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Questions regarding installing and removing


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Hello!

First I'd like to thank you for this wonderful program. I had an issue with system, had to clean install and put all apps back. But I ran into (likely neurotic) problem.

When I was installing from the downloaded file, everything was good. Then I dropped the file into trash bin and tried to delete it. Mac said it was in use so I let it be. But I thought installation was over. Was it just system using it like it sometimes does when I fail to delete some files and need to wait?

Or was installation process still running?

My main questions are these:

1) Is it possible to disturb installation process of Malwarebytes so that it does install, seemingly works, but it does not detect some threats due to internal error?

 

2) If such possibility exist, should I uninstall it and re-install? In this case I have question - if I un-install it, would something remain and re-installing instead makes things worse than program will become defected, not detecting potential threats?

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  • Staff

It sounds like you simply didn't "eject" the disk image after installing. There should be an item on your desktop or in the sidebar of any Finder window named Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. Select that item and choose Eject "Malwarebytes Anti-Malware" from the File menu to eject it.

If you can't figure out how to do that, just restart the computer and that will take care of it.

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I'm almost sure I did eject disk image itself, yet the dmg file in trash bin refused to be deleted... Weird.
But if I did not eject it (never can be sure of my memory) should I uninstall and re-install it? Would such "pull here, push there" with Malwarebytes cause issues later?

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As long as the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware app was successfully copied into Applications, there will be no issues later. There's no install process, per se... just the Finder copying the app from the disk image to your hard drive. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac takes care of installing anything that needs to be installed the first time you open it.

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  • 3 months later...

Hello!

 

I had something similar. Disk image ejected from desktop, put disk image (downloaded file) in trash and it just won't delete. I got a bit worried I damaged something or it was still extracting app from disk image. But if app file was already sitting on desktop, then the extracting process was complete? I mean, if it was still extracting, no way it would allow me to move disk image into trash bin? And extracting process should finish in seconds?

 

I put app into Applications Folder, it works and it later allowed me to delete disk image from trash bin. If Malwarebytes works when I open it from App Folder, it can't have any inner damage and will function 100% and not miss single malicious file in its database?

Basically, if Malwarebytes opens when I click on it in Applications Folder, it is fully functional and not damaged due to my clumsy handling?

 

Other curious question I had was - could Malwarebytes get infected by malware?

a) system is already infected before downloading Malwarebytes?

b) system gets infected after downloading Malwarebytes?

 

Edited by Haszell
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Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac cannot be infected with malware, because doing so would invalidate the app's code signature.

Sometimes, the Finder is slow to eject disks or disk images, and a disk image file cannot be deleted until it has been "ejected." I imagine that's all that happened here.

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6 hours ago, treed said:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac cannot be infected with malware, because doing so would invalidate the app's code signature.

Sometimes, the Finder is slow to eject disks or disk images, and a disk image file cannot be deleted until it has been "ejected." I imagine that's all that happened here.

 

Thank you for quick reply!

So Malwarebytes is safe from being infected - really nice tool

I know I ejected the disk image and the disk symbol disappeared from desk so I assumed disk image was ejected. So it likely stayed in memory and when I put the dmg file (the downloaded file where I got Malwarebytes app from) into trash, system refused to delete it due to the situation You mentioned? And this kind of situation would not any way hurt Malwarebytes?

As long as app runs when opened, it is fully functional and won't miss anything?

Sorry for being so clarifying - I was taught to treat tech like Chinese porcelain. :D

Edited by Haszell
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14 minutes ago, treed said:

I don't know what might have happened, but if Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac is running correctly, I wouldn't worry about it.

It opens, it seems to update, it seems to scan - in this case, thing's are cool and likelihood it won't detect something due to internal error are zero?

Malwarebytes won't get infected or damaged, but if it would, it would stop functioning completely - basically, any internal error would mean it will not work at all and would be very obvious?

Edited by Haszell
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7 hours ago, treed said:

That's correct.

On 25.10.2016 at 9:33 PM, Quantain said:

 

2) If such possibility exist, should I uninstall it and re-install? In this case I have question - if I un-install it, would something remain and re-installing instead makes things worse than program will become defected, not detecting potential threats?

 

 

I was re-reading it to make sure I understood everything and OP's comment caught my eye. I actually had at first same idea to just re-do, but then thought it was either stupid or could do something worse.

In such cases where installation file won't delete for some time or something seems to freeze for a bit (but program seems to function fine - opens when clicked from Application Folder, seems to scan, update etc, do what it is said to do), would it be useless and just plain neurotic to uninstall Malwarebytes (or any app) out of fear that something is wrong and then re-install right away?

In this case, as long as Malwarebytes runs when double clicked from App Folder, it is functional and no need to go and remove it and install again out of fear that MAYBE something went wrong? That's just stupid, right?

I've had times when I imagine something went wrong during installation, but app seemingly works and then I keep thinking - what if something inside broke and could be security risk... should I go and uninstall it and then re-install.

Edited by Haszell
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1 hour ago, treed said:

I think you're over-thinking this... :) As long as the app is working, there's no reason to be worried about this.

Thank you for suffering through my whining, Thomas. :D

 

I'm used to machines where one tiny detail could be damaged a bit and nothing at first seems to be broken, but machine itself will not work properly later or do something wrong that isn't visible at first glance. Hence my questioning. :)

I immediately applied this logic to Apps and started thinking: if installer app was still open and I put it into trash and tried to delete it, did it cause any issue to app itself? How sensitive are apps - would such deleting attempt cause some damage to them? So that they visibly work, but lack some function or weaken them (not finding malicious file while opening and running)?

So I can forget this line of thinking, because if App opens when double clicked on it from Applications Folder, it works in every other way as well and there is no need to uninstall and re-install? This old man just has to change his thinking, yes? :D

 

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5 hours ago, Haszell said:

Thank you for suffering through my whining, Thomas. :D

 

I'm used to machines where one tiny detail could be damaged a bit and nothing at first seems to be broken, but machine itself will not work properly later or do something wrong that isn't visible at first glance. Hence my questioning. :)

I immediately applied this logic to Apps and started thinking: if installer app was still open and I put it into trash and tried to delete it, did it cause any issue to app itself? How sensitive are apps - would such deleting attempt cause some damage to them? So that they visibly work, but lack some function or weaken them (not finding malicious file while opening and running)?

So I can forget this line of thinking, because if App opens when double clicked on it from Applications Folder, it works in every other way as well and there is no need to uninstall and re-install? This old man just has to change his thinking, yes? :D

 

 

To sum up:

My situation:

Downloaded .dmg file to the Downloads folder in user (Administrator) account.

Double clicked that .dmg file and it opened on the desktop as a simulated drive.

Dragged the MalwareBytes icon at the left side of the folder window to the Applications alias on the right and then let go of the mouse button. Just maybe I did drop it to desktop first, but I have habit of following instructions and therefore it very likely went straight into Applications folder.

Then closed the window. Then right clicked the virtual drive and chose "eject" . Then it disappeared. And then I dragged the dmg file into trash. Tried to delete it and it didn't let me. I think Mac said it was in use. It allowed me to delete it some times later.

 

Potential conclusion:

Mac OS simply refused to release item that was already closed. Just system doing system things and no damage was done to App itself as it was separated from dmg file the moment I extracted it?

Downloaded .dmg file just staying in OS's memory for a bit, not affecting extracted app itself?

 

I just have this need to always get to the bottom of things. :D

 

Edited by Haszell
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  • 2 weeks later...

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