If you use Kazaa, read this

[PosTMOd]

How to uninstall Brilliant Digital's software

By John Borland
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
April 3, 2002, 4:10 PM PT

Brilliant Digital Entertainment quietly installs its own software with every copy of the Kazaa file-swapping software. The Brilliant Digital software, which is being progressively distributed over the next few weeks, can later be remotely "turned on" to become part of a new network.
Executives from Brilliant Digital and Kazaa's parent company say people can uninstall the Brilliant Digital or Altnet software from their computers without interfering with the Kazaa program itself. This is true, but it's not an easy process.

These three steps will remove most traces of the Brilliant Digital software from most machines. CNET News.com did it using a computer running Windows 2000, but the same process should work for other Windows operating systems. Please be aware, however, that these instructions represent just one uninstall method and may not be suitable for all machines and software configurations.



CNET Networks assumes no liability in publishing these instructions, which people may choose to follow at their own risk. As always, it's a good idea to make a backup of any critical files before proceeding.

1. In the Windows Control Panel, select an option called "Add/Remove Programs." One of the options will be "b3d Projector." Highlight this and click the "Change/Remove" button.

You may get a message that the uninstall has been successful. Search your computer for a "BDE" folder, which most likely will be found in the "WinNT" or "Windows" directory. In this folder will be a file called "bdeclean.exe". Run this to finish the first part of the process. Delete the BDE folder.

Caution: An unrelated piece of software called Borland Database Engine also creates a BDE directory. If you think you may have this software installed, or if there is any confusion whatsoever, do not delete this directory.

2. In the "Temp" directory (this will normally be found inside the "Windows" or "WinNT" directory) is a folder called "Brilliant." This contains many files. Delete the entire folder.

3. After performing steps 1 and 2, you will need to locate and remove some additional Brilliant Digital files that have been placed in critical system-level computer directories. CAUTION: Deleting the wrong files could interfere with the normal functioning of your computer. These files will most likely be in the "WindowsSystem" or "WinNTSystem32" folder:

bdedownloader.dll
bdedata2.dll
bdefdi.dll
bdeinsta2.dll
bdeinstall.exe
bdesecureinstall.cab
bdesecureinstall.exe
bdeverify.exe
bdeverify.dll

Delete these files.

 

[kuba]

is this the "GAIN" pop up window file that now opens whenever i go online and click on a site?

 

[OTIS]

no this is the spyware that's installed with Kazaa

 

[BigBadBaldy]

Thanks for the 411.

BBB.

..me no likee spyware.

 

[zoo]

blah blah blah

www.lavasoftusa.com

download ad-aware 5.71

it removes this and every other spyware you never imagined you had

it detected 2 the day after a clean xp install ... that was funny .. no kazaa .. just web-surfing

it detected 30 on my girlfriend's computer

17 on mine

freeware = bestware.

 

[Plato]

the first time i ran ad-aware it detected over 200+ installed components.

and here i thought i was being safe about things being installed behind my back.

p[l]a+0

 

[OTIS]

Yea but if i'm not mistaken, think this proceedure allows you to still use Kazaa.. while removing it's parasitic component.. whereas adaware's cleaning will null your ability to use Kazaa.

I may be wrong tho..

 

[PosTMOd]

BDE is not really spyware... it's a bit different in that it's not snooping or anything... it makes your computer available for use in supercomputing in its offtime-- not for neat stuff like SETI or anything... nope...

"Kazaa quietly has been bundled for two months with software that contains the core of a new peer-to-peer network. This software, from a California company called Brilliant Digital Entertainment, has been installed on potentially tens of millions of computers. Brilliant Digital plans to "turn on" this software in four to six weeks, tapping the resources of potentially tens of millions of ordinary PCs to distribute content or advertising or to run complicated computer tasks.

Kazaa is owned by Australian company Sharman Networks, whose chief executive, Nicola Hemming, on Wednesday defended the company's arrangement with Brilliant Digital as having "no downside" for Kazaa users"

 

[PosTMOd]

"That new software, the core of Brilliant Digital's Altnet business plan, has the ability to "wake up" and weld the millions of computers on which it has been installed into a new peer-to-peer network, in which each computer can talk to the other. That network, which would be controlled by Brilliant Digital, would be used to distribute content or perform complicated distributed computing tasks for Brilliant Digital's clients.

Bermeister said in an interview Monday that Altnet would get people's permission before using their computers. When the network is activated, a pop-up box will appear and ask if the computer user wants to participate. Those who do participate will be compensated, possibly with gift certificates or free videos, he said."

BULLSHIT... taking advantage of the large percentage of people who know nothing about computers... Kazaa has been downloaded 20 million times... get 10% of those people onboard, you know, the people who phone up tech support wondering where the "any" key is... that's quite the power...

 

[OTIS]

So true, this is just the latest move by shameless corporate America to prey on the unsuspecting consumer.

It's like
"hey, can we borrow your car when your not using it to help our clients to get around town? We'll give you a free McDonalds voucher!"

Fucking assheaded losers.

 

[teknikal]

i tried that ad aware thing and it deleted a file i need to use kazaa

which is the file that it erases so i know not to delete it again?

 

[OTIS]

Originally posted by teknikal
i tried that ad aware thing and it deleted a file i need to use kazaa

which is the file that it erases so i know not to delete it again?

Like I said earlier, Kazaa does not allow you to run it's software if you remove the BDE component that's embedded within it(read:first post in this thread). the only way to get Kazaa to run again is if you reinstall it, and this will reinstall the BDE software also.

I thought the initial post was refering to removing BDE while still having Kazaa operational.. but since that proceedure uninstalls BDE instead of removing it VIA a backdoor, the proceedure will also lock up use of Kazaa.

So, if Kazaa is still that important to you, then be prepared to have a passive trojan installed on your system too.

 

[PosTMOd]

*bump*

 

[SneakyPete]

Originally posted by PosTMOd
*bump*

hahaha

pete

 

[Trini]

Imesh also leaves a trojan horse on your system.

the file is "ftp_back".

 

[-Mercury-]

????

Do any of you guys know what program installs some f*cked up browser type thing called "Lop"? Or something like that.

I've ran Ad-aware, and removed all spyware that it detected, but it still comes up.
I don't remember installing/downloading anything with that name????

Any Ideas??

 

[deep]

I had that lop shit install itself on me too. It conceals the installation routine pretty nicely, it looks like the plugin needed to download cracks from one crack site.

You have to go to the lop homepage and go to their help section and download a removal tool. There are two of them that you need to try out to get rid of that annoying thing that resides on the desktop.

 

[koz]

try http://www.kazaalite.com

kazaa without the ads or spyware.

speace.

 

[-Mercury-]

Thanks Deep

 

[Mr_Furious]

Originally posted by PosTMOd
These three steps will remove most traces of the Brilliant Digital software from most machines. CNET News.com did it using a computer running Windows 2000, but the same process should work for other Windows operating systems. Please be aware, however, that these instructions represent just one uninstall method and may not be suitable for all machines and software configurations.

so if its not suitable for all machines? what are the potential problems that may occur afterwards?

I've been using kazaa for quite some time, and I think its doing something screwy with my computer, how do I get rid of it and BDE safely and efficiently without messing up any of the other programs on my computer

 

[zoo]

i've used ad-aware 5.71 to successfully remove all spyware while still being able to run kazaa, on THREE different computers

win98:SE, win:ME, winXP

so i don't know what to tell you.

www.lop.com is a pretty scary thing if you ask me.

they could theoretically be doing *anything* when you run their "removal software'

anyway

i support ad-aware 5.71 100% .. kazaa works fine and the brilliant stuff is gone, along with cydoor, vx2, doubleclick, etc ..

 

[OTIS]

Originally posted by zoo

www.lop.com is a pretty scary thing if you ask me.

I FUCKING HATE LOP.COM

I would mistype a url and automatically be redirected to these fuckers.. and have ship pop up everywhere.. so glad that crap is gone.. good riddance.