I need to look at it again when I get a moment.
It appeared to only run if you could update it.
What if you can't connect to the net - i assume only wired connections are supported.
You have to d/l definitions onto removable media on another machine - then browse to those.
Could it update itself as you are making it ? I ran it straight after creating it - still it wanted to update .
Running with the most current definition files is obviously desirable. Can't you see the criticism now "I ran this tool and it missed a known virus....".
Maybe MS can consider, moving beyond Beta, a run option without update displaying in highlighted text
"Warning you are running this tool without update Virus checking..." or something similar.
This would be the way to go even for the self booting configuration MS envisage.
Shawn,
Before I get to far into this:
Using Firefox, I wrote a lengthy reply and then got rejected with this error msg:
The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 3 characters
If anyone knows what is happening here, let me know. Am using IE to send this.
Now to the heart of the matter.
Here are my experiences with System Sweeper:
1. downloaded and ran 32 bit version with install to USB.
2. There were four steps of which step one was a download of about 200 mb.
3. after completion of four steps:
ran the install program again (without shutdown or restart)
4. This time three steps and a 60 mb "update" download.
5. After completion, once again ran the install program and once again a 60 mb download.
6. No matter how many times I ran the install program, it insisted upon a 60 mb download.
Finally, shutdown and booted from usb.
Help |update | manual | browse to mpam-fe.exe | OK button
Finally, Sweeper says I'm up-to-date and , true, the version had been updated to the latest and greatest.
Run time experience:
I have many .wim, .iso, .vhd files on disk. Consequently, full scan was just under 4 hours. A later quick scan took just under 3 minutes.
I do feel that update procedure could be improved.
I did not have any success trying to follow directions for the "download" update.
This is a true standalone laptop with only wireless connectivity and all at a coffee house.
I tried this by placing both ISOs (32 & 64) on a USB stick with grub4dos.
It boots to WinPE fine, but then gives a Sweeper cannot be started error 0x8004cc04 error - guess it is looking for files on a CD/USB flat file structure? (I see MS still haven't quite got the hang of helpful error messages after 20 years!). Investigation shows it needs to see the FilesListxx.dll and the mpam-fe.exe files in the root of the drive before it will run successfully.
Also, it would be better if we could just have the option to refresh just the new definitions and dll - at the moment if you make a multi-boot iso USB pen to run either 32 or 64 versions, you can have the dll and mpam-fe.exe on the USB stick and the installer will not format the stick - but if you have no boot files/folders on the stick that the installer can see, it will integrity check after the update and force you to format the stick - at this point an option for 'No - just update the definitions on USB drive' would be very useful.
That would mean we could update a multi-boot stick using the installer utility without destroying the whole USB drive contents!
karlsnooks, thanks for taking the time testing out our new Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper Beta!
As for the update scenario - the rational was that if you opt to run the tool again on a recently created USB you are interested in updating it. Hence, the definitions are downloaded regardless of the date they were created. Do you think that given that rational the behavior should be different?
As for the manual update you performed - why did you do that?
I mean, when you boot from a USB drive created by the tool (without modifying it), when the Standalone System Sweeper start in the offline environment, the definitions should be updated. Did you have a different experience?
Regarding the directions you unsuccessfully followed - what directions exactly were you trying to follow? and what exactly were you trying to do?
Thanks,
Guy Arad.
Hi Steve,
I'd like to begin my answer with stating that this is a beta product.
The error you got was about missing definitions.
Seems like you were trying an unsupported scenario, so there's nothing much I could help you with, except for suggesting that you run a "normal" USB drive creation.
As for your suggestion, there is an option to only refresh defintions supported by the tool. If you run the tool and select the USB drive option, your USB drive will be reformatted and a Standalone System Sweeper will be installed on the USB drive which will be converted to a bootable USB drive.
If you run the tool again, selecting USB drive creation and select the same USB drive, it will not be reformatted and new definitions will be copied onto the drive.
This will happen given you are using the same USB drive, same version of the tool that was used to create the bootable USB drive and files on the USB drive are not damaged or missing (the tool verifies their integrity).
Please note that your USB drive will not be reformatted without specifically issuing a message saying so, so you don't have to worry running the tool against any USB drive (expecting only for an update). Make sure to read the information displayed on the screens.
Please note that this is not an official support forum for the Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper tool. Solutions to issues with Microsoft products can be found here.
The information I provided in this post is relevant for version 1.0.856.0 of the tool.
I just happen to pass through this forum and providing assistance out of good will.
I'd like to thank you all for trying out Microsoft's beta release of this tool - it's greatly appreciated.
This tool's official beta page can be found at Microsoft's Connect site.
Thanks,
Guy Arad.
Hi Morphus
Thanks for the reply. The update does work as you say, but it also checks ALL files (including /bootmgr presence) and if missing offers to reformat or cancel. This means you cannot refresh a multi-boot USB pen drive (which many people use) and thus carry both the 32 and 64 bit ISOs on a USB stick and refresh it before use. The only way it will refresh is to have ALL the files present. A small change to the GUI would make this a much more useful tool.
cheers
Steve
PS The beta page has no feedback/forum??
The Microsoft Solutions page does not know about Sweeper (as it is beta) - so where should we give feedback to?
Hello,
I downloaded the 32bit version today, Friday, June 3, 2011 from a 64bit computer. I ran MSSStool32.exe with the option to burn to a cd. The cd creation was successful.
When I boot my 32bit computer with the System Sweeper cd I get the error code 0x8004cc01.
My search using Bing for System Sweeper or the error code only led me to this forum or MS' System Sweeper page.
I understand that this is not an official MS forum. I could not find a MS support forum for the System Sweeper tool.
I would love to get this new tool to work.
Any assistance would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Dana
Hi Morphus,
My question ( later expanded by Karl ) was:
If the updates are included while creating the iso - why does it then insist on updating again - and downloading the entire 60mb again - when you boot it 5 mins later?
Is there a way it could check to see if it was already up to date?
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