Jump to content

Malwarebytes freezes after a few seconds


Recommended Posts

I've been having a problem with my desktop computer in that Malwarebyes 1.44 (free version) freezes/hangs/stops after a few seconds. After tweaking the options, I found out that this happens systematically only when the Always scan registry objects is checked. Also, it happens precisely at the moment my floppy drive (a:) is accessed (its LED goes on and the characteristic accessing noise is heard).

Now, why is the program trying to access the floppy? By the way, I did not have this problem either with version 1.43 or with my laptop (which does not have a floppy) with version 1.44. I tried inserting a blank disk in the floppy drive but the problem remained.

In both my machines I have Windows XP SP3, with avast! version 5.0.418. In the desktop machine I even disabled all avast!'s real-time shields but it did not make any difference. In fact, disabling the shields only has the effect of making the scan faster.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Welcome Joseph A -

You may find that on some computers you meed to add exclusions to your 'active' anti virus so that it will allow other programs to operate unhindered -

I also find on my XP SP3 that the floppy is activated for a few seconds, but then it passes - Please add these exclusions to Avast and ensure that you have the latest updates from Avast and Malwarebytes (Version 3753 is current) -

Also add them to your firewall program if it is anything but the standard Windows firewall -

Exclude Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware's Files and Folders From Other Active Security Programs:

For Windows XP:

  • C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.exe
  • C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamgui.exe
  • C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamservice.exe
  • C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\zlib.dll
  • C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.dll
  • C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamext.dll
  • 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

Thank You - :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Joseph A -

Can you open Malwarebytes > Open Scan (should appear automatically) > Open Full Scan and see what drives are ticked -

Only the C drive should be ticked -

We are also checking with Avast since version 5 came out - There were a few glitches at first but the latest Avast updates seem to pass that -

Thank You - :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Can you open Malwarebytes > Open Scan (should appear automatically) > Open Full Scan and see what drives are ticked -

Only the C drive should be ticked -

We are also checking with Avast since version 5 came out - There were a few glitches at first but the latest Avast updates seem to pass that -

I had C:, F:, and G: ticked (F: and G: are partitions of a second hard drive); A: was not ticked. In any case, I unticked F: and G: and left only C: as you suggested. The problem remains.

I run Malwarebytes with avast! shields both enabled and disabled and nothing changed.

Unless avast! still does something even if disabled I think it is not the problem, even more so when considering that it is also installed in my laptop with no problem.

What is the CPU type and speed the systems have plus how much RAM do they have?

The system with the problem is a desktop Dell Optiplex GX240, CPU INTEL Pentium 4, 1.7GHz, 1GB of RAM.

The system without the problem is a laptop HP Pavilion zv6000, CPU AMD Athlon 64 3200+, 498MHz, 512MB of RAM (480MB actually, since onboard video "steals" 32MB).

Link to post
Share on other sites

Do you have an issue if you only run the Quick Scan?

I have just done this test: ran a Quick Scan and a Full Scan, both with only Always scan registry objects checked (for speed), and the same freeze occurs. It seems that the crux of the matter is the scanning of the registry objects. If I check this out the freeze is gone.

It looks like this is the same problem dealt with in topic Scan starts, then shows "Not responding" which I already commented there. Except that the connection with registry objects is not done in that topic.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Root Admin

This will take a while to run but please try the following.

You may have corrupted files on your disk. Please try running the following.

First close ALL Applications as this routine will automatically restart your computer.

Click on START - RUN and copy / paste the following entry into the box and click OK

CMD /C ECHO Y|CHKDSK C: /R | SHUTDOWN /R /T 30

Once this is complete try running the scan again and let me know if it still freezes.

Link to post
Share on other sites

This will take a while to run but please try the following.

You may have corrupted files on your disk. Please try running the following.

First close ALL Applications as this routine will automatically restart your computer.

Click on START - RUN and copy / paste the following entry into the box and click OK

CMD /C ECHO Y|CHKDSK C: /R | SHUTDOWN /R /T 30

Once this is complete try running the scan again and let me know if it still freezes.

I had high hopes that this would solve the problem but, unfortunately, it did not. I noticed that steveandbelinda (in the other post) followed the same suggestion and had the same negative result.

Well I guess one has to try everything to get to the truth. Let us keep trying. Thanks anyway.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Please try to disable Registry scanning and see if it still freezes and let us know.

If I disable Always scan registry objects it works well, as I pointed out at my first post in this thread. I did it again and if worked just fine. Precisely at the same point as before (with registry objects enabled) I get the A: Floppy access, the program hiccups, but now it proceeds, unlike what happens when registry objects are enabled.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I did what exile360 suggested to steveandbelinda in post http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?s...st&p=208725, namely, I issued the command net stop spooler before starting Malwarebytes and... IT WORKED. Albeit with a caveat: the program still froze for a couple of seconds when trying to access floppy A: and at the same file as before. BUT... this time, it went on and finished the scan.

Of course, afterwards, I issued the command net start spooler to reestablish the spooler service.

As I mentioned before, the problem happens both in Quick Scan and Full Scan, as long as the option Always scan registry objects is checked and only then. This option is the trigger for the freeze. Except that now, with the spooler service stopped, the freeze is only temporary, more a hiccup (or hiccough). And by the way, to answer a previous question, the A: floppy is accessed both in Quick Scan and in Full Scan.

Link to post
Share on other sites

@AdvancedSetup

I did what you asked and got the following message:

[sC] GetServiceConfig SUCCESS

SERVICE_NAME: spooler

TYPE : 110 WIN32_OWN_PROCESS (interactive)

START_TYPE : 2 AUTO_START

ERROR_CONTROL : 1 NORMAL

BINARY_PATH_NAME : C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe

LOAD_ORDER_GROUP : SpoolerGroup

TAG : 0

DISPLAY_NAME : Print Spooler

DEPENDENCIES : RPCSS

SERVICE_START_NAME : LocalSystem

I hope that this helps but I not so sure, for it seems to be the normal response to the command SC.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
Back to top
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This site uses cookies - We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.