MBAM scans freeze computer

[crabby3]

The freezes began after installing MBAM v2.1.6.1022. Old version worked fine.

Scans begin then the freeze happens. Everything stops. Looks like a full-screen-capture.

It lasts around 11 minutes, then scan resumes and the machine becomes usable again. (i.e. USB mouse, desktop clock, etc.)

Anyone else have or seen this?   

[IainB]

@crabby3: I thought what you wrote looked familiar, so I did a DuckGo search on "PC freezes began after installing MBAM v2.1.6.1022". Got lots of hits.
Found this one relevant - a forum post on MWB from 2009:
(Copied below sans embedded hyperlinks/images.)

Freezing Issues Redux - Page 2 - Malwarebytes News - Malwarebytes Forum
Posted 30 May 2009 - 03:50 AM
Basic procedures to correct freezing issues often due to other Security Software
If these procedures do not correct the problem please create a new post seeking further assistance

    Uninstall Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware using Add/Remove programs in the control panel.
    Restart your computer (very important).
    Download and run this utility.
    It will ask to restart your computer (please allow it to).
    After the computer restarts, install the latest version from here
    Note: If you're using a PAID version of Malwareybtes, you will need to reactivate the program using the license you were sent via e-mail.

BEFORE registering and starting the Protection Module, locate the Exclusion List for your Anti-Virus. Probably under an advanced menu in the program.
Add the following folders, sub-folders if you can, at a minimum add the files to the exclusion to be safe.

    C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
    C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
    C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\rules.ref
    C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\mbam.sys
    C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\mbamswissarmy.sys
    C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.exe
    C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamgui.exe
    C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamservice.exe

This is pretty much as per my separate post of 2015-01-30: FIXED: Malwarebytes permanently running at high (approx. 27%) CPU utilisation.

Looks like once MBAM gets messed up, the "best practice" solution recommended by the developers is to expunge all traces of it and then install the latest version from scratch.

[crabby3]

Thank you very much, IainB, for your extremely comprehensive reply. 

Now I have something interesting to do today!   

[IainB]

@crabby3: Let us know if it gets fixed and how, please!

[crabby3]

@crabby3: Let us know if it gets fixed and how, please!

-IainB (June 12, 2015, 12:32 PM)

1) Uninstalled using Add/Remove programs in the control panel
2) Restart
3) Ran clean-up tool
4) Restart

Tried to download MBAM but do not have the option to run and it will not save or save as. 

I guess I'll see what Tech Support has to offer.

[questorfla]

My "2 cents worth" only because :
1:  I LOVE MBAM.  It has saved me many times.
and
2:  I HATE their tech support

I have had to try all kinds of settings to get things to work as needed and one of their worst offenders (imho) is their Malicious Website detection.
There are 3 places (I think) where i have made changes to the defaults
The 1st  is where it runs that modules under detection and prevention
The 2nd is un-check the enable it in advanced setting where it runs at start up
The 3nd is to put a check in reduce priority of scanning also in advanced

While I fully agree tht this reduces the effectiveness of the program, maybe the problem is that when running both MBAM as well as AVAST or any other good AV program, between the two of them, it is "overkill"?

I asked this question on the boar/forum but never got a reply

[Curt]

do not have the option to run and it will not save or save as.

-crabby3 (June 13, 2015, 01:55 PM)

-so you are obviously not using Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

The mbam-setup-2.1.6.1022.exe is a normal installer. When you are on  https://www.malwarebytes.org/mwb-download/ and you have cancelled the download (because they try to force you to open the file at once), just right-click the green [download now] button, and find Save link as... in your right-click context menu pop-up.

The setup file is 20.55MB

[IainB]

...Tried to download MBAM but do not have the option to run and it will not save or save as.
I guess I'll see what Tech Support has to offer.

-crabby3 (June 13, 2015, 01:55 PM)

That could actually indicate there may be a potentially serious problem with your PC system. MBAM Tech Support probably won't be able to help you with that. Nothing at the MBAM download site should prevent you from being able to "Save/Save As".
The problem thus seems to be that either something could be inhibiting/disabling your browser from the "Save/Save As" functionality, or, possibly you are unaware of how to use that functionality.

If you are operating the PC as a member of an Administrator status group, and IF something is inhibiting the "Save/Save As" functionality, then, from experience of fixing friends' virus-infected PCs, that would typically be symptomatic of a hijack virus. If you have one of those, then it is likely that there will be other symptoms - e.g., quite a lot of other functionality will be inhibited/disabled also.

So, two areas of questions:

• 1. Virus-checker:
  What anti-virus package do you have on your PC?
  In its settings, are there any programs "whitelisted" (listed as not to be scanned)?
  Is it's version and virus signature file  up-to-date?
  Does it seem to run and update itself and its virus signature files properly?
  Has it been running all the time?
  Has it been switched OFF or disabled for any period of time?
  What was the date and overall result of its last scan?
  Can you make it start a fresh full scan, without any whitelisted programs, and does that scan complete properly and without any errors?
  On completion of the scan, in the settings, are there any programs "whitelisted" (listed as not to be scanned)?
  
  
• 2. MBAM:
  Which version did you have - FREE or PRO/Premium?
  In its settings, are there any programs "whitelisted" (listed as not to be scanned)?
  How did you get your initial version of MBAM installed, and do you still have that installer file?
  Can you reinstall that version and does it seem to run and update itself and its virus signature files properly?
  Can you make it start a fresh full scan, without any whitelisted programs, and does that scan complete properly and without any errors?
  On completion of the scan, in the settings, are there any programs "whitelisted" (listed as not to be scanned)?
  

Two possibilities occur to me:
(a) You do not understand how to use the "Save/Save As" functionality.
(b) Your PC has a virus.

Assuming (a) is not the case, then going through the questions above should help to eliminate (b) as a possibility.

Trying to address/resolve the apparent problem before identifying the facts as above could be an academic exercise at best.

[crabby3]

do not have the option to run and it will not save or save as.

-crabby3 (June 13, 2015, 01:55 PM)

-so you are obviously not using Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

The mbam-setup-2.1.6.1022.exe is a normal installer. When you are on  https://www.malwareb...es.org/mwb-download/ and you have cancelled the download (because they try to force you to open the file at once), just right-click the green [download now] button, and find Save link as... in your right-click context menu pop-up.

The setup file is 20.55MB

-Curt (June 13, 2015, 04:50 PM)

Today, using IE9, Filehippo gave me the chance to download (the green box).  Also I was given the choices: Run, Save or Save As.

I used Save As and sent it to my desktop.

[crabby3]

@crabby3: Let us know if it gets fixed and how, please!

-IainB (June 12, 2015, 12:32 PM)

1) Uninstalled using Add/Remove programs in the control panel
2) Restart
3) Ran clean-up tool
4) Restart

Tried to download MBAM but do not have the option to run and it will not save or save as. 

I guess I'll see what Tech Support has to offer.

-crabby3 (June 13, 2015, 01:55 PM)

Update:

- Downloaded MBAM v2.1.6.1022 to desktop.
- Downloaded MBAM Cleanup Tool to desktop.
- Went off-line.
- Uninstalled using Add/Remove programs in the control panel.
- Restarted.
- Ran MBAM Cleanup Tool.
- Restarted.
- Installed MBAM v2.1.6.1022.
- Went on-line and ran Update.

During the initial Threat Scan, it froze... twice;    During Pre-Scan Operations.

Some of MBAM Tech Support is questionable; so won't be contacting them (again).

FWIW:  MBAM has never detected anything on my machine.  So I don't normally use it to scan for malware.

SAS, SpyBot S&D and Kaspersky work just fine.

[crabby3]

@IainB:

I have used Run, Save and Save As, many times... so my selection is (b) Your PC has a virus.  

Kaspersky, MBAM, SAS, etc. are updated daily.

Whitelisted:

Kaspersky - My Pictures
MBAM - zero
SAS - zero
SpyBot S&D - zero

During my very first MBAM download (the older version) I chose Run... so I do not have it saved anywhere.

------

I presume I could contact MBAM Tech Support and maybe downgrade... back to the older version.   

[Curt]

forgive me, crabby3, for having an opinion about something I don't know anything about... but MAYBE you already have some anti-virus program of a kind running!?? At least, that is what your description makes it sounds like.

[crabby3]

forgive me, crabby3, for having an opinion about something I don't know anything about... but MAYBE you already have some anti-virus program of a kind running!?? At least, that is what your description makes it sounds like.

-Curt (June 15, 2015, 10:26 AM)

If by 'running' you mean installed and used... the answer is yes.