During the past day or two MBAM stopped working, it wouldn't start and on startup displayed the following error message

An error occurred. Please report the following error code to the MalwareBytes' Anti-Malware support team.

Error code: 703 (0,5)

I did a search through the forum and I got 46 pages of results. I scanned the results and couldn't find this particular error message.
Is anyone able to tell me what this error is and, even better, suggest how to fix it?

Thanks,

Jojo

Welcome to Malwarebytes! Error 703: Error occurred expanding variables. Contact support sometimes, the following can fix this error. Its a place to start: a new version is out, 1.41

please try a clean tool below, remove the program and re-install again

1. Uninstall Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware using Add/Remove programs in the control panel.
2. Restart your computer (very important).
3. Download and run this utility. http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam-clean.exe

4. It will ask to restart your computer (please allow it to).
5. After the computer restarts, install the latest version from here. http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam-download.php

Note: You will need to reactivate the program using the license you were sent
Launch the program and set the Protection and Registration. Then go to the UPDATE tab if not done during installation and check for updates.
Restart the computer again and verify that MBAM is in the task tray and run a Quick Scan.

Thanks Yardbird for the quick and pointed reply. I'll give it a try. Does the remove/reinstall option mean that anti-malware itself got infected with malware?

No, it's more likely that something just damaged it. AVG is breaking our software right now, so if you have AVG installed, then that is why it happened.

Wow GT500, I do have AVG installed. Do you think it will happen again if I uninstall/reinstall MBAM? If so, is there something I can do about it? I thought these type of tactics were limited to Microsoft because of their market power.

All the best,
Joj0

It has already been reported to AVG. There is a thread about it here

You can try adding the files that AVG keeps removing to the exclusions list in AVG (assuming that it has one). That will prevent it from removing stuff again.

This is just a mistake on their part, and I doubt that there was any malicious intent. We've been doing a lot to counter the TDSS rootkit here lately, and it's probably many of those changes that triggered a heuristic detection in AVG. Apparently Spybot S&D is doing the same thing right now, and their TeaTimer isn't allowing our update to install.

Like GT500 said, try adding the Malwarebytes files to the Trust area of AVG, see files to be trusted by AV/Firewall below:

You first need to report it to AVG, then add our files to the exclusion list:
Right-click the AVG icon in the system tray.
On the shortcut menu select Launch Control Center.
Click the 'Tools' tab, select Advanced settings...'
Scroll down or select 'Exceptions'
Click 'Add List' and copy and paste the following list of files:
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
Click OK 3 times.
Reboot your PC.

Bottom line these are the files to be Trusted

files you need your AV/Firewall for mbam to trust

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
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\rules.ref (Windows 2000/XP)

Please post back with any questions, Also Please post back with a report on how it went! ....regards....

Thanks a lot for the detailed information, Yardbird. I'll check this out by the end of the week. I'm recovering from a root canal that got infected.
regards, jojo

ouch! hope you feel better... please post back with your results... regards...

I got the same error message as the OP but I got it during updating. I tried all the steps to add all the MBAM files to the exclusion of AVG and rebooted but that didn't work. I was able to resolve the issue by re-installing MBAM afterwards and now it works fine.

I'm having some big difficulty, even after following some suggestions on this forum, as follows:

I'm running AVG, on Win XP x64. As suggested in this thread, I mitigated possible conflicts between AVG and Malwarebytes' Anti Malware by adding the six exceptions in AVG (to two locations - PUP and . My locations were slightly different than those listed, but I found the files. That was as per this thread on earlier AVG conflicts.

I then followed the cleanup/reinstallation process exactly as shown in this thread:
I removed, rebooted, ran the cleanup tool, rebooted, and installed the latest Malwarebytes' Anti Malware.

After all that, I'm still getting essentially the same error message:
"An error occurred. Please report the following error code to the Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware support team.
Error code 703 (0,9)"

Previously it was "Error code 703 (0,5)".

I've run Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware on this computer previously, a few times, without any issue. This is the first issue, and the first occurrence happened when trying to run a version of Malwarebytes' that I have previously run successfully.

I've been suspicious of some sort of infection on this computer, as images and file downloads are being corrupted, and my internet feels bogged.

I have AVG configured to run full nightly scans, and in the early morning hours Spybot S&D updates and runs a scan. None of these have reported any infections, I'm just observing a slowdown, and figured I'd give Malwarebytes' a try to identify an issue. This error makes me even more suspicious of an infection of some sort, and I'm disconcerted that Malwarebytes won't even launch. I'm not sure at all what this could mean.

Any suggestions?

@ goelemon -
Please keep to your own thread - I noticed you have posted this twice so far -
As we don't work on full Malware removal in the general forums.
Please read and follow the directions here, skipping any steps you are unable to complete. Then post a NEW topic here.
One of the expert helpers there will give you one-on-one assistance when one becomes available.
Thank you -

Before proceeding to the Malware Removal forum please try the following steps to see if they correct the issue:

Step 1:

Please download and install this to see if that corrects the issue. If it does not then please continue to Step 2.

Step 2:

Show Hidden Files and Folders (XP):

• Click Start and select My Computer
• Click the Tools item from the menu at the top of the window (if you don't see Tools press the Alt key on your keyboard and it will appear)
• Select Folder Options
• Click the View tab and make sure Show hidden files and folders is selected under Hidden files and folders
• Next, uncheck the box next to Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)
• Then, uncheck the box next to Hide extensions for known filetypes
• Click Apply then click OK

Then go to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and delete rules.ref. Once you've done that, start MBAM and when it shows the error and asks to update, let it do so and see if that corrects it.

Hi, noknojon -
I think you might have misunderstood - I don't know if I'm infected with anything, I don't really have any symptoms other than a gut feeling and some occasionally slightly scrambled JPG's in websites that weren't occurring before. Neither AVG nor Spybot report anything wrong at all.

My issue is that I'm trying to run Malwarebytes, but Malwarebytes won't run (though it has in the past).
I just get "Error code 703 (0.5)".
I was posting in this thread, because it was specifically on that error code.

I do see that link you posted looks like a great step-by-step on how to deal with an infection... Let's hope I never have to go that route, but it really is great to see that I won't be unguided if it turns out that I do! First I'd like to get Malwarebytes running - it may be this is simply my imagination, or some quirks with my ISP. I've also got a tenant sharing this same internet connection, so that opens a whole other realm of potential contention.
Thanks for the links - I think (and hope) this is actually the right place to troubleshoot the 703!

Thanks - I've tried this much so far.
VERY interestingly [since I've twice now, in the course of following the instructions in these threads, installed the latest Malwarebytes' Anti Malware], after running that, and attempting to launch the software, instead of the Error 703, I now am getting:
"The database you are using is not supported by this version of Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. Download the latest version of the program."

Is this meaningful?
What of the 'latest versions' I installed yesterday?

I'll move on to step 2 tomorrow - I'd love to hear your thoughts on the above though, before I do, in case it is significant.

Thanks for the help!

It is likely that the database from the installer I linked to is out of date, thus the error message as it isn't updated very often. Please proceed to Step 2.

Thnks, Exile.

I proceded through step 2. On deleting rules.ref and relaunching Malwarebytes, I was prompted this time with a message that was somewhere along the lines of "The database could not be found. do you want to download the latest datbase file?"

I clicked yes, watched a progress bar monitor the download in a small Malwarebytes software window.

When the download completed, I now have the error message "Error code 703 (0,9)"

Following logically, I have so far:
1) performed the clean/reinstallation of the software
2) reinstalled the database

What other components are there that would cause this error message to survive - something is not being replaced/repaired/updated in the course of this that is key to Malwarebytes running, that is outside of the scope of the above two items. Any ideas?
Something besides those two has to have changed or is now corrupted, that would cause Malwarebytes' to stop working.

What does the error code 703(0, 9) actually mean?

Error code 703: (quoted from the help file):That's why reinstalling it or deleting it usually works. In this case neither has worked unfortunately .

At this point I'd have to recommend you contact support@malwarebytes.org to get assistance as they should be able to guide you with more advanced troubleshooting and should be able to solve the problem for you.

I'm sorry I couldn't be of more assistance. If you need anything else please post.

Thanks