BBC BASIC for Windows
General >> General Board >> Warning about Malwarebytes software. http://bb4w.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&num=1404892420 Warning about Malwarebytes software.
Post by chrispc on Jul 9th, 2014, 07:53am
Six months ago I downloaded BBC BASIC for Windows (“BBCB4W”) and have been using it to write programs in the BASIC language. I had on my computer an anti-virus program called Malwarebytes, which I used occasionally to scan for malware. A few weeks ago, in June 2014, the Malwarebytes scan refused to work, and gave me a prompt to download a later version, which I did. Soon after that I had trouble with my BASIC program: I got the message “Unable to open BBCB4W. aplib.dll is missing from your computer.” My local computer technician has told me that the new version of Malwarebytes is incompatible with the BASIC program, so he has taken it off my computer (I haven’t tried to redownload the original version.) I reinstalled BBCB4W from my disk. Now I can open and use BBCB4W, but I have lost all the programs I had written in BASIC over the last six months. Re: Warning about Malwarebytes software.
Post by rtr on Jul 9th, 2014, 4:01pm
I have lost all the programs I had written in BASIC over the last six months.
There's no reason at all why re-installing BB4W would affect any of your BASIC programs. Are you sure you haven't simply mislaid them?
Just to confirm, all you need to do to fix the Malwarebytes 'false positive' virus alert is to add APLIB.DLL to its 'ignore list'. No need to uninstall or delete anything.
Your "local computer technician" appears not to have a clue!
Richard. Re: Warning about Malwarebytes software.
Post by hitsware on Jul 9th, 2014, 10:40pm
> There's no reason at all why re-installing > BB4W would affect any of your BASIC programs.
It would be real easy to delete (as a matter of course) anything to do with BB4W as part of uninstalling it. I.E. any folders referencing it ....
Re: Warning about Malwarebytes software.
Post by rtr on Jul 9th, 2014, 11:02pm
It would be real easy to delete (as a matter of course) anything to do with BB4W as part of uninstalling it. I.E. any folders referencing it ....
I don't agree. Your own BBC BASIC programs will normally be stored in \Users...Documents\ (the default location to which Save As writes) or a sub-directory thereof. The \Users directory tree and the \Program Files (or \Program Files (x86)) tree - where BB4W itself is installed - are completely independent. Neither one "references" the other, except possibly via Registry entries that a user won't normally be aware of.
And in any case there's only one legitimate way of uninstalling BB4W, and that is via Programs and Features in Control Panel. That will not touch any BASIC programs written by the user.
So I cannot think of any plausible scenario when uninstalling BB4W will also delete the user's own programs.
Richard.
Re: Warning about Malwarebytes software.
Post by chrispc on Jul 10th, 2014, 10:36am
Thank you Richard. Following your guidance, I have now found all my old programs, can edit and run them. What a relief! My Local Technician has lost his charisma. I am thinking of trying to reinstall the Malwarebytes anti-virus program (only the new trouble-causing version would be available) and modifying it as you described, but am nervous about it. My L.T., after previously advocating it, has now told me I don't need it, but I suspect that that is only so that I can use BBC4W again. I know this is not BBC4W business, but I would appreciate your advice on this. Thanks Chrispc
Re: Warning about Malwarebytes software.
Post by rtr on Jul 10th, 2014, 11:18am
I know this is not BBC4W business, but I would appreciate your advice on this.
What version of Windows are you running? If it's Windows 8 or 8.1 my opinion would be that the built-in Microsoft anti-virus solution is perfectly adequate, and you don't need anything else. For earlier versions of Windows it's a more difficult decision.
Richard.
Re: Warning about Malwarebytes software.
Post by chrispc on Jul 10th, 2014, 7:31pm
I have Windows 7, on a 64 bit Compaq computer. Unless you say otherwise, I will probably try to reinstall the Malwarebytes. chrispc
Thank you Richard. Following your guidance, I have now found all my old programs, can edit and run them. What a relief! My Local Technician has lost his charisma.