Malwarebytes free starting with Windows

[Oxa]

I recently upgraded from 1.75 to 2.0. I just discovered that with 2.0 I no longer have the option to prevent MB from starting with Windows or to prevent the automatic quarantining of detected items. Does anyone know of any ways around that (e.g., registry tweaks)? If not, I'm uninstalling. My computer doesn't have the capacity to have this resource hog (which I only use as an on-demand scanner) running in the background all the time, and automatically quarantining false positives is ludicrous.

[daledoc1]

Hi:

 

Welcome.

 

HMMM, well, that's weird.

MBAM Free does not provide any sort of realtime protection, so it cannot load with Windows; it is only a manual, on-demand scanner.

So, the only way it could be loading with Windows now is that  -- during the upgrade to version 2 -- you did not opt out of the 14-day trial of MBAM PREMIUM?

I suspect that's what happened.

 

If you already upgraded and the trial is activated (it will say "Trial" in the banner at the very top of the GUI), in order to get back to Free you can either:

• Wait for the Trial to expire -- it will revert to the Free version, or
• Click the "End Free Trial" link in the dashboard, or
• Click the "End Trial" link in the system tray popup that will notify you of an expiring trial, or
• Cleanly reinstall the Free version

Please post back and let us know if this resolves your issue.

 

P.S. Yes, there is a setting to prevent automatic quarantine, too. Please post back if you need help to find it.

 

Thanks,

[Oxa]

I did opt out of the 14-day trial. I haven't rebooted my computer yet; I'm just reporting what I see when I go to Settings > Advanced Settings. Although grayed out, the following options are checked:

• Start Malwarebytes Anti-Malware with Windows
• Enable Malware Protection when Malwarebytes Anti-Malware starts
• Enable Malicious Website Protection when Malwarebytes Anti-Malware starts
• Automatically quarantine protected items

Since I can't opt out of automaticquarantining in the Advanced Settings, how do I do that?

 

[daledoc1]

Hi:

 

Those settings should only be available in the PREMIUM or the TRIAL versions.

It sounds as if something got messed up during the upgrade.

 

Can you please post a screenshot of the main dashboard (like the one that I posted earlier)?

That might help to sort this out.

 

Having said that..................

The cleanest way to get back to the Free version is to follow the "Free Version" steps in this pinned topic: xxxx link removed xxxx

Be sure to reboot after doing so.

 

I suggest that we get that straightened out first --  then we will show you how to turn off automatic quarantine.

 

Thanks,

 

Post updated [02/12/2021 - AdvancedSetup]

The following MBST tool should be used to perform a clean removal and reinstall

https://support.malwarebytes.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039023473-Uninstall-and-reinstall-using-the-Malwarebytes-Support-Tool

Edited February 13, 2021 by AdvancedSetup
updated information

[Oxa]

Nothing is messed up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Stop treating me as if I were stupid. I have the FREE version installed, not the trial version. (The dashboard says "License: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (Free). I don't know why you can't get that through your skull. If you don't know the answer to my question, then say so.

[daledoc1]

I'm sorry, there is no need to be abusive to someone trying to help.

 

I will let others help you now.

 

Take care,

[Oxa]

And there's no need to patronize those who seek help.

[Oxa]

Read the comment here by computer technician Jeff Green:

http://blog.malwarebytes.org/news/2014/03/malwarebytes-anti-malware-2-0/

He seems to think that automatic quarantine is now the default for MB Free. If someone who knows would just admit that, I'll go back to 1.75 and leave you poor folks alone.

[gonzo]

Oxa,

 

Please send a screenshot of your Malwarebytes dashboard as it is currently.

[Oxa]

Sigh . . .

[Porthos]

When the scan finishes you can individually IGNORE any item it detects. You can also choose the defaults how it detects PUP's and PUM's in the settings menu.

[gonzo]

Oxa,

 

First, let me say that people who volunteer their time to assist users get rather upset when their attempts to assist users are responded to in such a manner.  That by itself is generally reason to take disciplinary action.

 

That being said, I just uninstalled my premium version (using mbam_clean) and reinstalled the free version.  It matches your screenshots exactly.  You are correct that detected threats are quarantined automatically.  Quarantined is NOT the same as deleted.  You should be able to go to your HISTORY tab (just to the right of SETTINGS) and access quarantined files. Then, you can restore or delete them as you see fit.

 

I also have Task Manager running, and I can see mbam.exe running ONLY when the Malwarebytes user interface is present on the screen.  I close the UI, and mbam.exe goes away in Task Manager.  If yours does not, there is a problem and you will need to run MBAM_CLEAN to completely uninstall, then reinstall.  If it does go away, its CPU/memory usage should be zero. Your user interface looks as it should.

[Oxa]

Disallowing the option to disable automatic quarantining so as to prevent false positives is extremely dangerous. (See:  https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showtopic=125182 ). Considering MBAM's history (See link.), one would have thought they would have listened to all their customers who pleaded with them to not automatically quarantine suspected files (See link.) The fact that they force users of the free version to engage in this very risky practice says a lot about what the company thinks of those users. I'm uninstalling.

[gonzo]

As the user has said that she no longer requires assistance, this thread is closed.