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Spyware Detector Glitch (maybe?)


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#1
macx

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When I start up, I get a dialogue box
that informs me that

"the SDMONITOR.EXE file is linked to
missing export SHELL32.DLL: SHGetFolderPathA"

Of course, I don't have much of a clue what
that signifies

Am I missing that SHELL32.DLL file or?
What do I need to do, if it IS a problem?

Thanks!
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#2
Boostman

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Seems like you might have gotten this after you had ran a spyware/adware program that removed items.

If this is the case more then likely you have that path in your startup file still.

You can check this by doing the following:

Start --> Run --> msconfig --> startup tab

see if you can find that entry you listed, if so try unchecking it and see if that fixes your issue. If it does not you might want to bring this to the Malware forum and post a HiJackThis log as recommended.

Edited by Boostman, 17 October 2005 - 01:56 PM.

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#3
macx

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Well! That lead me to another thing I didn't know existed.

Will it ever end? :-)

Anyway - looked in that startup tab, nothing like that
SHELL32.DLL: thing is in there at all.

Should I look on i.e. the Windows application CD or something?

Thx!
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#4
Boostman

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Did you have any P2P software such as Gokster?
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#5
macx

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You've got me there -

P to P ??

Not that I know of.
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#6
Boostman

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Sorry, P2P means peer to peer, of file swapping application. Napster, Limeware, etc are all considered P2P applications.

What might have happened is like I stated before you ran a spyware tool and it removed a file from a P2P application and now that has somehow corrupted your file.

You can download a new shell32.dll file from here, SHELL32.DLL.

You can then replace the one that is currently on your system.


It also seems that SDMonitor.exe is spyware related.

Max Spyware Detector, bogus "Spyware remover" - for more information, search the Spywarewarrior_List of non-Recommended anti parasite sites/software for "spywaredetector.net"

This was found on bleeping computer when searching for this process.

Edited by Boostman, 17 October 2005 - 03:18 PM.

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#7
starjax

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uninstall spyware detector. it is not a recomended program (its on the list of rogue spyware apps at http://spywarewarrior.com/)

start scanning with lavasofts Adaware, spybot's search and destory, and microsoft antiSpy.

see this topic for starters.
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#8
macx

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I forget exactly where, but it was an article posted I believe from a PC magazine - maybe on another computer site - that reviewed various spyware apps and it rated SD higher than the others, incl Spybot. Said Spybot got like only 50% or so of spyware coming into the computer they tested these apps on, and that SD got more like 85% or such.

I had been running Spybot and AVG and it showed my system clean. When I ran SD, it picked up several more. After that, I had no real problems (except the SHELL 32 thing on startup)

At least untill this morning when I ran first the free version of Registry Mechanic and it found a number of "problems" and fixed about 1/2 of them. Of course, you have to buy the non-free version to fix everything, so that's what I did. After I ran it is when the REAL problems started. Upon restarting, the Windows Install Wizard came up
demanding my product key. I entered it, but it said it was invalid. I called MS Supt, they gave me a couple diff (I guess?) "master" product keys to no avail. Then a MS tech said I got a worm with the paid RM.
He walked me thru going back and reinstalling the last registry before
this RM thing happened, but it still wouldn't let me past the product code box when Windows tries to start up. Now I can't get into Windows at all!
The tech is going to work with me some more tomorrow on the problem.

Apparently one can't believe hardly anything anymore - like that posted
article testing/rating/comparing various spyware & virus apps?
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#9
starjax

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http://www.spywarewa...nti-spyware.htm

Spyware Detector spywaredetector.net false positives work as goad to purchase [A: 7-10-05 / U: 7-10-05]


article is written by Eric L. Howes, one of the most respected members of the anti spyware community.

checkout http://spywarewarrior.com/ for additional info.

the thing about spyware you must know is that it takes 3 applications to throughly remove infections. and then sometimes it requires additional tools if you have one of the nasty infections. Adaware and spybot are completly free. so is Microsoft antispy. Then there is Webroot's spy sweeper, one of the best commercial apps, free 30 day trial.
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#10
macx

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Quite the store of info on the spyware warrior site!

I think I'll be going to some diff apps if I can get
my system up and running again.

Thanks for that info!
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