Possible conflict between MBAM and Bitdefender

[Marylin37]

Hi everyone.

 

I have an almost new desktop PC running Windows 8.1 and from the first day I got it I installed MBAM Home Premium after first installing Bitdefender Internet Security 2015 and have been running them both alongside each other.   Previously, on my old PC I ran MBAM alongside Zonealarm Extreme Security with no issue but this is my first time using Bitdefender.

 

In the last few days I found Bitdefender is giving me an error message saying vsserv.exe is not responding / unavailable.   When I searched for information about this and also posted on the Bitdefender Forum the answer I am getting is that the problem is normally due to some kind of conflict with other security programs and I have been advised by them to uninstall MBAM Premium and just run scans as needed using the free version without allowing MBAM to run all the time in the background.

 

I would be grateful for some advice from the experts here first before I decide how to proceed to try and eliminate the problem.

 

Thank you for reading.

[daledoc1]

Hello and :
 
I'm not personally familiar with BD.
So we'll need to wait for @garioch7 or someone else who knows that product to weigh in.
 
However, you might want to check these fairly recent threads:
https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?/topic/171224-malwarebytes-bitdefender/
https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?/topic/169980-update-to-218-is-blocked-by-bitdefender/
 
Also, the screenshot below shows a general example of adding an AV's folder to MBAM exclusions.
And the general instructions below list the MBAM files to add to an AV's exclusions.
 
Thanks,
-----------------------

Please exclude the following files from your Antivirus Software for your version of Windows:


For 32 bit versions of Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 & Windows 8:

• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes Anti-Malware\mbam.exe
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes Anti-Malware\mbamdor.exe
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes Anti-Malware\mbampt.exe
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes Anti-Malware\mbamservice.exe
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes Anti-Malware\mbamresearch.exe
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes Anti-Malware\mbamscheduler.exe

For 64 bit versions of Windows Vista, Windows 7 & Windows 8:

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Malwarebytes Anti-Malware\mbam.exe
• C:\Program Files (x86)\Malwarebytes Anti-Malware\mbamdor.exe
• C:\Program Files (x86)\Malwarebytes Anti-Malware\mbampt.exe
• C:\Program Files (x86)\Malwarebytes Anti-Malware\mbamresearch.exe
• C:\Program Files (x86)\Malwarebytes Anti-Malware\mbamservice.exe
• C:\Program Files (x86)\Malwarebytes Anti-Malware \mbamscheduler.exe

Note: If you are using a software firewall besides the built in Windows Firewall, you'll need to exclude MBAM.EXE, MBAMSERVICE.EXE and MBAMRESEARCH.EXE from it, as well.

Note: Once that's done, please make sure that if either of those programs has any sort of web filter, that you add the following as a trusted site:

data-cdn.mbamupdates.com

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello Marilyn,

Our software does co-exist fine with BitDefender.  

This is a handy reference page at BitDefender Support:
How to add exclusions (exceptions) in Bitdefender 2015

 

 

If after doing the trust exclusions, and rebooting the system, you still run into the same issue with vsserv then let us know.

 

The other thing to keep in mind, that it is quite likely that ZoneAlarm did not fully remove all of its components  ( IF that is what was used before _ on this PC.   What previous antivirus was installed on this machine ?

 

If used, it might be needed to use a special cleanup ( removal tool) to fully remove traces of the old A-V.
 

[Marylin37]

Thank you both for your kind responses.

 

This was a completely new machine that I only got back in July this year and Malwarebytes & Bitdefender are the only two security programs I have used on it to date.   My only reason for mentioning Zonealarm was because my past experience with that had shown me that MBAM can co-exist alongside another security suite so the advice I received from Bitdefender to get rid of MBAM Premium I felt was over the top and unnecessary.

 

I'm very grateful for your advice about the exclusions.   Once I've tried them I'll post back and let you know how I get on.

[garioch7]

Marylin37:

 

As Daledoc stated, I am a long-time Bitdefender user.  I have configured the recommended exclusions for both Bitdefender and MBAM Premium (and MBAE Premium).  All three play very nicely together in the same sandbox.  I have three computers here running that configuration, and I also look after the computers of a number of friends, who are also running BD, MBAM, and MBAE simultaneously.

 

I think the "policy" at most major anti-virus vendors is to not "guarantee" compatibility with anti-malware products, but I think the reality is that the reputable companies work together, behind the scenes, to ensure a reasonable level of compatibility and protection.

 

Just my two cents.  I definitely would not turn off the MBAM real-time protection.  Better to stop an infection at the outset, rather than try to clean it out afterwards and deal with whatever havoc it wrecked on your computer programs and data.

 

Have a great day.

 

Regards,

-Phil

[Marylin37]

Thanks everyone for your kind and very helpful advice which has cured the problem.

 

I quite agree in that I couldn't see any reason why Malwarebytes real-time protection couldn't run happily alongside Bitdefender so I was a bit concerned about the advice I got from their forum to uninstall MBAM Premium.

 

Now that I have configured the exclusions as per your kind instructions above the issue appears to be solved so I now also have BD, MBAM and MBAE all running together happily.

 

Since the error showed up in Bitdefender I have also posted the solution on their forum for other BD users.

 

Thank you all again very much for your very kind and helpful replies.

[garioch7]

Marylin37:

 

You are most welcome, on behalf of Malwarebyes.org.  Glad to hear that you got everything sorted out.

 

daledoc1 does amazing work on this Forum helping users and has been doing so for years, as you can tell from her post count ... and even so, I still misspelled her name in my previous post and forgot the final "1".  Please pardon me, daledoc1.  Nothing worse than getting someone's name wrong!  I knew better than that.

 

Have a great day.

 

Regards,

-Phil