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Ad-Aware SE FAQ

 

I cannot perform a web update of the Definition File after upgrading Ad-Aware SE; there is an error in retrieving the update.

From the start of 2008, Lavasoft will no longer support or update our older freeware program: Ad-Aware SE Personal.

We strongly recommend that you update to the new version: Ad-Aware 2007.

You can download the free installation file from:
http://www.lavasoft.com/single/trialpay.php

Ad-Watch does not allow me to log out of Windows. If I press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and terminate Ad-Watch, my computer shuts down.

The problem is being addressed by our developers and will be corrected as soon as possible in an Ad-Aware SE update.

What is the current version of Ad-Aware SE?

The current version is Ad-Aware SE 1.061.

Why are pop-ups being allowed on my computer?

You can create rules so that Ad-Watch will allow pop-ups on certain pages.

  • Right-click on the Ad-Watch icon in the system tray. Select "Ad-Watch Settings".
  • If you are in the Events window, click on the Tools button. If you are in the Tools & Preferences window, click on the Rule Editor button. Check "Use Custom Rule Set" and then click on the button "New Rule."

Example:

  • Add a meaningful name (like the name of the homepage), then define a rule under conditions.
  • Check "Ignore events if key matches" and enter Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
  • Check "And value matches" and enter the homepage that you’d like to allow pop-ups on.
  • Check the option for partial match and click "Add rule". This will allow programs under the name of your new rule.

How do I allow certain pop-ups on my computer?

Ad-Watch employs two methods to block pop-ups: aggressive pop-up blocking and black listing.

Note: A white list allows all sites on the list, and blocks any others. A black list blocks all sites on the list, and allows any others. White lists are not included in the current version of Ad-Aware SE, and you cannot add pop-ups to your list of trusted sites.

If you would like to see a particular pop-up but are unable to (and you know that your browser or other software is not blocking pop-ups), check to see if the pop-up is being blocked by Ad-Watch through its aggressive pop-up blocking. If it is not, you need to modify your black list.

The aggressive pop-up blocking feature is based on behavior and cannot be modified to allow through certain pop-ups. It is turned on by default. You can turn it off by following the directions below, but we recommend turning the option back on after you have finished viewing the pop-up.

  • Open Ad-Aware SE.
  • Click on the "Ad-Aware Configuration Window" icon.
  • Click on "Tweak."
  • Click the plus sign next to "Ad-Watch" to expand the Ad-Watch branch in the tree view.
  • Deselect the "Block pop-ups aggressively" option.

Ad-Aware SE freezes when I perform a scan.

There are a few possibilities as to why this is happening. Follow the steps to correct the problem:

  • Update to the latest version of Ad-Aware SE and download the current Definition File.
  • Clean (delete) the following directory contents (but not the directory folder). If there’s any content in these directories you’d like to keep, move it to a different folder for the time being.
    • C:\Windows\Temp\
    • C:\Documents and Settings\'Your Profile'\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\
    • C:\Documents and Settings\'Your Profile'\Local Settings\Temp\
    • C:\Documents and Settings\'Any other users Profile'\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\
    • C:\Documents and Settings\'Any other users Profile'\Local Settings\Temp\
    • Empty your "Recycle Bin"
  • We recommend that you run a disk defragmentation on your computer, then a thorough "Check" or "Scan Disk" depending on your Windows version. Try scanning in safe mode.
  • Start an Ad-Aware SE scan from the Windows command line. To do this:
    • Click "Start", then "Run." Type one of the following lines shown below (including the quotation marks and spacing), according to your version of Ad-Aware SE:
      "C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware SE Professional\Ad-Aware.exe" /full +procnuke
      "C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware SE Plus\Ad-Aware.exe" /full +procnuke
      "C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware SE Personal\Ad-Aware.exe" +procnukep
    • Click "OK."
      Note: The path between the quotes is the default location of Ad-Aware SE. If you installed your Ad-Aware SE to a different directory, adjust the path accordingly. For Ad-Aware SE Personal, when the GUI launches, click "Start", then "Full System Scan". Click "Next", then "OK".
    • When the scan is complete, select "Next." In the "Scanning Results" window, select the "Scan Summary" tab. Check the box next to each "target family" you would like to remove. Click "Next", then "OK."
  • If you are still experiencing problems, cancel the scan before it reaches the point of stalling. (For example, after 20 objects are detected, click "Cancel" on your log file.) Then, remove any of the objects you’d like to remove. Scan once more, stopping the scan before it reaches the point of stalling. Remove any additional objects. You should be able to run a full, uninterrupted scan, without Ad-Aware SE freezing.
  • If none of the above steps resolves the problem, please contact the Support Center.

How do I access the current version of Ad-Aware SE?

Ad-Aware SE Personal is available from Lavasoft's website.

For retail shop and online retail customers: if you own a registered copy of Ad-Aware SE, you can update to the current version through the Lavasoft Support Center. The login page is available at http://www.lavasoft.com/support/supportcenter/

I have made changes in the Windows Start-up settings, but when I reboot, the changes are not saved.

Something may be blocking updates to your Windows registry.

To correct this, do the following:

Note: These instructions apply to Ad-Watch; if you are running another registry monitoring program, you will need to do the equivalent of the procedure below in that program.

  • Start Ad-Watch, if it is not already running.
  • Right-click on the Ad-Watch icon in the system tray (in the lower right corner by default) and select "Ad-Watch Settings."
  • At the bottom of the Ad-Watch window, is an item labelled "Automatic". Turn off "Automatic" by clicking on it. You will see a red cross when it is turned off.
  • Ad-Watch will now ask you about any registry change made to the computer, you can allow the ones you want to accept.

My anti-virus program finds a virus during a scan with Ad-Aware SE.

During a scan, Ad-Aware SE will temporarily decompress files to scan their contents. Anti-virus providers also detect some advertising and spyware related content, so the scanner may detect the file that Ad-Aware SE is scanning. This is a normal function of your anti-virus resident scanner.

After Ad-Aware SE completes its scan, review the results and then take the appropriate action (choose to remove files at your discretion). Once you have done this, perform a scan with your anti-virus software to ensure that your system is free of virus infection.

Do I need to uninstall the old version of Ad-Aware SE before installing/ upgrading the new version?

All installation files have the ability to recognize a previously installed version of Ad-Aware SE in order to uninstall it during the new installation process. However, this is limited to the type of installation used.

If you used an EXE installation to install previously, and are upgrading to use a MSI distribution, you will need to perform this process manually or through the UnWise installer located in the Ad-Aware SE installation directory. For large networks, this can be done via the command line using a silent switch: %path%\unwise.exe /s

We recommend uninstalling the old version before installing the new version.

I am unable to uninstall my Ad-Aware SE. I receive a message saying, "Can’t find Install.log."

There are several alternatives you can use to uninstall Ad-Aware SE:

  • Click "Uninstall Ad-Aware" in the Lavasoft folder of your Start menu.
  • If you are unable to do that, open your control panel, click "Add/remove programs," and locate Ad-Aware SE.
  • Another method to uninstall is to locate and double-click the file "unwise.exe" (the .exe may not be shown). You should be able to find this file in C:\program files\lavasoft\Ad-Aware SE [Personal/Plus/Professional]\.

If the above alternatives do not work, or you get a message saying, "Can’t find Install.log," you will need to manually uninstall the software. To do this:

  • Click on "My Computer" and locate your Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE folder (C:\program files\lavasoft\ad-aware).
  • Run the file "unregaaw.exe".
  • Delete the entire Ad-Aware SE folder.
  • Delete your Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE link in your Start menu (if present).
  • Delete the Ad-Aware SE icon (s) from your desktop (if present).
  • Navigate to "C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name] \Application Data\Lavasoft" and delete the entire Lavasoft folder.
  • Empty your trash bin.
  • Reboot your computer.
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