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Technology Advice by Ryan Taylor Adams

Fixing “lsDelete Program Not Found – Skipping Autocheck” Error on Start-up

January 15th, 2008 · 30 Comments · Printer Friendly Version

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There is a bug in Ad-Aware that can cause users to receive the message “lsDelete program not found – Skipping Autocheck” (that is Lsdelete, not Isdelete or 1sdelete) while their computer is booting. This seems to occur after the user has uninstalled Ad-Aware. While it presents no immediate problems (other than a slight start-up delay), it can cause issues with disk imaging and other maintenance programs. The solution involves editing the registry, which can be dangerous. If you don’t know what you are doing, ask for help. Here are the steps (for Windows XP and Vista) to correct the problem:

  1. Click on the Start button, then click on the start menu item called ‘Run’. Alternatively you can hold down the Windows key on your keyboard and press ‘r’.
  2. In it’s text field type in REGEDIT, and click on the OK button
  3. In the Registry Editor, on the File Menu bar click on Edit, then on Find, and type in BootExecute (and search for it)
  4. Once BootExecute is located, and selected (highlighted), on the File Menu bar click on Edit, then Modify
  5. In the Value Data box, manually delete ONLY the entry called: autocheck lsdelete
  6. Exit the Registry Editor
  7. Restart the computer and all will be back to normal

There may be more than one entry that contains “autocheck lsdelete.” If so, you will need to delete all of them. DO NOT delete any of the other “autocheck” entries.

If you found this post helpful, please consider making a donation to help cover the costs of this site:

 ***UPDATE: I’ve contacted Lavasoft (the maker of Ad-Aware) and they say the problem is fixed in the latest (non-beta) versions of the software. If you are getting the error message, try installing the latest version of Ad-Aware, then uninstalling it. If that works for you, please post a comment.

Related posts:

  1. Fixing the “Unmountable Boot Volume” Error
  2. Fixing the “Cannot Find the File Flash.ocx” Error Message
  3. How to Resolve the “NTLDR is Missing” Error on Windows Start-up
  4. Fixing the “The SYSTEM HAS REACHED THE MAXIMUM SIZE ALLOWED FOR THE SYSTEM PART OF THE REGISTRY” Error
  5. Fixing a Slow Computer
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30 responses so far ↓

  • 1 fils // Dec 24, 2007 at 6:20 AM


    thx, you helped me out. ;)

  • 2 Ryan Adams // Dec 30, 2007 at 9:40 AM


    Glad I could help. It looks like this article is getting a lot of visits. If this helped you, or if the steps didn’t work, please let me know.

  • 3 Oldster // Feb 25, 2008 at 3:08 PM


    Intersting! I tried to install and run AD-Aware on my Vista Basic Laptop, but although it installed OK, it failed with a program error when I tried to run it. So I had uninstalled it some time ago. I believe the version I used was 7.0.2.6

  • 4 Frederic Pied // Mar 31, 2008 at 10:58 AM


    Thanks for the information. With O&O Defrag i have this problem.

  • 5 kram // Apr 14, 2008 at 10:30 AM


    I previously was running Ad-Aware SE Plus. Upgraded to the latest version of Ad-Aware 2007, but couldn’t uninstall SE. Uninstalled 2007, thinking this would help uninstall SE (but it didn’t). Despite what is reported above, I am getting the “lsdelete program cannot be found — skipping AUTOCHECK” message on computer start-up.

  • 6 Richard Maizell // Jun 8, 2008 at 1:57 PM


    the “lsdelete cannot be found skipping auto check” can also be the result of problems with uninstalling Iolo’s System Mechanic 7. They. of course, having nothing helpful on their website. I am still working to get rid of the screen during boot up.

  • 7 Ryan Adams // Jun 8, 2008 at 2:09 PM


    @Richard Maizell: I’m not sure about that. I believe the “ls” in “lsdelte” is an abbreviation for “LavaSoft”, the company that makes Ad-Aware. It seems unusual Iolo would also be using this file, as to my knowledge the companies are unrelated.

    However, whatever the case, the steps for removing the message should be the same.

  • 8 Eko // Oct 7, 2008 at 8:45 AM


    thanks for this.
    it’s really annoying that little screen.

  • 9 Dale J. Martiny // Dec 31, 2008 at 9:50 AM


    I tried your solution in vista, but there is no MODIFY command under EDIT. Please help if you can.

    Thanks,
    Dale

  • 10 Ryan Adams // Dec 31, 2008 at 12:47 PM


    @Dale J. Martiny: You can also double-click on the registry key you want to edit (in this case the one named BootExecute) to edit the value for that key.

  • 11 Maritza // Jan 2, 2009 at 10:19 AM


    I am still struggling with the ls delete not found, I followed you steps but then i get an error message saying that it cannot have an empty string, that it will also be removed, so I canceled as registry is delicate and I do not know what that means and I might do something incorrect..Please advise me!

  • 12 Ryan Adams // Jan 2, 2009 at 10:28 AM


    @Maritza: Pay close attention to step 5. You are not clearing the whole string, you are simply removing the part that says “autocheck lsdelete”.

  • 13 Herbert Dawrs // Jan 12, 2009 at 2:47 AM


    Ryan:

    I have the same problem as Marita in her #11. I carefully followed your Step 5 caution note, but same error.

    Using Win XP Home, all current. I assume the available “Modify Binary Data” is NOT the click-on. The Value Data box has two lines:

    autocheck autochk*
    autocheck lsdelete

    I deleted only autocheck ls delete and got the same error message as Marita #11. And re-entered for the same reasons.

    Suggestions please?

    Thank you,

    Herb

  • 14 hhdawrs // Jan 13, 2009 at 10:48 PM


    Ryan:

    The new “***UPDATE:” to install/uninstall the latest version of Ad-Aware 2008 didn’t fix the error problem.

    What if I delete both autocheck autochk* and autocheck lsdelete from the registry?

    Thank you,

    Herb

  • 15 Ryan Adams // Jan 14, 2009 at 10:21 AM


    @hhdawrs: You do not want to delete both lines. The “autocheck autochk*” line is a normal part of Windows.

    As a temporary solution, you may try installing Ad-Aware, and just leaving it installed. This should eliminate the error message by replacing the lsdelete file Windows is looking for.

  • 16 Herb // Jan 14, 2009 at 5:00 PM


    Thank you Ryan. Error is gone. Installed it and then disabled.

    Seems so obvious in hind-sight.

  • 17 Biggy // Feb 6, 2009 at 6:08 AM


    Fantastic post!!! Cheers!

  • 18 kram // Feb 6, 2009 at 8:53 AM


    All was well with Ad-Aware Plus (2008). However, when I installed the most recent version of Ad-Aware, the “Anniversary Edition,” the IsDelete message returned (despite Lavasoft’s claim that they had fixed the problem). I had to edit the registry again to resolve the problem, but all is well once again. Lavasoft really should get its act together, once and for all.

  • 19 Bo // Mar 10, 2009 at 6:56 PM


    After I used Add/Remove to remove Ad-Aware2007, I started getting the brief blue screen reporting “lsdelete program not found – Skipping AUTOCHECK”. Using the registry edit method stated here (deleted the “lsdeleted autocheck” portion ONLY, in CurrentControlSet and in ControlSet002), I no longer get that brief blue screen message.

    Thanks for this very useful blog posting!

  • 20 Kou // Apr 20, 2009 at 4:10 PM


    just posting to let ya’ll know I just uninstalled the latest version of ad-aware and got the issue..which makes them liars. Thanks for this post.

  • 21 Patty MacDuffie // May 4, 2009 at 3:38 PM


    That empty string error message is no reason to cancel, and in my case it went ahead and deleted it anyway. It is caused by there being a carriage return, and then (after deleting lsdelete entry) it finding nothing there (an empty string). If you were to backspace and thus move the cursor up to the end of the first line, you would not get the empty string error message.

  • 22 Michael // May 12, 2009 at 3:00 PM


    You saved me from hours of searching all over the net. My situation did not have to do with adaware but it was treated successfully with exactly the same way… Thank you heaps!!!

  • 23 Dorian // May 20, 2009 at 11:10 AM


    Thanks Ryan Adams, it worked for me

  • 24 Jeremy // Jun 3, 2009 at 2:03 AM


    I have XPProSP3. With me this problem only arrived when I updated AdAware by downloading the Anniversary Edition.

    I have followed your instructions, which are very clear, but have not had time to check yet by restarting.

    Thanks.

  • 25 Jesper H. // Jul 22, 2009 at 1:56 PM


    Thanks Ryan! So nice to have an explanation and a way to solve it.

  • 26 Jim // Aug 28, 2009 at 7:33 AM


    Just want to thank you for helping me get rid of “ls delete program not found skipping autocheck” error! Followed your instruc’s to the “T” and also followed post #21’s advice to backspace to the end of the line. Worked like a champ! No more error message! I have been staring at that error message everyday for 2 yrs I think. Thanks for helping me nuke it!

    -Jim

  • 27 Meri Anstead // Aug 30, 2009 at 12:16 PM


    Thanx so very much! I read the “fix”, then read ALL the posts, then did EXACTLY what Jim (in Post #26) did…EXACTLY! It worked like a charm and all is well on my laptop again. A big THANX to all of you!

    MERI

  • 28 Gloosecap // Sep 1, 2009 at 4:44 PM


    Is this “1st delete program not found” a real program or is it something that another program (i.e. Ad-aware) puts on the computer?

  • 29 Ryan Adams // Sep 1, 2009 at 5:08 PM


    @Gloosecap: The file is “LSdelete.exe”, not “1st delete”. It is a component of LavaSoft’s (the origin of the “LS”) Ad-Aware program. It is set to run at start-up so that when Ad-Aware can delete (malicious) files that would normally be in use when Windows is loaded. When you uninstall Ad-Aware, the file lsdelete.exe is removed, but the uninstaller forgets to remove the link to it from the registry.

  • 30 ovidiu // Sep 11, 2009 at 2:18 PM


    thanks, I have the same problem whit O&O defrag, the solution it work for me to. thank you very much.

  • 31 Kiryuha // Sep 19, 2009 at 2:50 PM


    Thank you for such a concrete information. I’m russian and I haven’t found a really useful advice in my native language. So not to waste the time I decided to visit a link to your site.
    P.S. Hope my learning of English were not for nothing

  • 32 Mariela // Dec 7, 2009 at 4:20 PM


    Hey, there was no BookExecute found in the registry…any suggestions?

  • 33 Ryan Adams // Dec 7, 2009 at 4:44 PM


    @Mariela: Without that registry key, there would be no way the lsdelete.exe program could run at boot up, so the key has to be there. Seeing as you mistyped the key in your comment, is it possible you also mistyped the key when searching for it?

  • 34 Renee // Feb 2, 2010 at 7:42 PM


    Thank you for posting this helpful blog. When I opened my BootExecute the lsdelete line was not in there despite the undeniable fact that this annoying bluescreen pops up at every start up/restart. After reading through the comments and finding Patty’s (post 21) recommendation to remove the extra carriage return I am trying that. I had noticed the last time I ran Ad-aware that is was buggy and have decided not to use it since. When I am using an app to “fix” my pc I can’t allow it to not run properly. (Who knows what it could do to my system files, etc. if it is not doing it’s job properly) Thanks again, to everyone!

  • 35 Maritza // Feb 3, 2010 at 9:17 AM


    This is to Ryan for being so helpful to all! Your advice is always on the spot. I fixed that problem a long time ago, and now I do not have Ad-Aware I simply uninstalled it some time ago. Thanks Ryan keep up the good work!

  • 36 Nigel B // Feb 11, 2010 at 10:58 AM


    I tried installing latest version of AdAware and uninstalling it – this does not cure the problem. However registry editing worked fine. Thanks.

  • 37 kingdii // Feb 18, 2010 at 12:49 PM


    Thanks for your info. Resolved my problem.