Help with Windows Live OneCare Online free PC safety scan

Hi
I decided to get a free PC safety scan at
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/default.htm, and chose Full Service Scan.
It downloaded something and then started doing a Virus and Spyware scan.
There seems to be an IE window that shows progress.  The styling of this
window ensures that a minimal amount of information is displayed.  For
example, it continuously updates the display of the path it is scanning, but
cannot be forced to display more than 3.5 inches of the beginning of the
path name.  I can stretch the IE window, but the length of the path display
area does not stretch.  Initially it also displayed the percentage complete,
but I can no longer see that display.   Currently it indicates "9 items
detected, 3 issues found".  The window does say: "Please note that,
depending on the type of scan you selected, the Windows Live OneCare safety
scanner might take up to a few hours to complete."  This has been running
for 5 hours.  It is progressing and has started working on my second
non-hidden partition.

Questions:
Does anyone have a URL that might explain what is going on with this scan.
For example:
1) is this application smart enough to disable power options that might
ensure continuous operation of the scan, rather than allowing the computer
to shutdown after some amount of time with no keyboard use?
2) Can the percent complete display be restored?
3) Is it possible to see the list of items detected / issues found before
the scanning is complete?
4) If I cancel the scan, will it show me the problems/issues it has detected
so far?

Thanks for any info you can give me.

-Paul Randall

Help with Windows Live OneCare Online free PC safety scan

Windows Live OneCare General Discussion:
http://boards.live.com/safetyboards/board.aspx?BoardID=225

Thanks for the info, Leroy.

Thanks for the info, Leroy.
I went to the link you posted, but I find it nowhere near as easy to use as
a newsgroup in a simple newsreader like Outlook express.  I searched it for
the string "items detected", which got me only three hits.  I will wade
through them to glean what I can from it.

My scan finally got done, and the window provides a painfully crippled
display.  It blocks all attempts to select and copy text from the
fixed-size, small window.  I guess they decided to show some mercy by
including scroll bars :-)

Is the version of OneCare that you pay for as unfriendly as this?

-Paul Randall

Help with Windows Live OneCare Online free PC safety scan

While you are fixing OneCare, fix your PC clock or your time zone. You're
posting in the future.

Help with Windows Live OneCare Online free PC safety scan

Thanks for the heads up.
My computer's time Data and Time Properties window says I'm in GMT-07:00
Mountain Time (US & Canada)
My computer's clock says it is 4:48 PM.
My TV (weather.com) says it is 4:48 PM.

How far off am I?

-Paul Randall

Help with Windows Live OneCare Online free PC safety scan

One (1) hour fast.

Help with Windows Live OneCare Online free PC safety scan

Pegasus, do you know of any way to copy text from the OneCare window?
Selecting text seems normal, but I don't get a  right-click context menu and
control-C doesn't seem to work.  AutoIt's info utility (au3info.exe) can
show the cursor position anywhere in OneCare's window, but does not display
any visible or hidden text in the window.  It shows a number of controls in
the window, but no text in them.

I finally did find some info about the OneCare safety scanner in a link from
the scan window.  The main link is
http://help.live.com/help.aspx?project=wl_safety&market=en-us

I'm now thinking that this userunfriendlyness is by design.  One place
states:
Write down the name of the identified threat and then type it in the virus
encyclopedia to see if there is any additional action you need to take.

I guess they don't yet realize that cut and paste was a user friendly
feature borrowed from Macs years ago.

-Paul Randall

Help with Windows Live OneCare Online free PC safety scan

What can cause that?  My computer clock matches my cell phone clock which
matches the time that my various cable TV stations display.  I'm physically
located in the middle of USA mountain time zone which matches the time zone
displayed in my 'Date and Time Properties' window.  After posting a message
and reading it with Outlook Express, the posting time appears correct to me.

What else can I check to resolve this problem?  Could it be a problem with
my ISP?

Did you install the patches for this year's daylight savings time

Did you install the Microsoft patches for this year's daylight savings time
changes? Does your computer think it is currently daylight savings time? If
it's set to standard time, change it to daylight savings and then adjust
your clock one hour so it returns to displaying the correct time.

Help with Windows Live OneCare Online free PC safety scan

No, the problem is the machine isn't fully patched!

Your posts' headers (Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2180) tells us that
you're running outdated and much less-secure versions of OE, IE, and WinXP
SP2.  Check-in at http://windowsupdate/microsoft.com and install all
critical security updates offered ASAP!  Also install any DST-related
updates offered, too.

Now make certain that Automatic Updates is enabled & configured as you wish;
cf. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306525

Related #1: About a year from now, you'll need to have WinXP SP3 installed
or you won't be offered any further critical security updates!

Related #2: In the unlikely event you'd need it, free unlimited installation
and compatibility support is available for Windows XP, but only for Service
Pack 3 (SP3) and *only until* 14 Apr-09, so you'd better get it in gear,
Paul!  Go to http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=1173 |
select "Windows XP" then select "Windows XP Service Pack 3"

Related #3: WinXP SP3 - Read all prerequisites for a successful installation
http://msmvps.com/blogs/harrywaldron/archive/2008/05/08/windows-xp-sp3-read-all-prerequisites-for-a-successful-installation.aspx
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

Help with Windows Live OneCare Online free PC safety scan

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Thanks for your detailed and useful comments.

Thanks for your detailed and useful comments.  My comments and questions
inline.


True, by personal intent.  I've had problems in the past with automatic
updates and have heard horror stories about a number Vista automatic updates
that essentially trashed the OS requiring complete reinstallation.


I have downloaded the SP3 ISO, created the CD, and used in on another
computer.  This was on a freshly reinstalled HP-provided recovery disc set,
from which I had deleted all the crapware I could find, and I ran Symantec's
uninstaller before installing SP3.  That worked fairly well and that
computer has run well since installing SP3 and AVG.

Question: Is the SP3 CD from ISO likely to be the most reliable way to
upgrade,?  I expect to be doing this on a number of computers over a number
of years.

Question:  You mentioned "free unlimited installation  and compatibility
support is available for Windows XP".  What exactly does free unlimited
mean?  Limited to non-OEM installs?


This and a number of my computers have preinstalled Norton security
products.  The blogs linked from your refereces indicate that SP3
installation is iffy unless you are absolutely certain that no security
software is running.

Question:  Do you know of a command-line tool or VBScript or other free tool
to list all running processes to make it easier for a person to manually
shut down all unneccessary processes and be able to store a list of the
running processes just before installing SP3?

[Paul, I find in-line replies confusing and have a very difficult time

[Paul, I find in-line replies confusing and have a very difficult time
replying to them.]

Personally, I couldn't care less if you install SP3 or not.  But you're
doing yourself and everybody else online a grave disservice if you do not
get all critical security updates installed ASAP.  ***Your computer is not
safe to be online without them!***

You won't be able to correct your time issues if you don't get all
DST-related updates installed, either.  If the DST-related updates don't
correct the problem, see http://support.microsoft.com/gp/cp_dst

There really is no "best" way to install SP3.  If you've already got it on
CD, use it.

I would strongly recommend disabling all components of the Norton
application (including any Norton Add-ons and Norton Firewall) and then
enabling the Windows Firewall before installing SP3.  If you need assistance
with this, contact Symantec Support: You paid for it.  (If you're using the
CD, install SP3 in Safe Mode.)

You post from a US IP so see this page for your SP3 installation &
compatibility support options (through 14 April 2009):
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

Free = no-charge

Unlimited = call, chat, or mail SP3-specific support as often as you wish
(through 14 April 2009).
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=8E87AD9E-5D84-45B5-9B6A-D04AAA41556E