Anti-Malware wont run

[ejefi]

I'm getting exactly the same problem. Tried re-installing by then get various errors.

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello ejefi and welcome aboard.

 

Look at this sticky note  https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?/topic/9573-im-infected-what-do-i-do-now/

Get and then save

and then run the FRST tool

and then post back here and attach the diagnostic reports for review purposes.

 

In addition:

This tool will collect some information on the installation of Malwarebytes and create a report I need to review:

NOTE: You may need to temporarily turn off your antivirus if it interferes with this tool.

Download mbam-check.exe and save it to your desktop    from  http://downloads.malwarebytes.org/file/mbam_check
On Vista/Windows 7, 8, Right-click on mbam-check-2.1.1.1001.exe & select Run as Administrator & allow to Run when prompted by User Account Control.
On XP,Double-click on **mbam-check-2.1.1.1001.exe** to run it.

Do have patience while the tool runs.  It may take a while, and will flash a command prompt window.  And then it will start your text editor ( default is typically NOTEPAD).

It should then open a log file CheckResults.txt.  Just do a File >> Exit in NOTEPAD.
You should attach the CheckResults.txt  file located on your desktop so that I can review.

[ejefi]

Hi,

 

 

I have attached the FRST.txt file & the Addition.txt file.

 

I downloaded the mbam-check.exe to the desktop & run as administrator, the window for this operation opened & then closed without running. 

 

Regards

 

ejefi

 

FRST.txt

Addition.txt

[Maurice Naggar]

Hi,

 

tell me, Is Notepad set as the ( normal ) default system text editor?

 

Can you kindly turn off your McAfee antivirus and then try running mbam-check as follows.

 

 

See and follow this to Create an "Elevated Command Prompt" Shortcut
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3718-elevated-command-prompt-shortcut.html

Be sure you have that shortcut created on the Desktop.
Be sure that our setup exe ( the one named mbam-setup-2.0.2.1012.exe ) is saved and in place on the DESKTOP.


double-click the **shortcut for the elevated command prompt**.

at the Command prompt, type in each one of these lines and press ENTER-key after each one

cd \

cd %userprofile%\desktop

mbam-check-2.1.1.1001.exe

NOTE: There is one space after **CD** in the 1st 2 lines above.

 

Please allow the process a few minutes to start and finish.  I would love to have for review the Checkresults.txt.

 

[ejefi]

Hi,

Turned McAfee off. Got the elevated command prompt on the desktop along with mbam-setup-2.0.2.1012.exe.

 

After typing in mbam-check-2.1.1.1001.exe at the C:\Users\Eric\ Desktop>  command prompt, after approx 30 seconds the 

C:\Users\Eric\ Desktop prompt reappeared.

No Checkresults.txt appeared.

I haven't changed the text editor so assume Notepad is the default text editor

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello,

 

There may be some slight innocent confusion.  But I did not want to run "mbam-setup".   I only wanted to run mbam-check.

Question is:  Did you get and Save mbam-check-2.1.1.1001 to your DESKTOP ?

 

 

Set Windows 7 to Show all files  by doing this:
Press and hold **Windows-key+E key** on keyboard to start **Windows Explorer**   ( File Manager for Windows).
From the Windows Explorer menu options, Select Tools, then Folder Options.
Next click the View tab.
Locate and uncheck "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended).
Locate and click "Show hidden files and folders and drives. "
Click Apply > OK.

 

 

Turn on User Account Control.

For Windows 7
Go to Control Panel>> All Control Panel Items >>User Accounts
Click on Change User account control settings
Also see http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/user-account-control
 

Ideally it should be one click down from the topmost one.   Meaning, it does not have to be at the highest level.

 

 

also, better get these other reports:

Download OTL by OldTimer to your desktop:
http://oldtimer.geekstogo.com/OTL.exe

Close all open windows on the Task Bar. Then run OTL
(for Vista, or Windows 7 or 8 Right click the icon and Run as Administrator) to start the program.

In the lower right corner, checkmark "LOP Check" and checkmark Purity Check".
Now click Run Scan at Top left and let the program run uninterrupted.  It will take about 4 minutes or so.  In any event, have lots of infinite patience.

It will produce two logs for you, one will pop up called OTL.txt, the other will be saved on your desktop and called Extras.txt.
Exit Notepad.  Remember where you've saved these 2 files as we will need both of them shortly!
Exit OTL by clicking the X at top right.

Download Security Check by screen317 and save it to your Desktop: http://screen317.spywareinfoforum.org/SecurityCheck.exe
Run Security Check
Follow the onscreen instructions inside of the command window.
A Notepad document should open automatically called checkup.txt; close Notepad.  We will need this log, too, so remember where you've saved it!

Then attach the following into your post
OTL.txt
Extras.txt
checkup.txt

[ejefi]

Hello,

 I can confirm that I did get & save mbam-check-2.1.1.1001.exe to the desk top & this was what I entered at the elevated command prompt. However it did not seem to run.

 

Please find attached

OTL.txt

Extras.txt

checkup.txt

 

 

OTL.Txt

Extras.Txt

checkup.txt

[Maurice Naggar]

The OTL shows a couple of missing or awol Windows associations, including the one for Edit  --- which tends to explain the issue in getting the mbam-check tool to do its job and to use the NOTEPAD editor  ( the system text editor applet).

Did someone by any chance ever use a registry cleaner tool ?

 

I would urge you to do these procedures to get the two settings back for Windows file associations.

Download these zip files from Winhelponline ( a trusted source )
http://www.winhelponline.com/fileasso/reg_fix_w7.zip

http://www.winhelponline.com/fileasso/txt_fix_w7.zip

Save each to your DESKTOP if possible, otherwise, to some folder on your pc.
Unzip each of them to the DESKTOP   ( extracting all content).


Press the Windows-key +R key to get the Windows 7 RUN option
type in
REGEDIT

 

and press Enter-key
from main menu, select File
then select IMPORT
navigate the dialog (click on DESKTOP icon on left to select it)
type in

reg_fix_w7.reg

in the Filename text-box and click Open button.
Once the merge is complete, you will see a confirmation message.
Click OK when done.

Next, still in REGEDIT,  select File
then select IMPORT
navigate the dialog (click on DESKTOP icon on left to select it)

type in

txt_fix_w7.reg

in the Filename text-box and click Open button.
Once the merge is complete, you will see a confirmation message.
Click OK when done.
Now Close ( exit) Regedit.
 

 

When all thst is done, then please do one more try to run the mbam-check-2.1.1.1001.exe

 

I would very much like to see the Checkresults.txt file    ( please just attach it ).

 

B.T.W.  Your pc has 3 seriously outdated utilities that are a source of security risk exposures:

old Java

old version of Flash

old version of Adobe Reader

[ejefi]

I haven't used a registry cleaner.

reg_fix_w7.reg & txt_fixw7.reg both seemed to work, confirmation message received.

Tried mbam-check-2.1.1.1001.exe with McAfee turned off from the elevated command prompt but again after approx. 30seconds command prompt reappeared & no Checkresults.txt file.

[Maurice Naggar]

Can you do a Windows search on that file name --- checkresults.txt

 

Sometimes you might have a minimized or hidden from view window, with NOTEPAD up and open with those logs.

Can you cycle thru your open program  { use press and hold ALT then press TAB key } to view a rotating display of open apps?

 

I am sure this is frustrating all around, but we need to have that diagnostic log.

Worst case, see if restarting the pc into Safe mode and then running the exe will have better result.

 

I think now I would just hope that double-clicking on the EXE { from the folder where it sits ) might have better luck.

 

In addition, and all the rest aside, in SAFE mode, open the program and tell me what it shows on the DASHBOARD and take a snapshot if possible of that screen and attach in a reply.   You can have it on-screen and then press ALT+Printscreen keys and then go to MSPAINT.exe

and Paste

and save as a .PNG

[ejefi]

Searched for checkresults.txt but no results found. Run mbam-check from the desktop but result was the same program started to run then closed.

 

Started computer in safe mode & again run mbam-check, black window opened, pressure this was the dashboard for the exe but again closed after running for a few seconds.

 

Not frustrated, just would like to get to the bottom of this.

 

Did final search for checkresults.txt but still no results found.

[Maurice Naggar]

To prepare for a new clean install of the Anti-Malware, first, close ( exit) all open program-windows.

 

Do a Windows Shutdown >> Restart for a new windows session.

 

please follow the steps below. If you have purchased a Premium license, at the end of this process you will need to reactivate your license to enable the Premium features. Please have your ID and Key readily available. If you do not have your ID and Key, you may retrieve them from this webpage:

http://www.cleverbridge.com/342/?scope=cusecolp

Please note you will only be able to retrieve your ID and Key if you purchased Malwarebytes directly from our website or through an authorized reseller / affiliate. If you purchased a physical copy or from anywhere else, we will not have any record of your sale and cannot retrieve your ID and Key if lost.


NOTE: SAVE the downloads to your system first. Do not "run" them while in the browser program.
When presented with the option to Run or Save, you must select Save.


1: Please perform a clean uninstall before reinstalling the latest version.  Do not use Windows Add/Remove Programs.  Instead, please download and run "mbam-clean.exe" from the link below:

http://downloads.malwarebytes.org/file/mbam_clean

2: After running the program, it will ask to restart your computer.  Please allow it to do so (this is very important).

After the computer restarts, temporarily disable your Anti-Virus
If you need how-to guidance, see => How To Temporarily Disable Your Anti-virus, Firewall And Anti-malware Programs
 http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=114351


3: Download and SAVE to your system  the latest version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware from the link below:

https://www.malwarebytes.org/getmbam

Now run the setup:
IF your Windows is Vista / Windows 7 / 8, then do a Right-click on mbam-setup-2.0.2.1012.exe  and select   Run as Administrator and allow to run.
Answer YES _when prompted_ by User Account Control ( Windows ).



**When all finished, turn back ON your antivirus program.**

NOTE:
**Please always tell me the exact error message you get and the conditions of how it appears / how it happens.**
It is so important to get details from you each and every time  { and not just "error" or, <same as before> }.
 

[ejefi]

Some success.

Checkresults.txt attached

 

Regards

 

CheckResults.txt

[Maurice Naggar]

What did finish --- as far as the procedures to do a new clean Install of the Anti-Malware ?

Did it finish all the way without any failure?

The checkresults report says that there is -no- installation of the Anti-Malware.

Did you get any error messages? What were they ?

[ejefi]

My error, I did not run mbam-set up properly.

Have now done this & malware loads ok.

New checkresults.text attached

CheckResults.txt

[Maurice Naggar]

Hi,

That shows the latest version is installed, and it has a current database as of that time.   It does show installed as a Trial mode.

Have you done a Threat scan ?

What were the results ?

[ejefi]

Anti-Malware now runs. I did a threat scan & nothing was found.

I've attached the scan log, but everything now seems to be working ok.

 

Thank you.

Scanlog.txt

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello,

That is a fine result.   woohoo !

 

You should delete these, to cleanup after the tools we used before.

mbam-check-2.1.1.1001.exe

FRST.exe

FRST.txt

Addition.txt

mbam-clean.exe

 

Start the OTL.exe  that you had from before.  Look closely up on that toolbar in that window.  Press the CleanUp button.

 

I take it you use our Anti-Malware as a free Trial.   I would suggest that you consider buying the License so that your pc has benefits of realtime protections.

 

I do wish you all the best.   As we have resolved your issue, I am now closing this thread.

[Maurice Naggar]

Since this issue is resolved I will close the thread to prevent others from posting here. If you need assistance please start your own topic and someone will be happy to assist you.