ecbritz

Avast AV has apparently bought a number of rivals such AVG and also programs such as CCleaner. From my recent experience, it would seem that the free version of Avast AV disables or blocks Malwarebytes Web Protection. Here is the experience I had. (1) I updated CCleaner (the free version). (2) A question popped up, asking if I would like to install Avast. I declined, i.e. un-ticked the box. My preference was denied and Avast Free was nevertheless installed. (3) I tried to uninstall Avast, but could not get it completely uninstalled. (4) After doing some research on the internet, I discovered that a special Avast utility, Avastclear, had to be downloaded and run, and that the "complete uninstallation" of Avast had to be done in Windows Safe Mode. This is of course something not known to most people innocently updating CCleaner. (5) Avast seemed to be fully uninstalled after running Avastclear in Safe Mode. But soon Avast Free was back on my computer, seemingly smuggled in via CCleaner or perhaps another program being installed. I certainly did not download and install it myself. (6) I noticed two alarming results. Firstly, the unauthorized re-installation of Avast Free did not automatically disable Windows Defender, as it should have done. Both Windows Defender and Avast Free were running on my computer, in conflict with each other. Secondly, Malwarebytes Web Protection was switched off and could not be switched back on. (7) The only way I could navigate out of the situation, was to uninstall Avast Free again, using Avastclear, and also uninstall Malwarebytes and re-install it with the latest installer. (8) Once the apparent Avast grip on Malwarebytes (and on Windows Defender) was removed, and my computer restarted, Malwarebytes Web Protection could be switched on again. Something seems to be afoot with Avast Free...

Thanks. It was not really a security update but a feature update of Windows 10 (Feature update to Windows 10, version 1703) that caused the problem I wrote about. Since that Windows 10 update, I have not been able to use Panda AntiVirus as a companion to Malewarebytes Premium 3, with Avira faring even worse. The boot-up of Windows 10 is delayed forever and might even end in a crash. What IS possible, is to simply revert to Windows Defender, an Anti-Virus program in itself, as companion to Malwarebytes Pemium 3. What worries me, is that Panda AntiVirus occasionally picked up something missed by Malwaresbytes Premium 3. Not often, but it did happen. Will Windows Defender be as good as Panda in serving the same double-checking purpose?

J'ai autorisé la mise à jour de la fonctionnalité Windows 1703. Malwarebytes plus Panda Antivirus est devenu impossible. Aussi Malwarebytes plus Arvira Antivirus. Est-il sécurisé et suffisant d'utiliser Malwarebytes plus seulement Windows Defender?

Malheureusement, je ne comprends pas le français... I did the Windows Action Center setting as advised by Antec. Windows Defender now seems to have established itself as my "companion AV program", running alongside Malwarebytes Premium. See the attachment -- I can do a separate, additional scan with Windows Defender. Does that mean I am now sufficiently protected?

Thanks for the appreciated responses. After the latest Windows 10 Professional update, Windows Defender would not accept the name brand AV running alongside Malwarebytes. I'll report back after some more struggles with this issue.

When I started using Malwarebytes Premium many years ago, I was under the impression that it was dedicated to certain types of threats and that you needed a companion anti-virus program, e.g. Avast, AVG or Kaspersky, to run alongside it. It was possible to combine Malwarebytes Premium with such a normal, standard anti-virus program. But it was inadvisable to run more than one such anti-virus program at the same time. Some anti-virus programs like Kaspersky would not even install if any trace of another anti-virus program was detected. What is the status of Malwarebytes Premium now? Does it now protect you against all kinds of viruses and other threats?

A Weird thing happened last night after I ran "Security Update for Adobe Flash Player for Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems (KB4020821)". After the update, the Windows Defender Icon made an uninvited appearance in the extended taskbar (or whatever the little window containing the sound icon etc is called). On opening the new, self-announced Windows Defender, by clicking on its icon, I noticed that there was no possibility to scan the computer. Another Anti-Virus program automatically assigned to do that work on my computer could be discovered by clicking on "View antivirus providers" inside the new Windows Defender interface. My computer was much slower than usual and seemed under stress. So I quickly uninstalled Panda AntiVirus, which I had been using in conjunction with Malwarebytes Premium. This seemed to improve my computer's performance a bit. But the loss of the "second leg" of my security system (Panda) made me feel uncomfortable. I clicked on "View antivirus providers" inside the new Windows Defender interface. It turned out that Malwarebytes was now the only program guarding against viruses and other malware on my computer. My next step caused a disaster. I downloaded and installed Avira AV, to see if Avira might be accepted by the new Windows Defender as "co-worker" of Malwarebytes. The computer went beserk. I could only get back into my files after doing a bootup lasting more than ten minutes. The question is whether Malwarebytes is enough to take care of ALL Virus & Malware & Hacking threats. If nothing else is needed to guard against any form of threat, I could live with the new Windows update KB4020821.

Sorry to be so late in responding, I've simply been too busy to battle with software problems. I understand clearly how to do a complete uninstallation and reinstallation of MBam Pro, and will do so if the problem persists. Thanks very much for the clear explanation. What I've noticed, is that switching off the MBam selfprotection function seems to improve the situation. Something else I've noticed, is that the advanced option to run MBam at Windows startup, seems to switch off "by itself", or perhaps it is switched off by some rogue program on my computer. I use 360 TSE as my anti-virus program, set at the highest available security scan level. Has anybody ever experienced the "run MBam at Windows startup" option being switched off "by itself" or by some rogue program?

Thanks for the advice given in response to my question. I could somehow not find my posting (this thread) when I returned to the Malwarebytes Forum. It was only when I googled with the search term "CCleaner and Malwarebytes" -- a week later -- that I managed to find my way back here. Perhaps Google will return me to this page again, to see your answers. I see that CCleaner has a "Run at Startup" registry cleaning category. Also a "Start Menu Ordering" category. Malwarebytes runs at startup (or does not run at startup) RANDOMLY on my computer. I can see by clicking on the "Show hidden icons" button on the taskbar whether it ran at startup or not. I think I will start by switching off (un-checking) the "Run at Startup" registry cleaning category in CCleaner. Perhaps that will help. I'm well aware that the registry looks after itself and that a registry cleaner is strictly not necessary. But sometimes something happens that slows my computer to a frustrating crawl.The problem is invariably solved by running CCleaner Registry Cleaner.

I have been using both Malwarebytes (the paid version) and CCleaner (the free version) for many years. Both are valuable to me. CCleaner because its registry cleaner gets me out of sudden slowdowns in the performance of Windows. If Windows starts dragging its feet, a CCleaner registry scan and cleaning job usually solves the problem -- seemingly without the steady breakdown of Windows I have experienced with other PC cleaners and optimizers. I would prefer to go without any registry cleaner or system optimizer program at all. And I would uninstall CCleaner if there is another, better way to escape from sudden lagging and slow-down in the performance of Windows 10. But I don't know of another solution. Restarting Windows 10 a few times in a row sometimes helps. But CCleaner is usually the answer. The problem I have is that Malwarebytes Premium regularly fails to run automatically when Windows 10 is started up, despite being set up to do so. Might a CCleaner registry cleaning job be responsible for this? Registry cleaning is the only reason I can think of why Malwarebytes might not start automatically. Also: is there a way to get Windows 10 out of difficulties leading to lagging other than running CCleaner registry cleaner?

I have the following two malware items affecting my computer: "PUP.4Shared/Variant" and "Conduit Search Toolbar". Malwarebytes Premium does not see these items and consequently cannot remove them. How do I get rid of "PUP.4Shared/Variant" and "Conduit Search Toolbar"?

Thanks for the kind advice I got. May I conclude this thread by saying that no virus or malware other than malicious free software downloaded, installed and run, have ever penetrated the Malwarebytes + Antivirus shield I maintain on my computers. Malicious free software has become less of a threat with Windows 10. The ease with which you can re-install ("reset") Windows 10 -- and choose to either retain or strip away your data -- means that there is now effortless and idiot-proof relief when your system breaks down due to a severe malware or virus attack, or forcible installation of destructive or dangerous software. However, you need to save and backup all your old and new installation files, and all your license codes etc., preferably on an external drive. You will discover when you repopulate your computer after resetting Windows 10 that upgraded versions of many of your old programs will have to be purchased anew. Unless you have stored copies of the original installation files and license codes, the reset Windows 10 recovery operation might cost you quite a bit of money. It's also a good idea to retain all emails involved in purchasing all of your software.

Thanks again. I disabled SAS Pro at Windows Startup (using msconfig) and the results were not good. You have to use the free version of SAS if you don't want to interfere with MBam's internet traffic checking. I'm going to discard SAS once more, I think. If you can't get out of a fix using your anti-virus program (e.g. Kaspersky) and MBam, you have the ability to re-install ("reset") Windows 10 without losing your data, and without any know-how or technical fuss. This is a big advantage of Win 10. By the way, you can use Kaspersky and MBam together, not so?

Thanks for the appreciated advice. If I keep the licensed (i.e. paid) Pro version of SAS installed and ready to run, but disable it from starting at Windows Startup -- via msconfig -- would I then be able to use it in the sporadic way the free version is used? The Pro version has some settings you can't adjust in the free version.

Many years before I knew about Malwarebytes and bought a license for it, I bought a lifetime license for Superantispyware Pro. After I purchased Malwarebytes, I ditched Superantispyware Pro and I never stopped using Malwarebytes, an excellent program. Recently, I downloaded and installed Windows 10. I had to reinstall all my programs after the Windows upgrade, including my antivirus and anti-malware programs. In the process of repopulating my computer, I made the mistake of trying out a free file compression (zip file) program called Hamster. Hamster took over my computer forcibly, automatically installed diverse Russian programs I could not get rid of to save my life, and disabled my ability to view and work with hidden files and folders. It was a major disaster. In my attempts to escape from the crises, I re-installed Superantispyware Pro and activated it once more. Superantispyware could find the threats multiplying on my computer but not remove its source and cause. I had no other option but to re-install Windows 10 (or "reset" Win 10 as it is now called). After re-installing/resetting Win 10, I re-installed both my licensed Malwarebytes and licensed Superantispyware Pro programs. They are now both running "in tandem" on my computer. Both are also guarding over incoming and outgoing internet traffic. I did this in view of the Hamster-attack. However, it worries me that both programs are simultaneously monitoring internet traffic. I notice that Malwarebytes is still stopping malicious traffic to and fro. Are the two programs conflicting and should I uninstall Superantispyware Pro once more?

I use the latest paid version of Malwarebytes 2. At the moment I have malware kept in quarantine. I can't find the menu path in the Malwarebytes user interface which will lead to the quarantine folder (or area, or screen). I would like to see the malware in quarantine and delete it. How do I achieve this?

Pup.Optional.D... repeatedly returns to all my computers, usually a number of copies in different locations on every computer. Malwarebytes Pro will remove the copies of Pup.Optional.D... But soon afterwards the virus -- or whatever it is -- returns in force. I suspect that Freegate, a free VPN service used by many people in China, might be the source, the culprit. But I am not sure. How do I get rid of this pest?