When Do I Give Up?

I’ve come to Bitdefender (from Kaspersky) as a new user this year. So far I’m wishing I hadn’t…

Firstly, Bitdefender Total Security 2012 has been installed to a brand new Windows 7 (64bit) Home Premium PC.

The first issue I encountered was my try icon disappearing. No, it wasn’t hidden. It simply refused to load on reboot. This left me wondering if I was fully protected. A couple of emails to support and I decided to run a Repair install. This resolved the problem for a week or so until it returned again. Shortly after this each time I would boot the PC Bitdefender would report “some issues need attention”. Auto-scan and Autopilot would be disabled and I would have to re-switch them on every time I started my PC.

I decided to try the repair tool again. Bad move. EVERY website I attempted to visit was then impossible to open. I would receive the message “this website has an invalid certificate”. Clicking on the “go there anyway” option would simply return me to the same error message. This occurred on EVERY website I tried to go to. Sigh. Uninstall Bitdefender via the uninstall tool and re-download / reinstall all over again. Meanwhile support are giving me generic replies that pretty much tell me they haven’t even read the issues I’m having with this software. The “support tool” provided by Bitdefender did not work (after emailing the output file I then received this response “Unfortunately the files that we requested, were not generated properly”), requiring the download of another utility, another system scan and another email back to support.

Meanwhile I find that desktop icons are disappearing. Certain .exe files have vanished as well (iTunes.exe, WMediaplayerclassic.exe). I discovered this when trying to set Media Player as the default player via a .mov files properties. Browse to its folder and nothing is there. Until I realised that these files (for some unknown reason), have been not only marked as “hidden” but also “protected operating system” files meaning I cannot click on them (even when unhidden and showing protected system files), to add them as a default player etc.

It was around this time that Bitdefender decided to refuse to complete updates, simply filling the notification area with “update failed” messages.

Uninstalled (again) via the removal tool and re-installed (again). Now when my PC boot_s the Autopilot (little "A"), does not appear on the Bitdefender tray icon. Hovering my mouse over the icon reveals the message “Bitdefender services are loading now, please wait”. Well I’ve tried numerous reboots and waited for up to an hour with the same message still present. Supports reply to my email states they have found Windows Defender is switched on. That was rubbish. Following the steps provided to me by them to turn Windows Defender off I received the message (when trying to open Windows Defender via control panel) that “this program is turned off”. It was ALREADY switched off. The service for Windows Defender was set to “Disabled”. Yet another generic reply without actually checking anything that I had written.

I’ve since re-installed (again) and now find that I’m back to the certificate error (which surprisingly disappears once I uninstall Bitdefender). Again.

I’ve owned this product for a month or so. In that time I’ve uninstalled and re-downloaded this software umpteen times. We live in a remote area and are limited to a 5GB plan per month (at great expense). It is all that is available to us. So far I’ve burnt a heap of that up on trying to get this “security” software to work without some random issue occurring. I ran Kaspersky for 2 years. Installed it once and never had a problem. I left them for no other reason than to try a different product. I so wish I had stayed with their product.

As of today I’m still waiting on a reply from support as to Windows Defender not being active and what I should do next. The amazing thing is that Bitdefender then sent me 5 free licences to give to family and friends.

At the moment I wouldn’t supply this to my worst enemy.

@roofmonkey

This is exactly i left them with another product. I still have 10 months left in license but decided to run fast asap. All sorts of problems with this software. It's in Feb and this bugs still being working on. I would just go back with kaspersky if i were you. You don't need headaches with this software, trust me i've been there.

When you uninstalled kaspersky, there are still files on it stored on your computer's registry. Try to browse their support page and see if you can clean it up. Using a third party software for registry cleaner is an option too.

Last one if all else fail. You can do a system restore first, if there's a restoration point available before you install Kaspersky or the last option, system recovery! Which will wipe out all your files and reload your OS. Make sure to back them up first.

Hello everyone

Thank you for your feedback.

We apologize for any negative experience you have encountered with our products.

@ Roofmonkey & gts1983

Please follow the steps explained in the article below and send me via PM the generated log file:

http://forum.bitdefender.com/index.php?showtopic=29927

If you were already asked to generate the log file, disregard the message above and just post the ticket ID.

Thank you.

I installed StopZilla and it found an infection called windowssecuritysuite. When I seacrhed the internet I have learned that this infection is designed to stop Kaspersky, MCAfee, etc and it can not be removed by those antivirus programs. http://www.2-spyware.com/remove-windows-security-suite.html

The search of StopZilla has not finished yet. I am waiting for it. You may want to try it. This may be the reason.

Meanwhile, Bitdefender team may consider to provide an update to detect what StopZilla has detected.

Thanks truva

I have scanned using Spybot - Search & Destroy, Malwarebytes, Superantispyware & I tried Stopzilla. None of them found any malicious items.

I have uninstalled Bitdefender and re-installed it. I'm sure that is now the fifth time I have done so in the last month (I purchased it on the 10th of Jan 2012). Interestingly my refund period runs out today (I believe there is a 30 day refund policy), so as I stated above, I'm sure support has just purposfully stalled any help to me so I cannot ask for a refund. I believe they don't actually have any answers for these problems and instead, just reply with generic BS until you are out of that 30 day period.

The problem with my home page being set to "about:blank" resolved itself once Bitdefender was uninstalled, pretty much proving to me that it is a Bitdefender issue.

If anything - I would like a stand alone installer instead of having to re-download the software every time. As stated above - we are very limited with internet options and have to rely on a small, slow plan. This month I've burnt a lot of that up re-downloading Bitdefender over & over.

@roofmonkey

You should just go with my suggestions on post #2. It says the best in AV testing but in real world using it's not worth the headaches and worries.

Hi there, I banged on with BDTS for years (from 2008 to 2012 versions) incompotent 'support' a word I use loosely...anyway, I changed to an AV called Webroot, I have not had one issue on any computer it has installed into, and I have had it running since June last year when I finally had a gutsful of this mess they call Bitdefender, which by the way used to be an absolutely brilliant piece of software, now it is a complete disaster... it is absolutely amazing how much free time you will get back...I have no affiliation to Webroot, just giving credit where credit is due. Stunning speed, no conflicts with any software, no lag, it just gets on and does its business without crashing, icons disappearing, scanning without being told to scan...this is the timwe to give up on BDTS, they have lost the plot and just consume your life with crap

I did run the trial of SecureAnywhere, it is as you say. I do have my doubts about the Prevx scanning engine/technology they bought to make their AV a totally cloud security software, thus incrediably light ("non existent") on resources. They need to prove that they can keep up with the other major players like B.D., as far as detection and herustics.

So I've got a new issue...

I was sent from Bitdefender 5 x free licences to "Hand out to Family & Friends". The email stated ONE year free subscription, no strings attached". Apparently this was becasue I was a paying Bitdefender customer or some such thing.

My sister asked if she could have one. I stated "use it at your own peril..." I actually tried talking her out of it but she had a friend who had used the previous version and was happy with her results.

I gave her a licence key, downloaded & installed the correct version of BitDefender (according to the email), and activated the install using said key.

Now, thirty days later she's receiving an email stating her subscription is about to expire stating -=>

"PROCRASTINATOR ALERT!

Your Bitdefender Trial Is Running Out!

Purchase Year-Round Protection Now!

Letting your laundry pile up or leaving the dishes in the sink is one thing... but not taking action to protect your PC from attack is flat-out crazy! Don't put your PC, valuable files, and identity at risk!

89.95 AUD 71.96 AUD | 20% discount!

(3 PCs / 1 year) "

Errrr.... What?

I don't know what the scam is here but seriously... Do I really need MORE issues from this mob??? " />

Oh... That and my tray icon has started disappearing again. Interestingly I asked my sister if she had encountered the same issue, to which she said "yes". She had just assumed it was all still working though and didn't give it much thought.

I don't have confidence and trust this company whatsoever! Issues after issues that never been fixed and poor customer service at all times!

Hello. Regarding the icon lost problem, I scanned my system with different softwares and they did not found any malware. As you expected the problem is somewhat related with the bitdefender itself. I have used GData for a while and experienced no problem. GData uses Bitdefender engine. But Bitdefender is better that GData considering dynamic protection on real world conditions. Hence the problem is not related with the engine but the way its use.

I installed Bitdefender again and the icon is there for now. The other 5 computer in which Bitdefender is installed has not experienced any problem. I did not understand the reason of the problem in my computer but I hope it will be revealed and patched soon.

Hello Adam

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