I running Windows 7 and Norton 2010 Utilities & Internet Security. I run a full system scan every evening. Some - but not all days - my desktop shortcuts to "removable storage drives" and a link to my LAN settings get either deleted or rearranged on my desktop. What is going on? Today it deleted all of my LAN settings, not just the shortcut.
If it matters I am running 32bit win 7 not 64 bit
Help! This is making me crazy. It isn't everyday. Just 2 or so times a week????
Thanks, Rich
I running Windows 7 and Norton 2010 Utilities & Internet Security. I run a full system scan every evening. Some - but not all days - my desktop shortcuts to "removable storage drives" and a link to my LAN settings get either deleted or rearranged on my desktop. What is going on? Today it deleted all of my LAN settings, not just the shortcut.
If it matters I am running 32bit win 7 not 64 bit
Help! This is making me crazy. It isn't everyday. Just 2 or so times a week????
Thanks, Rich
It happens when I don't expect it. It can happen after a system scan or after a "Clean your disks" which I also run frequently. I can't seem to figure out a "cause" except that it is after Norton has run something????
I'm sure that I probably don't really need to run as a daily but as a part of my work I email transfer CAD files, photos, etc. everyday. In the past I have had a lot of trouble so now I keep anti-virus, spy-bot up to date and run scans & cleans very frequently. It's not a big deal to me since I run it at night after I leave.
Today I ran a disk clean and it moved 5 different drive shortcuts from the left side of my screen to the right side, moved my LAN login to the left and moved a "junk" folder to the right side?????
Except the "junk" windows folder, the only similarity that I can see is that all of the shortcuts that keep being moved or deleted aren't actively holding media at the time. i.e. thumb drive not connected at the time, card reader with out a card in it,, etc.
It is very frustrating.
Thanks, Rich
Hello Rich2
What security program did you use before NIS and how was it removed? Are you using Spybot with Tea Timer on? That will interfere with your Norton products. TeaTimer should be disabled if you are going to use Spybot.You seem to be very security conscious. What other security programs are you running and are they only on demand scanners?
It's a brand new clone that I had built for my CAD needs, so this machine is native OS of Win 7 Pro and only security & utilities on it have been Norton.
Yes I am "very security" conscious <grin> and I have had to live with over whelmed HD's before too, so I "clean" constantly too. You are right there.
Tea Timer might be the answer! I did have it resident. I have since turned it off and rebooted with out any problems. I have now run disk clean w/o problems too. Since I could never predict when things would move around before all I can do is wait and see...
Thanks, Rich
What a weird problem!!
Hello Rich2
Since you also are using Norton Utilities I believe, there may very well be a conflict with Spybot. Norton Utilities has a registry cleaner in it and Spybot will interfere with that function. Here is what Norton Utilities can do as seen from this link.
http://www.symantec.com/norton/norton-utilities
Please keep an eye on your system and let us know if disabling spybot will help. If you are going to use any other security programs, they should be on demand ones only. The free version of Malwarebytes is a good on demand scanner which won't interfere with your Norton products.
You can find Malwarebytes here
http://www.filehippo.com/download_malwarebytes_anti_malware/
It is a safer location to get the program from than malwarebytes themselves because some malware creators have large lists of sites that they block. Please be careful to down load the correct program ----the FREE version of MALWAREBYTES
(Thanks to Delph for providing the alternative site)
Good luck and hope we have solved your problem.
Well I was hoping that killing Tea Timer would do the trick because I like SpyBot and have used it for years. But lost it all again today...
I know nothing about Malware. I have used AdAware before and liked it. In looking at both today, I gather that free Malware does not "block" incoming stuff but that AdAware, like Spybot, does. That was the best part of Spybot. It was a TSR type program that would be active in background and prevent any junk from ever getting into your computer to start with.
SpyBot as I understand it “immunizes” browsers like IE & Firefox to prevent anything getting in. It isn’t a program that I run regular scans with.
Are there any know conflicts with Win7, Norton & AdAware??? I don't like the idea of running with out any spyware at all, but if Malware doesn't "protect" against incoming ........
Thanks, Rich
Rich2:
Just about everything else running in real time will interfere with Norton, although Tech83 has done considerable testing on Adaware to make sure that there are no conflicts. If two programs are scanning the sme thing, one has to back off so the other one can quarantine it. If it does not, the conflict will allow malware to get through, much like two ballplyers trying to catch the same ball.
Rather than adding more security, you are better to make sure all your programs are updated and patched, and run frequent on-demand scans.
Hi Rich2,
Just to clarify a bit about Spybot: You can safely use the immunization feature, as this is completely passive. That is, immunization simply makes settings changes that configure your browser to be more secure. Nothing is actually running and checking for malicious activity. What you want to avoid is active realtime features that will conflict with Norton. Tea Timer blocks registry changes and so can trip up Norton just as easily as it can trip up a spyware application trying to install. You can continue to use Spybot as long as you turn off the Resident Protection features. In Advanced Mode, click on "Resident" in the left-hand pane. Under "Resident Protection Status" uncheck both SD Helper and Tea Timer to disable them. You can then keep Spybot and run the immunization refresh every week after each update with no problems.
I continue to use Spybot only for this immunization feature. As a malware scanner it is no longer considered state of the art, let's say, and you would be better served using the FREE versions of Malwarebytes' and/or SUPERAntispyware. The free versions are on-demand scanners only, that do not have a realtime component that could cause issues.
The passive immunization is what I want/need. Since I got your responses I have turned off the resident tea timer & helper and so far no problems - but they were unpredictable so I never knew when or how to force a problem to happen.
I'm not "married" to SpyBot. It has been great thru the years and I appreciate it and what it has done. I only occasionally actually scan with it these days.
When looking into Malwarebytes and AdAware the other day Malwarebytes (Free version) didn't say that it had any passive "immunization" AdAware does make that claim. So I am more interested in AdAware.
I haven't run across "SUPERAnitspyware" yet ?????
I'll look into it. Thanks, Rich
Hi Rich2,
I would recommend continuing to use Spybot for its immunization feature. You could also use SpywareBlaster from Javacool Software, which I have previously described here. For second-opinion malware scans though, you are better served with Malwarebytes' and SUPERAntiSpyware (if you want a third opinion).
An update. I did as suggested and Spybot's SD helper and tea timer. I had 4 more "incidents" of my shortcuts & icons being moved or deleted.
So I deleted spybot completely and have as suggested installed Spyware Blaster. It makes me a little nervous to not be able to run a scan on demand, but so far so well. No "Odd" desktop changes..
Thanks, Rich
Anti-malware scanners:
Download the FREE Version for Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Download the FREE Edition for Superantispyware
Install apps and Update before Scan ....then you can always On-Demand Scan and feel safer.
Ask about any detection before acting on them...an occasional False Positive may sneak in....
$.02
Hello
07-16-2010 09:53 PM
Hello Rich2
Since you also are using Norton Utilities I believe, there may very well be a conflict with Spybot. Norton Utilities has a registry cleaner in it and Spybot will interfere with that function. Here is what Norton Utilities can do as seen from this link.
http://www.symantec.com/norton/norton-utilities
Please keep an eye on your system and let us know if disabling spybot will help. If you are going to use any other security programs, they should be on demand ones only. The free version of Malwarebytes is a good on demand scanner which won't interfere with your Norton products.
You can find Malwarebytes here
http://www.filehippo.com/download_malwarebytes_anti_malware/
It is a safer location to get the program from than malwarebytes themselves because some malware creators have large lists of sites that they block. Please be careful to down load the correct program ----the FREE version of MALWAREBYTES
(Thanks to Delph for providing the alternative site)
Post seems to have been overlooked since originally posted.....
Hi Rich2
Perhaps this Microsoft document may help you with your moving shortcuts.
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/windows_file_and_folder_diag/en-us?entrypoint=lightbox
Well, I tried the SpywareBlaster. I uninstalled SpyBot and installed SpywareBlaster. All went well for maybe 2 weeks? I haven't tried the MalwareBytes or Superantispware stuff yet, but it has "struck" again. 2x I have lost some of my shortcuts/icons from my desktop, again.....
Maybe this Norton/anti spy "conflict" isn't the answer?? ???
Thanks, Rich
I have now tried this. We will see what happens, It undid a bunch of my settings monitors settings, icon size settings, it moved all of my icons to right screen side, etc. Frustrating, but undoable.
We will see. Problem is that I can not predict or force when this problem will occur!!
Thanks, Rich
Well, it has happened again. I lost 6 short cuts some where between Sat night & Sunday AM???? I can never tell when this will happen, but Sat night/Sunday AM seems to be frequent time????
Hi Rich2,
Your latest post got me to wondering about anything on your system that might be scheduled to do any sort of automatic cleanup and I found this Microsoft kb article, entitled "Desktop shortcuts disappear in Windows 7." I suspect your problem may lie with Windows 7's System Maintenance troubleshooter which will delete any shortcuts that it classifies as broken. If you have removed your removable drives at the time that the System Mainenance troubleshooter runs, the shortcuts to the drives will be considered broken and, if there are more than four of them, they will all be automatically removed for you. This matches the information you provided in an earlier post so I am hopeful that we have found the explanation.
Rich,
Obviiously you want to cure the problem if you can but here's a link to a very useful little "utility" called IconRestore that I've used for years.
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,25934-order,1-page,1-c,alldownloads/description.html
It works fine under Windows 7 -- I just installed it on my newish Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit to check -- but if you do install it after you download the exe file and want to install it Right Mouse Click on the .exe file and select Run as Administrator.
It puts a Save Desktop and a Restore Desktop in the Context Menu of the Computer desktop icon so you just right mouse click on that icon and select Save.
Then if something moves your icons around or deletes them if you invoke Restore it should bring them back.
The main reason I use it is that if you go to SAFE MODE it messes up the icon layout from the positions I want them to be in to find them but with Icon Restore after I come back to the normal mode I just click on Restore and they are back where I want them.
But try to eliminate the cause of what you are seeing ....... (I disable that Cleanup module -- but it should put an icon on the desktop for Unused Desktop Shortcuts if that is what is doing it and the deleted ones go there first, at least they do if you say Yes to the question "Do you want to clean up your desktop" that comes up at intervals if you have it enabled.
Hugh