# Spybot and Adaware poll. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 25, 2004, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spybot-and-adaware-poll/271048 "2004-10-25T14:27:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spybot-and-adaware-poll/271048/1 "2004-10-25T14:27:54Z")
I was just reading an article about how much crap is on people’s computers that they don’t even know about. Got me to thinking about the last time I cleaned up a friends machine and Adaware found 1642 objects. Also got me to thinking about how I haven’t run either in awhile so maybe I should. Spybot found 13 Adaware found 2 So I thought it would be interesting to see what others get, so if you use these programs, post your results here. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spybot-and-adaware-poll/271048/2 "2004-10-25T14:51:59Z")
If I remember right, when I ran spybot earlier this morning (first time since getting my computer a week previously), it found about eight programs. I tried running adaware too but I evidently downloaded the wrong program as it asked me to pay for its registry to finish so I cancelled out and uninstalled. ---
**Author:** ![Keapon\_Laffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e274bd/32.png) [@Keapon\_Laffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keapon_Laffin)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spybot-and-adaware-poll/271048/3 "2004-10-25T14:52:45Z")
Spybot 0 (I’ve been getting a clean-bill of health lately, and it worries me) Adaware 8 (Usually after a week) ---
**Author:** ![Shrinking\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Shrinking\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shrinking_Violet)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spybot-and-adaware-poll/271048/4 "2004-10-25T15:11:50Z")
I update and run both (plus Pestscan) about twice a week, and very rarely get anything at all show up … maybe one a month. ---
**Author:** ![Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9dc877/32.png) [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spybot-and-adaware-poll/271048/5 "2004-10-25T15:12:53Z")
Spybot 13 - first time running the program. Ad-Aware 4 - last scan a little more than a week ago. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spybot-and-adaware-poll/271048/6 "2004-10-25T15:14:54Z")
Updated and ran both last night. Spybot 1.3 found nothing. Ad Aware 6 found 8 tracking cookies. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spybot-and-adaware-poll/271048/7 "2004-10-25T15:26:13Z")
Spybot - 3 (two cookies and one empty directory) Ad-Aware - 13 (9 cookies, 1 registry value, 1 reg key 1 file, 1 directory BUT one of the cookies is my ISP-issued webmail cookie and all the other non-cookie things relate to the same “toolbar”, so really 9 objects) I can’t remember the last time I ran either of them, but judging by Ad-Aware’s warning that my definitions were 57 days old, I guess it’s close to two months. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spybot-and-adaware-poll/271048/8 "2004-10-25T16:47:33Z")
Spybot - 3 (DSO Exploit, I’ve been getting this every time I run SB for the last few months, I read in GQ that it wasn’t that big a deal so I don’t worry about it) Ad-Aware - 0 ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spybot-and-adaware-poll/271048/9 "2004-10-25T16:50:21Z")
Same as **Lord Ashtar**. I used to get loads more when I used IE but have now switched to Firefox. ---
**Author:** ![Tuco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tuco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuco)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spybot-and-adaware-poll/271048/10 "2004-10-25T17:08:50Z")
Spybot 5 (DSO exploits again, I don’t really care as I only use IE for one online game) Ad-Aware 0 (I don’t think Ad-Aware has picked up anything since I started using Firefox’s Adblock) I also use Spyware blaster to keep nasty programs off in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spybot-and-adaware-poll/271048/11 "2004-10-25T17:19:40Z")
I use AdAware. I got two on it last week, but since I first installed it and ran the first scan where it found about a dozen, it doesn’t usually find any. Normally, not more than three. I’m also using advanced cookie settings in Netscape 7.1, with a lot of filters. So I hardly get any tracking cookies. No popups. Hardly any spyware, ever. ---
**Author:** ![Cillasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@Cillasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cillasi)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spybot-and-adaware-poll/271048/12 "2004-10-25T17:53:35Z")
I use both AdAware and Spybot and I also use PestControl’s cookie patrol function and Yahoo’s popup blocker. My internet security is set to medium high so that pesky programs won’t install automatically. I run AdAware and Spybot about once a month and get very few hits (3-10), mostly tracking cookies from websites that I have “approved” so I can’t complain. I don’t use any p2p programs, which greatly reduces the risk of infection and my web surfing usually takes me to the same old places and I don’t visit high risk type places like porno sites. I don’t download “free” screensavers, cursors, etc., which typically carry loads of spyware. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spybot-and-adaware-poll/271048/13 "2004-10-25T18:18:05Z")
Adaware (v1.05 w/ 10/22 defs) : 3 items, all from midADdle , have had problems getting fully clean ever since I “upgraded” to XP Pro. Spybot S&D (v1.3 10/14 detection rules): 8 different trackers, with lots of subcookies. These don’t seem to cause any huge problems but I get rid of them and then they come back again. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spybot-and-adaware-poll/271048/14 "2004-10-25T20:08:15Z")
I stopped using Adaware and I never used Spybot. Instead I use SpySweeper and WinPatrol. I run them daily, and they each find about 15 items.