Malwarebytes Crashes

[JoelS]

For about a month, I have been getting messages that Malwarebytes web protection is turned off. When I try to turn it on, it will not turn on. The computer has to be restarted. I have also been getting Blue Screens of Death. I have scanned the computer with Malwarebytes, AdwCleaner, Kaspersky, Windows Defender, and Sophos. Of these, only Sophos detected anything at all; a PUP called Softonic.

 

First, Malwarebytes is, according to Malwarebytes, supposed to detect Softonic. So it's really disturbing to find that it isn't.

 

Second, any suggestions as to what to do? 

 

Thanks. 

[AdvancedSetup]

Hello @JoelS

More than likely all that was found was a left over trace of a registry entry or file, folder entry that was benign.

Let me have you run the following, if Malwarebytes crashes just move on to step 2 and 3 please.

 

Please run the following steps and post back the logs as an attachment when ready.

STEP 01

• If you're already running Malwarebytes 3 then open Malwarebytes and check for updates. Then click on the Scan tab and select Threat Scan and click on Start Scan button.
• If you don't have Malwarebytes 3 installed yet please download it from here and install it.
• Once installed then open Malwarebytes and check for updates. Then click on the Scan tab and select Threat Scan and click on Start Scan button.
• Once the scan is completed click on the Export Summary button and save the file as a Text file to your desktop or other location you can find, and attach that log on your next reply.
• If Malwarebytes won't run then please skip to the next step and let me know on your next reply.

STEP 02

Please download AdwCleaner by Malwarebytes and save the file to your Desktop.

• Right-click on the program and select Run as Administrator to start the tool.
• Accept the Terms of use.
• Wait until the database is updated.
• Click Scan.
• When finished, please click Clean.
• Your PC should reboot now if any items were found.
• After reboot, a log file will be opened. Copy its content into your next reply.

STEP 03
Please download the Farbar Recovery Scan Tool and save it to your desktop.

Note: You need to run the version compatible with your system. You can check here if you're not sure if your computer is 32-bit or 64-bit

• Double-click to run it. When the tool opens, click Yes to disclaimer.
• Press the Scan button.
• It will make a log (FRST.txt) in the same directory the tool is run. Please attach it to your reply.
• The first time the tool is run, it also makes another log (Addition.txt). If you've, run the tool before you need to place a check mark here.
• Please attach the Additions.txt log to your reply as well.

 

Thanks

Ron

 

[JoelS]

Please don't dismiss this as traces of an old piece of malware. There is a real problem with MalwareBytes crashing. The version is current and the machine is scanned daily, and the settings should detect PUPs. The most recent report is attached. 

MalwareBytes Report-11-30-17.txt

[JoelS]

Also, as mentioned above, I had run AdwCleaner. Nothing was found. But I repeated it. This is attached.

AdwCleaner[C0].txt

[JoelS]

I have not previously done the Farbar, so thanks for this. Here are the requested files.

Addition.txt

FRST.txt

[JoelS]

Finally, I should note that the same problem (Malwarebytes crashing) has now occurred on a second computer.  When I am able, I will go through this sequence with that computer. Perhaps we will find something there. 

[AdvancedSetup]

Hi @JoelS

Not dismissing the crashing issue. Just saying the Softonic is more than likely just a left over element, or Malwarebytes is crashing before it can find and clean it. Checking your logs and will get back to you later today.

Thanks

Ron

 

[JoelS]

MBytes log from second computer (also suffering unexplained stoppages of Web Protection) attached.

MBytes report#2-11-30-17.txt

[JoelS]

AdwCleaner log from second computer attached

AdwCleaner[C0].txt

[JoelS]

Farbar logs for computer#2.

Addition.txt

FRST.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

Can you please follow the directions form this post and update to the latest beta build which has some fixes for the protection modules.

Once installed and updated please reboot the computer and let me know how it goes.

Thanks

Ron

 

[JoelS]

Ron, I tried the Components Update on Computer #1. I had two blue screen crashes thereafter. After the second, Malwarebytes and my antivirus suite did not come up. I had to restart again. Could this represent a conflict? I have Malwarebytes on a brief delay, since I have had some problems there before.

 

I have not yet observed another crash of MBytes after startup, however.

 

I scanned again using Sophos. This time, aside from tracking cookies, the only thing it came up with as suspicious was Farbar (FRST64.exe).  Just to be thorough, I ran AdwCleaner. Nothing. 

 

Anything further from looking at the logs from Computer #2? 

Edited December 3, 2017 by JoelS

[AdvancedSetup]

Don't see any smoking gun so to speak to cause this.

Let's do the following and see if that makes any difference.

Uninstall both your Kaspersky antivirus and Malwarebytes.

Reboot

Run the computer for a day using the builtin Windows Defender antivirus and see if there are any BSOD still.

If all looks good, no issues noticed then reinstall Malwarebytes 3 and see if there are any issues still and let me know.

Ron

 

 

 

[JoelS]

Quote

Uninstall both your Kaspersky antivirus and Malwarebytes.

This does not seem very safe. But I will see what I can do. 

[AdvancedSetup]

You're running Windows 10 which has Defender built-in and it is a very good antivirus so it won't be unprotected while we work on your issue.

 

[JoelS]

Ron, I have been very hesitant to rely on just Defender. So--forgive me-- I haven't done as suggested, hoping that somehow I could solve the problem in another way. I also did not have blue screen crashes from Dec. 7th until Dec. 13th.  So, even if I had turned off everything except Defender, we would have gotten a false sense that the problem had been solved. 

 

Last night I had a BSOD  listing Clock_watchdog Timeout as the cause. Following instructions on the WIndows Forum, I ran Driver Verifier. This turned up as a Driver Verifier Error MBAM Chameleon.sys.  

 

Could this be the problem? MBAM updates every day, so it should be current (it's 3.3.1).  

 

If we really can't resolve this otherwise, I'll wrap up my work for the year, and try running with just Defender. But if I have to do this, I really will have to be looking at alternatives for system protection. 

Edited December 13, 2017 by JoelS

[AdvancedSetup]

Hi Joel,

If it was the driver alone then we'd have about 10 million users here complaining and having a BSOD. I was simply trying isolate out possible issues.

I would recommend you post here and follow their directions and they can help you to actually analyze a BSOD cause.

https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/170037-blue-screen-of-death-bsod-posting-instructions-windows-10-81-8-7-vista/

Thanks

Ron

 

[JoelS]

I followed your instructions and successfully ran PerfMon and Sysnative. When I got to the link for posting results from these, I get a message that the page does not exist. What PerfMon said was that a service had stopped ungracefully, resulting in a third of events not being logged in the event log. 

Edited December 16, 2017 by JoelS

[AdvancedSetup]

Please post in that forum and let them know. They can provide you with further assistance.

Thanks

Ron