanned it said no spyware was found... I then used reg seeker to look for entries, it found many backweb entries, and many f-secure entries, so I "deleted" them. I did another scan just in case and they all popped up again. I went into safe mode, did what i just did, and still the same entries popped up again. I tehn manually tried to delete the keys, and they all sad there was an "error deleteing the key"...

I have also noticed that for the programs that do not update, they do not even reach my firewall, indeed here is a log of the antivirus update:

20/11/2005 10:45:08.000 - ##################################
20/11/2005 10:45:08.015 - # Starting Log #
20/11/2005 10:45:08.015 - ##################################
20/11/2005 10:45:08.031 -
20/11/2005 10:45:08.156 - Internet::open() Using preconfig
20/11/2005 10:45:08.250 - Internet::connectHttpServer() http://downloads.My-...com/?lang=en-US
20/11/2005 10:45:08.265 - Internet::openHttpServer() POST Antivirus/GetSignature/autodownload.pl
20/11/2005 10:45:08.796 - Error Code: 12029 - 12029 : A connection with the server could not be established

20/11/2005 10:45:08.812 - Could not contact web server
20/11/2005 10:45:09.890 - Dialing
20/11/2005 10:45:09.890 - Dialling
20/11/2005 10:45:09.906 - Connected
20/11/2005 10:45:09.906 - Internet::open() Using preconfig
20/11/2005 10:45:09.906 - Internet::connectHttpServer() http://downloads.My-...com/?lang=en-US
20/11/2005 10:45:09.921 - Internet::openHttpServer() POST Antivirus/GetSignature/autodownload.pl
20/11/2005 10:45:09.937 - Error Code: 12029 - 12029 : A connection with the server could not be established

20/11/2005 10:45:09.937 - Could not contact web server
20/11/2005 10:45:10.546 - Update could not contact the web server.

This could be because you have incorrect settings, or that you are not connected to the Internet.
20/11/2005 10:45:10.562 - Error Code: 10005 - Internet connection is currently offline.


Please help.

[Andavari]

Make sure you aren't using an Proxy software for getting updates, many programs will try to validate the update process and will fail if you use some form of Proxy software such as an ad filtering program.

To make sure eTrust EZ Antivirus has a direct connection to the update server do the following:
1. Run eTrust EZ Antivirus.
2. Click the large Update tab at the top.
3. Click Proxy Settings.
4. Under Proxy Server select the following: Do not use a proxy server to connect to the Internet

Most programs with an update component should have a similiar procedure where you can configure them to use a direct connection without using a proxy server.

Edit:
Make sure Internet Explorer doesn't have a Proxy server set into it, since most programs will read the Proxy settings from what Internet Explorer has configured.

[Eldmannen]

Maybe you need to reformat and reinstall your operating system.

Next time, try to stay away from that security suite.

[Ultimate Predator]

Quote

Make sure you aren't using an Proxy software for getting updates, many programs will try to validate the update process and will fail if you use some form of Proxy software such as an ad filtering program.

To make sure eTrust EZ Antivirus has a direct connection to the update server do the following:
1. Run eTrust EZ Antivirus.
2. Click the large Update tab at the top.
3. Click Proxy Settings.
4. Under Proxy Server select the following: Do not use a proxy server to connect to the Internet

Most programs with an update component should have a similiar procedure where you can configure them to use a direct connection without using a proxy server.


Edit:
Make sure Internet Explorer doesn't have a Proxy server set into it, since most programs will read the Proxy settings from what Internet Explorer has configured.

Did what you said, still has the same problem, and I don't have a proxy.

Quote

Maybe you need to reformat and reinstall your operating system.

Next time, try to stay away from that security suite.

That looks like the only way out, but I'm not bothered enough to reinstall windows. I'm O.K, its just a pain in the ass. And, yes, I'll definitely keep away from it, and I hope everyone else does to, do NOT get F-Secure!

I might look around aand see if I can get rid of BackWeb though, I reckon they can cause me problems....

[Andavari]

Well I don't trust BackWeb at all since it's installation creates folders with variants of numerals, and it hides itself in a Windows sub-folder. Any program that uses it for an update component should be removed and refunded, and the developer that includes it as the update component should be ashamed that they're too lazy to create their own in-house update component. It's just sloppy and untrustable.

[Ultimate Predator]

I actually got round to deleting ALL the backweb and f-secure reg keys, I changed the Permissions to Administrator with Full Control and Read. However, the problem is still there. Not to worry though, I'll live.

[Andavari]

I suppose when the next service pack is released you could start fresh at that time, which is something I'll do since SP2 did break some things on my system when I installed it which is something a fresh install fixed.

[Ultimate Predator]

Do servies packs overwrite all your files and settings then, will SP3 cost money?

[Tarun]

Ultimate Predator, on Nov 21 2005, 09:18 AM, said:

Do servies packs overwrite all your files and settings then, will SP3 cost money?

It overwrites Windows files only, does not mess with settings, and is free. Pretty common sense answers there.

[Ultimate Predator]

Yeah, I just wanted to make sure. May I ask, will you be getting it?

[Andavari]

Tarun, on Nov 21 2005, 08:45 AM, said:

does not mess with settings

Not in my case when I installed SP2. For instance it completely disabled the ability to have enabled in folders View->Status Bar, something I figured out how to fix on my own by creating a new user profile and logging registry settings changes. There were some other nit-picking things it did however they weren't serious.

[Ultimate Predator]

As long it isn't serious thats all that matters.