Automatic updates not working

[IanC]

Hi

I've recently installed the pay version of MBAM on my PC in order to test it out. If it works out OK I would be planning to purchase a volume licence to cover all the PCs on our network.

Unfortunately I'm having some problems at the moment. I've set updates to download automatically at 10am every day but nothing seems to be happening. If i download manually the updates are installed with no problem. Having searched the forums here i found that a lot of users seemed to be experiencing this problem a couple of months ago, but it looked like it had been resolved. Is there something I need to do to get these automatic updates working? If I can't get this functioning properly then I'm unlikely to look at MBAM as a solution for our network.

Thanks

[exile360]

The Task Scheduler service needs to be running for auto updates to work.

• To make sure it's running, go to Start and click on Control Panel
• Select Classic View on the left
  
• Double click on Administrative Tools
  
• Double click on Services
  
• Double click on Task Scheduler
  
• Make sure that the Startup type is set to Automatic and that the Service status is Started
  
• If it's not, then select Automatic from the drop down list and click Apply then click the Start button
  
• Click on the OK button and close Services
  

If that doesn't help please let us know.

[IanC]

Thanks for the reply. I've had a look at that and the Task Scheduler service was running, with all the settings you specified. However, looking into it a bit further does seem to have uncovered the problem. I originially set the schedule in MBAM while logged on as an individual network user, albeit with administrator priveliges. The scheduled task won't run from that, but if I log on as system administrator, set the schedule in MBAM, then go to Scheduled Tasks in Control Panel and manually edit the task to specify "Run As" system administrator, and remove the tick from the "Run only if logged on" box, it will then run the task when I am logged on as a standard user.

Perhaps I should have realised this at the start, but it might be handy if you could flag it up as a notice in the Updates tab for when users are specifying their options.

[exile360]

Excellent, I'm glad you got it sorted. I'll have to take note of how you fixed it, as I wasn't aware that it could be updated this way. Generally, most of what MBAM does requires admin privelages because it is not a per user profile application and therefore requires write access to the All Users profile for installing definitions. I've seen many others who use limited accounts unable to update because of this, but your workaround should help fix their problems, so thanks and if you need anything else, just let us know.

[IanC]

Glad to hear I've uncovered the solution. Hope it helps other users.

[CMVTech]

I'm also trying to get Automatic updates to work for non-admin level users.

When I log in as system administrator I see a multiple MBAM scheduled tasks. It looks like it creates one for each user.

If I set the task for a limited user to "Run As" system administrator, then login as the limited user it fails. When I look at the task it is no longer set to "Run As" system administrator.

It's as if MBAM resets the scheduled task settings when it runs at the next scheduled time.

Also if the user changes their schedule in MBAM the scheduled task looses it "Run As" settings.

Anyone else seeing this behavior?

[IanC]

The method I used was to create a new task via MBAM while logged on as Administrator, and then edit that and set it to run when not logged on, rather than editing the individual users' tasks. In fact I removed individual users' tasks. As you point out though, there's nothing to stop users creating their own task subsequently, which might then interfere with the Administrator's task you've created.

Although this method worked when I initially tested it it does seem to have been a bit patchy in its efficiency since. The task seems to run once and then not again.

[exile360]

If a non-admin tries to update MBAM it will fail because of the directory it saves the definitions to is under All Users, which only admins have write access to.

[CMVTech]

The method I used was to create a new task via MBAM while logged on as Administrator, and then edit that and set it to run when not logged on, rather than editing the individual users' tasks. In fact I removed individual users' tasks. As you point out though, there's nothing to stop users creating their own task subsequently, which might then interfere with the Administrator's task you've created.

Although this method worked when I initially tested it it does seem to have been a bit patchy in its efficiency since. The task seems to run once and then not again.

Exactly, all a use has to do is change the schedule and a task gets created for them that will fail.

I tried your method to see if it would work at least once, and the scheduled task kicks off but nothing happens. If I double click the MBAM icon in the system tray I get this pop-up: "Malwarebytes' Antimalware is already running"

Apparantly something is hung because it stayed that way over night, a reboot resolves but no update occured.

[CMVTech]

If a non-admin tries to update MBAM it will fail because of the directory it saves the definitions to is under All Users, which only admins have write access to.

This is a pretty major limitation. The main reason we purchased this was for the real time protection which becomes less useful if we can't schedule updates effectively for our non-admin users. B)

[AdvancedSetup]

Hi CMV,

I'm sure I could help you overcome this challenge but I'm not sure that Marcin would approve of such information being posted in the public forums.

As I posted in another of your posts. (might be better to stick with one post) You would probably be best served sending Marcin and e-mail directly or Private Message to discuss your needs. As I said there are methods to make it work, though natively would be better.

Thanks.

[CMVTech]

OK, thanks for the advice. Much appreciated.

[IanC]

I'd also like to get a resolution to this problem, since my original workaround doesn't seem to do it. Excuse my ignorance, but how do I email Marcin? Thanks.

[AdvancedSetup]

You can send him a Private Message and he should get it. Might take some time to respond though as he has a large workload.

You can also send email to: corporate@malwarebytes.org

[TeMerc]

This is a pretty major limitation. The main reason we purchased this was for the real time protection which becomes less useful if we can't schedule updates effectively for our non-admin users.

And yet on the other hand, if our protection module does not have admin rights, how would you expect it to perform as good as it does? Bit of a double edged sword I suppose.

I'm not sure if these two operations can be separated in the code, only Marcin can help with that.

Maybe he'll see this thread and chime in.

[JudiBug]

The Task Scheduler service needs to be running for auto updates to work.

• To make sure it's running, go to Start and click on Control Panel

• Select Classic View on the left

• Double click on Administrative Tools

• Double click on Services

• Double click on Task Scheduler

• Make sure that the Startup type is set to Automatic and that the Service status is Started

• If it's not, then select Automatic from the drop down list and click Apply then click the Start button

• Click on the OK button and close Services

If that doesn't help please let us know.

I am having a similar problem. There is an oblong message on the bottom left of my computer screen that says "Updating Malw..." but it seems to be stuck. It's been there for over 2 hours. I just tried the above and everything looked ok. What now???

[exile360]

Please make sure that Internet Explorer is not in Offline Mode:

• Open Internet Explorer
• Click the Tools button and make sure there is not a check mark next to Work Offline
  
• If there is, then uncheck it by clicking it and then try updating Malwarebytes' again.
  

You need to do this even if you normally use a different browser like FireFox because the settings used for Malwarebytes' updater are the same ones used for Internet Explorer.

[jvbarnes]

Is there a fix for this in the works? We can not let our users be admins, but we paid for this product and need these auto-updates and auto-protection to work. Opening our users up as admins will only create more headaches for us.

[exile360]

Hello jvbarnes, I'm guessing you guys have a corporate license, so your best bet would be to contact corporate [at] malwarebytes [dot] org and they will assist you with either a direct solution, or they'll get with the developers and figure something out to help you, or of course, if necessary, provide a refund, but hopefully it won't come to that.