A change in scanning

[CharlieB]

Hi.

I just joined the forum today. I have been using MalwareBytes for some time now, but in the past day or so something strange has happened.

My OS is XP. this system runs both IE an Firefox (two different accounts).

I also run AVG and ZoneAlarm.

In the past a Quick Scan took about 14-15 minutes and checked about 100,000 items.

Now it takes about 4 minutes to check 50,000 items.

What the heck is going on? Why is it now an abbreviated test? I have not removed any programs or applications.

Charlie

[GT500]

Does it freeze at any point during the scan?

[CharlieB]

Does it freeze at any point during the scan?

It was running in the background. after it had finished I checked the log which I have paste below.

I will run it later today and watch as it runs.

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.34

Database version: 1859

Windows 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3

3/17/2009 3:47:37 PM

mbam-log-2009-03-17 (15-47-36).txt

Scan type: Quick Scan

Objects scanned: 51573

Time elapsed: 3 minute(s), 40 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 0

Memory Modules Infected: 0

Registry Keys Infected: 0

Registry Values Infected: 0

Registry Data Items Infected: 0

Folders Infected: 0

Files Infected: 0

Memory Processes Infected:

(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Infected:

(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Infected:

(No malicious items detected)

Registry Values Infected:

(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data Items Infected:

(No malicious items detected)

Folders Infected:

(No malicious items detected)

Files Infected:

(No malicious items detected)

[CharlieB]

It was running in the background. after it had finished I checked the log which I have paste below.

I will run it later today and watch as it runs.

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.34

Database version: 1859

Windows 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3

3/17/2009 3:47:37 PM

mbam-log-2009-03-17 (15-47-36).txt

Scan type: Quick Scan

Objects scanned: 51573

Time elapsed: 3 minute(s), 40 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 0

Memory Modules Infected: 0

Registry Keys Infected: 0

Registry Values Infected: 0

Registry Data Items Infected: 0

Folders Infected: 0

Files Infected: 0

Memory Processes Infected:

(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Infected:

(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Infected:

(No malicious items detected)

Registry Values Infected:

(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data Items Infected:

(No malicious items detected)

Folders Infected:

(No malicious items detected)

Files Infected:

(No malicious items detected)

OK, I just ran Quick scan again. This time it took 12 minutes to check 142,000 objects. This is typical of previous scans.

One subtle difference with the scans I had posted about earlier was that the time it took to check 50k objects today was a little over six minutes as compared to the four minutes for the earlier scan.

I probably would not have raised an issue if there had been only one "short" scan, but when I saw it happen the first time I rescanned and got a similar result. Two in a row raised a red flag.

Charlie

[GT500]

You may want to use a utility such as ATF Cleaner to clear out your temp files, Java cache, Temporary Internet Files, etc. That will decrease the amount of useless files that get scanned.

[YoKenny1]

You may want to use a utility such as ATF Cleaner to clear out your temp files, Java cache, Temporary Internet Files, etc. That will decrease the amount of useless files that get scanned.

CCleaner is quite good at cleaning Temporary Internet Files (TIF) plus a lot of un-necessary Windows temporary files:

http://www.ccleaner.com

Watch for the installation of the Toolbar and un-check it if you do not want it.

Plus if you download and install its customized winapp2.ini file it will detect installed applications and clean out their log and temporary files:

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=1110

[exile360]

Watch for the installation of the Toolbar and un-check it if you do not want it.

Ccleaner without toolbar

[GT500]

CCleaner is quite good at cleaning Temporary Internet Files (TIF) plus a lot of un-necessary Windows temporary files:

True, but ATF Cleaner is a simple download and run utility, no installation needed, and just delete it when you're done with it. CCleaner, on the other hand, has to be installed, and it goes as far as creating a startup item. ATF Cleaner is the better solution for a one-time temp file cleaning, and I prefer to use it each time I feel like cleaning temp files on my own computers.

[danjmilos]

True, but ATF Cleaner is a simple download and run utility, no installation needed, and just delete it when you're done with it. CCleaner, on the other hand, has to be installed, and it goes as far as creating a startup item. ATF Cleaner is the better solution for a one-time temp file cleaning, and I prefer to use it each time I feel like cleaning temp files on my own computers.

Do you download ATF everytime you use it or is it saved to a folder and you open it there?

[exile360]

You can save it to run it again later. For info, they also make a portable version of Ccleaner (although I'm sure GT500 already knew this). And the only startup it creates is if you check the box under settings telling it to run (clean) at startup, otherwise, by default it does not. I use both though, as Ccleaner doesn't remove all the junk that ATF does and ATF doesn't remove all the junk Ccleaner does.

[YoKenny1]

You may want to use a utility such as ATF Cleaner to clear out your temp files, Java cache, Temporary Internet Files, etc. That will decrease the amount of useless files that get scanned.

I am using IE8 with Vista and when I went to download ATF Cleaner I get a pop up indicating that it is an unsafe application.

I reported it as safe to Microsoft but I thought I would document it here in case others see this pop up.

When I ran it it found about 2MB that it deleted which is not much really after a CCleaner run.

I don't let it clean my cookies as I prefer CCleaner to do that as it saves the ones I want.

Things that I do not use in CCleaner:

1. Clean at startup because I usually clean after finishing with IE.

2. Wipe Free Space firstly I'm not going to get rid of this system and secondly I'm not into anything that I would not let my dear old mum see if she was alive.

3. Cleaning the Prefetch cache as that slows down application reloading and Windows does a good job of purging old entries.