FAQs
How can I upgrade from Ad-Aware 2008 to Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition?
Log-in to the Lavasoft support center and download the Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition file (Ad-AwareAE.exe) here (click)
Once downloaded double-click the Ad-AwareAE.exe file and follow the on-screen instructions in the Installation Wizard to install. Ad-Aware 2008 will be uninstalled during installation of Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition.
Your computer must be restarted to complete the installation. Click the option to "Restart now." At this point, you also have the option to enter your e-mail address to receive Lavasoft News and special offers.
Click "Finish" to complete the installation process.
Your computer will restart and Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition will be completely installed.
How to resolve Ad-Aware 2008 High CPU issue or system error 1814.
To resolve this, please follow the instructions below to delete the broken definitions file and restart your computer.
Go to the following location and delete the core.aawdef file.
Location: (2000, XP) - C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\core.aawdef
If you cannot see "Application Data" you will need to "Show Hidden Files and Folders"-
* Click "Tools" on the menu (hold the Alt key if you cannot see the menu bar)
* Click "Folder Options".
* Click the "View" tab and find "Hidden files and folders" folder
* Turn on "Show hidden files and folders"
Location: (Vista) - C:\ProgramData\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\Defs\ core.aawdef
Then restart the computer and restart Ad-Aware.
How do I activate Ad-Aware Plus/Pro by registering with my serial number?
Make sure that you have configured your firewall or any other security programs to allow Ad-Aware network access. If necessary, you can temporarily turn off your firewall, but be sure to turn it on again after you have completed the registration procedure.
REGISTRATION PROCEDURE
1. Open the registration window by clicking the ?Register? button (It may also say ?Renew? or ?Upgrade?) that is placed near the bottom-right corner of the screen, under 'License Status'.
2. Enter your Serial Number.
3. Click 'OK'. Ad-Aware will connect to the Internet to validate your registration. If this does not work the first time, please try again.
4. "Thank you for registering Ad-Aware" will appear once successful, Click ?OK?.
5. Restart Ad-Aware to activate the Plus or Pro versions of Ad-Aware.
You will find your license status in the Main status menu of Ad-Aware, including License type and remaining days.
How do I remove detected objects after a scan?
After a scan is finished you get the 'Scan Results' screen, where detected objects are separated into critical objects and privacy objects. The total number of critical objects and privacy objects detected during the scan are listed at the top of each tab.
In the 'Critical Objects' tab you can either select each object individually by checking the box beside it, or use the selection options in the context menu.
For each selected critical object, you can choose to:
* Add to Ignore: Add the object to the Ignore List; keep the item on your system and make sure it is not detected in future scans.
* Quarantine: Add the object to the Quarantine; isolate and back-up the object in quarantine, where it does not pose a threat to your system.
* Remove: Delete the object from your system.
Privacy objects: Go to the 'Privacy Objects' tab.
You can either select each object individually by checking the box beside it, or use the selection options in the context menu. For each detected privacy object, you can choose to:
* Add to Ignore: Add the object to the Ignore List; keep the item on your system and make sure it is not detected in future scans.
* Remove: Delete the object from your system.
Finally, click 'Finish' to get to the 'Scan summary' screen.
My Serial Number/Registration Key/Activation Code is lost, how do I retrieve it?
If your serial number/registration key/activation code has been lost, there is a quick and easy way to get it back.
1. Log in to the Support center: http://www.lavasoft.com/support/supportcenter/
2. In the left menu, under 'Support Center', select 'Your Licenses'.
3. Here you will find your license info. Below your license you can find a letter icon: 'E-mail Serial Number' and clicking it will automatically send an email with the serial number to your registered email address.
Note: the 'E-mail Serial Number' notification email may be filtered as spam. Please, check your spambox/ junkmail
I get an error message "SSL download failed". How do I resolve this issue?
The Error message "SSL download failed" is caused by Ad-Aware not getting access to the Internet.
First of all, make sure that your system is connected to the Internet.
If you are using a proxy server, make sure to configure the Ad-Aware WebUpdate settings.
1. Open Ad-Aware and navigate to the WebUpdate->Proxy settings menu.
2. Enable the ?Use proxy? option and enter the URL to your proxy server.
3. Save the new settings and try a webupdate again.
If you still have problems, try this:
1. Turn off all security software like Firewalls (check your router firewall as well) and any Antivirus programs.
2. Restart Ad-Aware and try to do a webupdate if you haven't activated the automatic update.
If you do not get an error message and successfully manages to update, you need to configure your security software to grant Ad-Aware network access, before turning them on again.
I cannot update the Definitions File.
Ensure you have an active internet connection
Configure your firewall or any other security programs to allow Ad-Aware (aawservice.exe) network access. If necessary, you can temporarily turn off your firewall, but be sure to turn it on again after you have updated the Definitions File.
1. Open Ad-Aware main menu.
2. Click the 'Web Update' button to connect to the update server and download the latest software and definitions updates.
3. When the update is complete, click 'Ok'.
If you are operating behind a proxy server, you will need to have your proxy server settings correctly configured in order to perform updates.
Go to Web-update- >Settings -> under proxy settings add your proxy server details and click save.
How do I resolve the "Error 1810, 1812 or 1920" problems?
These problems are related to not being able to start the Ad-Aware service (aawservice.exe). This usually occurs during the final part of installation or startup of the program. To resolve the problem follow the instructions below:
A) Make sure you have Admin Rights
In order to install Ad-Aware you will need to be logged in to Windows as an Administrator or have sufficient rights on your Windows user account.
Some user accounts may not have sufficient privileges. If you are unsure, contact your system Administrator or the person who has installed Windows on your computer.
B) Try to restart the Ad-Aware Service manually
1. Close Ad-Aware
2. Go to Windows Start menu, choose 'Run...', type in 'Services.msc' and in the service window, stop Ad-Aware 2007 Service.
3. Open Ad-Aware to restart the service.
C) Use the latest installer
If neither of the above works, the Ad-Aware Service has probably been removed or blocked by 3rd party software. These programs need to be configured to trust any Ad-Aware processes or files.
1. First of all, turn off any Internet Security program temporarily, but be sure to turn them on again after you have completed the reinstallation procedure.
2. Uninstall Ad-Aware by using the ?Add or Remove Programs? facility in the ?Control Panel?.
3. Download the latest version of Ad-Aware from the Support Center or https://secure.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php
4. Install Ad-Aware.
I have purchased my box copy of Ad-Aware from a store. How do I register for free online support?
Use the customer registration form to register for free online support through the Lavasoft Support Center.
http://www.lavasoft.com/support/supportcenter/customer_registration.php
How do I get Ad-Watch to work?
First of all, download or update to the latest version of Ad-Aware.
The most common cause for problems starting Ad-Watch is that Ad-Aware has not been registered yet or that the software has not been restarted since the activation. Please be sure to register your software with your serial number in order to activate the advanced features in Ad-Aware Plus and Pro.
You can start Ad-Watch by opening the Ad-Watch menu in Ad-Aware and click ?Start?, or by double-clicking the Ad-Watch icon on your desktop.
What is ThreatWork?
Lavasoft ThreatWork is a feature of Ad-Aware that allows you to submit suspicious files for analysis via ThreatWork, an alliance of global anti-spyware security volunteers actively fighting online threats. After a scan, you can use ThreatWork to submit detected suspicious files directly to Lavasoft research analysts for an in-depth evaluation of a possible threat. After scanning using behavioral "Heuristics", the ThreatWork dialogue window will appear if an object selected for removal is not in Lavasoft?s Detection Database.
To submit a file via ThreatWork, in the ThreatWork dialogue window, select a suspicious file and select 'Submit'. You can also submit files via ThreatWork using drag and drop functionality. To submit a file, open ThreatWork through:
Ad-Aware (8.1, Anniversary Edition and later):
Ad-Aware's System Tray icon or from the Start menu / All programs / Ad-Aware / Toolbox / ThreatWork.
Ad-Aware 2008:
Start menu / All programs / Ad-Aware / ThreatWork.
From the ThreatWork window, you can submit files by either dragging and dropping files for submission; or by selecting items using the 'Add' button.
How do I resolve the "Error 1722" problem?
This problem relates to the MSI installer from Microsoft; it is associated with either an outdated or corrupt Windows Installer or with permission for Windows Script Hosting (WSH).
First of all, download the latest version of Ad-Aware from the Support Center or https://secure.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php and try to reinstall. If you still get the 1722 error, update your MSI installer.
For WINDOWS VISTA users:
Update your installer by running your Windows Vista CD and repair your Operative System installation.
For WINDOWS XP/2000 users:
Updating Windows Installer
1. Please use the link below to visit Microsoft's support website, which will help you resolve the issue. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=889482FC-5F56-4...
2. Restart your computer once you have updated this installer.
3. Reinstall Ad-Aware.
Updating Windows Script Hosting
# ol> Please use the links below to visit Microsoft's support website, which will help you resolve the issue. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c717d943-7e4b-4...
# Please restart your computer once you have updated this installer.
# Reinstall Ad-Aware.
Configuring WSH Permissions
Warning: Do not try to edit registry keys if you are unfamiliar with the Windows Registry. Attempt this only at your own risk; Lavasoft does not take responsibility.
1. In the Windows Start menu, open run and type 'regedit' in the command line. Click 'Ok'.
2. Check for either or both of the following registry keys:
* HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Script Host\Settings\Enabled
* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows Script Host\Settings\Enabled
3. If either of those has a DWORD value of '0', then scripting is disabled. Changing the values to '1' should enable scripting.
Why does Ad-Aware run as a service?
THE AD-AWARE ARCHITECTURE Ad-Aware consists of two main parts, the Service and the Graphical User Interface (GUI).
The GUI is the part of the program a user sees and needs in order to interact with the program itself; it contains menus, buttons and other controls that are necessary for a user to run the program. User action is passed from the GUI down to the Service, which contains the core functionality of the program.
The Service executes the action, and then reports the results back to the GUI, where it is presented to the user. What Is a Service? Services are Windows applications that are launched at system startup and then run in the background, not visible to the user.
What is the Benefit of a Service-Based Approach to Malware Removal? Malware that emerges today is increasingly complex, displaying wildly varying behavior and operating on many levels in the system. In order to stay a step ahead of these ever-changing security threats, an anti-spyware tool needs to be more powerful, multi-faceted and flexible than ever before.
The implementation of Ad-Aware as a Service facilitates this needed power and flexibility since a service runs with elevated rights on the system. This means that the user can work in user-mode while the Service maintains the elevated rights it needs in order to properly detect and remove malware infections.
How Does This Affect Resource Use? During a scan, the CPU use of the Service will vary parts of the scan are labor-intensive and require a lot of processing power, which can make the computer's performance sluggish. Other parts require less computing power and have little impact on the overall performance of the system. When the service is idle, virtually no CPU power is required, making the impact on system performance negligible.
As for memory use, the service does require a bit of memory, most of which is needed for storing the threats in the Detection Database. It is important to note, however, that when the Service is not in use, the lion's share of this memory is paged to the Swap file. In non-technical terms, this means that the hard drive is used to store data that is not currently in use, and then retrieves the data when needed, which makes the actual working memory (RAM) available for other applications.
Can I activate Ad-Aware on more than one computer?
Yes, but only if you have a multi-seat license or separate licenses and serial numbers for each computer.
A license is valid for one computer only (unless you have chosen to purchase a multi-seat license). If you would like to migrate your license from one computer to another, please contact our Support Team.
If you follow the link below you will be able to buy a "Multipack" containing 3 or 5 licenses:
http://lavasoft.com/store/special_offers.php
Why is the Ad-Watch 'Connect' feature unavailable (greyed out) in Ad-Aware Plus?
The Connect feature is only available to Ad-Aware Pro customers.
Please see this link: http://lavasoft.com/download_and_buy/product_comparison_chart.php
What is the difference between the Update and the Upgrade button?
When you want to update your definition files and your current Ad-Aware version you use the ?Update? button. If you have already activated Ad-Aware Plus or Pro you use the ?Upgrade? button to register additional licenses. Like Renewals or ?Upgrades from Plus to Pro?. If you register a second license of the same type, the second license?s license time will be appended to the first one.
Can I update from Ad-Aware SE Plus/Professional to Ad-Aware 2007 Plus/Pro?
Yes. If you hold a valid license for Ad-Aware SE Plus or Professional you will be able to update to Ad-Aware 2007 Plus or Pro, free of charge.
Customers with a valid Ad-Aware SE license can now update their software to Ad-Aware 2007 through the Support Center. All license updates to 2007 have been automatically extended to cover the update delay.
To update your product;
1. Log-in to the Lavasoft Support Center to retrieve your Ad-Aware 2007 serial number.
2. Open the 'License Info' menu.
3. Click the 'Update license to Ad-Aware 2007' button below your valid license to activate the serial number which will be sent to you in an email.
Why does the Ad-Watch icon flash?
The Ad-Watch tray icon will flash whenever a new event is detected. This is normal behavior and does not specifically mean that there is anything wrong with your system. In the current version of Ad-Watch we will add the option to turn this notification off. All events will still be logged and can be viewed in the event log in Ad-Watch.
Does Ad-Aware support Windows 7?
Ad-Aware 8.1 and higher supports Windows 7 (32 & 64-bit)
Ad-Aware Total Security supports Windows 7 (32 & 64-bit)
Ad-Aware Game Edition supports Windows 7 (32 & 64-bit)
How do I create a System Restore point?
Before deleting critical objects, you have the option to create a system restore point. A system restore point allows you to restore your computer to a previous working state, in the event of a problem. System restore creates backups, or restore points, of vital system configurations and files. You may choose to create a system restore point prior to deleting objects that you are unsure of removing, or after handling items detected by a scan, when you know that your system is clean.
When I click on the Ad-Watch icon on the desktop nothing happens?
When I click on the Ad-Watch icon on the desktop nothing happens?
This happens when Ad-Watch has already started and is running in the background.
To open the Ad-Watch interface, just double-click on the Ad-Watch icon in the system tray and click 'Settings'.
Once you click on the Ad-Watch icon (when Ad-Watch is not already loaded) it will open the program on the status page, just minimize the screen to load Ad-Watch in the system tray.
What does the 'Authenticity verified' check in the 'Update Status' screen Indicate?
* A green checkmark indicates that the definition file (core.aawdef) is valid and correctly downloaded.
* A red cross indicates that the file is either outdated or corrupt.
Note: Ad-Aware will find the definitions to be outdated if the file has not been updated within the number of days selected in the Web Update settings.
Click the "Update" button in the "Main status" window to update and download a new definitions file. If this doesn't work you should delete "core.aawdef" located in (C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware 2007 or C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware). Then click the "Update" button in the "Main status" window to update and download the definitions file.
Restart Ad-Aware.
What is the 'Automatic update' status?
It indicates that Ad-Aware is set to automatically update the definition file when starting Ad-Aware or in a scheduled update. This can be turned on / off under the Settings > Auto Scans tab "Update Definition File at Startup". A scheduled update can be removed from the ?Schedule Tasks? list in the Scan > Scheduler menu.
How do I resolve the "Error 1800" problem?
To solve the problem you experienced, you will need to remove a possibly corrupt settings file for Ad-Aware. To do this:
1. Open explorer and navigate to the file. The file is usually stored in
* ?C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware 2007? or
* ?C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware?
If you cannot find the folder please set your explorer to show hidden files. (To do this: open explorer, go to the "Tools" menu and click "Folder Options." Select the "View" tab and choose "Show Hidden Files" under "Hidden Files and Folders".)
2. The file to remove is called "settings.aaw". Please be sure not to delete any other files.
3. Restart your computer. Ad-Aware will start as normal.
How do I resolve the "Error 500x" problem?
If you try to manually start a scan or update while a scheduled scan or update is running, you will receive a 5000 error.
When you see the spinning Ad-Aware icon in the system tray you cannot start a manual scan since the icon indicates that a scheduled scan is already running and therefore the Ad-Aware scan engine is busy and will produce this error.
To stop the scan you need to right-click the System Tray icon and select to terminate the scan. You can also force to terminate the scan by restarting the service:
1. Close Ad-Aware
2. Go to Windows Start menu, choose 'Run...', type in 'Services.msc' and in the service window, stop Ad-Aware 2007 Service.
3. Open Ad-Aware to restart the service.
Can you get Ad-Aware in other languages?
Currently, Ad-Aware is available in an English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch and Flemish version.
Other language support is in development and will be available at a future date.
How do I resolve the "Error 6000" problem?
The Error 6000 is relating to an older version of Ad-Aware. The issue is resolved in the current version.
Please, download the latest version of Ad-Aware from the Support Center or https://secure.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php and try to reinstall.
You can also perform a Web Update to install any recent software updates. Select the 'Web Update' menu in Ad-Aware. Click the 'Update' button to connect to the update server and download the updates. Restart Ad-Aware and Ad-Watch to activate the changes.
I paid for Plus/Pro, but got the Free version?
All versions: Ad-Aware Free, Plus and Pro use the same installation file. Before registration it is automatically installs to Free version. You need to register with your Serial Number to activate the full feature versions of Ad-Aware Plus and Pro.
A restart of the program is required after registration.
Ad-Aware Free does not remove viruses, why?
Ad-Aware Free is a dedicated anti-spyware program.
If you require Anti-virus protection we recommend you to upgrade to our Ad-Aware 2008 Plus/Pro products which now also includes extended antivirus protection.
What is the difference between Ad-Aware's and Ad-Watch's TrackSweep?
Ad-Aware:
By checking the buttons next to the items of your choice, and clicking 'Clean', the tracks left behind when you surf the Internet can be cleaned from Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Opera web browsers.
The browser needs to be closed to be cleaned.
Ad-Watch:
Ad-Watch TrackSweep automatically deletes cookies that are in the Detection Database. If you do not want TrackSweep to clean all cookies that are in detection, you can adjust the Ad-Watch settings so that cookies are not automatically deleted.
Check the buttons next to the items of your choice just like Ad-Aware's TrackSweep. The difference is that tracks left behind when you surf the Internet will be cleaned from Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Opera web browsers, when you close the browser.
What is the 'use scanner extension' option in Ad-Aware 2008 Plus/Pro?
This option refers to the new virus scanning engine in Ad-Aware 2008 Plus/Pro.
In Ad-Aware 2008 Plus/Pro you can scan with or without the extended virus scanning engine.
This option is turned on by default. It is not included in Ad-Aware 2008 Free. To turn this option off go to the Ad-Aware 2008 settings and in the 'scanning' tab disable the option for 'use scanner extension' and click save.
Use Heuristics on extended scan:
During an extended scan, Ad-Aware will scan objects using Heuristics ? files are analyzed based on behavior to assess if they may pose a threat. This option is turned off by default. If you choose to scan using Heuristics, select the Heuristics level to be used.
In Ad-Watch you can also use this option to use the extended anti-virus database, to extend the real time protection of your system. This option is turned on by default. To turn this option off in Ad-Watch go to the settings and disable the option for 'Use scanner extension'.
Why did the previous plug-ins for Ad-Aware disappear?
All appropriate plug-ins from our previous Ad-Aware SE version were integrated into the new version and are now a part of the base technology for the current product. With the new web update program available for software updates, we are now able to provide direct updates to your program, eliminating the need for most plug-ins.
We will, however, continue to release tools periodically to address new and highly malicious threats that cannot be removed solely by the Ad-Aware program.
What happens if I change the Ad-Aware skin?
Changing the skin in Ad-Aware will not affect the functionlity of the software.
Switching to a different skin will just change the graphical features like buttons and colours and the general appearance.
The skin setting can be accessed in "Advanced mode", via the "Settings" button and clicking on the "Customize" tab. Select your skin from the drop down menu list.