MBAM Premium and MSE conflict on Win 7 Pro - system freezes

[LAVA]

Just now, LAVA said:

 

(Also attn: DCOLLINS)

We have two older Win7 machines running with MBAM 3.6.1 and Defender:  Windows Pro 7.1 and Ultimate 7.1  no updates since 2016. (MBAM Premium licenses)

Our newest box, with fresh up-to-date installation of Enterprise 7.1 (updates), is the box that keeps freezing/hanging. (MBAM Trial, waiting to transfer 1 license)

Will report back on Windows 8.1 Enterprise systems when I return to work.  No, we do not use Win10 on anything.

Critical info I forgot to mention:

The two older machines (no Win7 updates since 2016) do not hang or freeze... it's only the new box with fresh Win7 install/updates which hangs.

[dcollins]

If you are experiencing this issue, can you please try the following:

1. Remove Malwarebytes 3
2. Install the Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit Beta
3. Use your computer as normal for awhile and see if the freeze happens again

Please respond to let us know if the freeze does/doesn't happen so we can rule out these changes. While we've gotten reports that disabling Web Protection solves the issue, current logs are pointing to Anti-Exploit potentially being part of the problem as well.

[LAVA]

24 minutes ago, dcollins said:

If you are experiencing this issue, can you please try the following:

1. Remove Malwarebytes 3
2. Install the Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit Beta
3. Use your computer as normal for awhile and see if the freeze happens again

Please respond to let us know if the freeze does/doesn't happen so we can rule out these changes. While we've gotten reports that disabling Web Protection solves the issue, current logs are pointing to Anti-Exploit potentially being part of the problem as well.

 

FYI, my previous freezes have occurred randomly: everything from typing login user/pass, to 3 minutes afterward, or 8 hours later (and everywhere in between).

Inactivity or idleness seems to increase likelihood... on 12/29 machine was actively used for 7+ hours without a crash; then, after sitting for 15 minutes, it froze.

I have installed the above file (MBAE beta) and will report back if the machine freezes, or 24 hours if no freeze.  (I removed 3.6.1 two days ago, no hangs since.)

[boatnik]

I not even going to reactivate mine until they fix this issue. windows 7 premium with Norton. It sounds like they December windows update clashed with malware premium

[COBKA]

5 minutes ago, boatnik said:

I not even going to reactivate mine until they fix this issue. windows 7 premium with Norton. It sounds like they December windows update clashed with malware premium

 

I am not discounting that as a possibility but some users here were reporting freezing problems prior to installing the December windows update apparently although in my case it happened for the first time the day after installing the WU.

[boatnik]

I reloaded all updates and no problems till I installed malware premium again.

[LAVA]

18 hours ago, dcollins said:

If you are experiencing this issue, can you please try the following:

1. Remove Malwarebytes 3
2. Install the Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit Beta
3. Use your computer as normal for awhile and see if the freeze happens again

Please respond to let us know if the freeze does/doesn't happen so we can rule out these changes. While we've gotten reports that disabling Web Protection solves the issue, current logs are pointing to Anti-Exploit potentially being part of the problem as well.

 

Okay Devin, I've got some very interesting results & info on this test with Anti-Exploit Beta. 

At first, no problems... the machine in question --Dell T3610, fresh install of Win 7.1 Enterprise x64, recent updates-- ran for hours without issue (prior to shutdown for the night).  Then, this morning 1/3/2019, a few minutes after boot/login, the mouse froze.  However, I am able to use the keyboard and do "ctrl-alt-del" to logout or use the Windows key to manipulate the Start menu, etc.

The mouse is a cordless USB Logitech. Now here's the interesting part: if I switch off the mouse battery and turn it back on, the mouse will work for a few seconds and then freeze up again after a few seconds.  It will do this consistently.  After rebooting, the mouse froze again during login.  Keyboard is still accessible.

And just in case you're wondering, I've used the same mouse/USB transceiver on a different system with absolutely -no- problems, so it's not the mouse.

By turning the mouse on/off several times, I was able to reach the Programs and Features menu and remove the MBAE Beta.  Presto!  No more problem.

Note this is not the same behavior as before. With a full install of 3.6.1  nothing would work and the machine required a forced power off via the button.

Hope this helps.

[LiquidTension]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for sharing your feedback with us! We're working hard towards finding a solution for this issue.

It'd be very helpful if the following instructions could be carried out on machines exhibiting the freeze/lock up. This will provide data on the state of the processes running up until the system freeze and help us track down the source of the issue.

• Please download PSList.zip using the link below.
  → https://malwarebytes.box.com/shared/static/jrbrzr4rpbu4rlstl4abq0ghglg24hov.zip
• Open your Downloads folder. Right-click  PSList.zip and click Extract All.... Ensure Show extracted files when complete is checked and click Extract.
• A folder will open. Open the PSList folder inside. Right-click PSList64.bat (use PSList.bat if you are running 32-bit Windows) and click Run as administrator.
• Note: If you are prompted by Windows SmartScreen, click More info followed by Run anyway.
• A black console window will appear. Each second, a new text file will be written to the extracted PSList folder. 
• Please leave the console window open and wait for the machine to freeze/lock up.
• Once the machine has locked up, force a restart.
• After the machine has restarted, right-click the extracted PSList folder and click Send to followed by Compressed (Zipped) folder.
• Name the Zip file PSList-Output. Please attach PSList-Output.zip to a forum post.

[LAVA]

DCOLLINS:

Following my previous report/test... I'm still getting a frozen mouse after removal of Anti-Exploit Beta. 

Did the above file leave 'remnants' in the system folders or Registry?  As my system is now unstable...

[LiquidTension]

5 minutes ago, LAVA said:

DCOLLINS:

Following my previous report/test... I'm still getting a frozen mouse after removal of Anti-Exploit Beta. 

Did the above file leave 'remnants' in the system folders or Registry?  As my system is now unstable...

Hi LAVA,

Uninstallation of the standalone Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit Beta typically removes all file system/registry items.

If you're concerned items have been leftover, you can use our Malwarebytes Support Tool to perform a clean removal.

Malwarebytes Support Tool (MBST) Clean Uninstall

• Please download MBST using the link below:
  → http://downloads.malwarebytes.com/file/mbst
• Once the file is downloaded, open your Downloads folder or the location of the downloaded file.
• Double-click mb-support-#.#.#.###.exe to run the program.
• Click the Advanced menu on the left. Please do not click Start Repair.
• Click the Clean button followed by Yes to proceed.
• Upon completion, click OK to reboot your computer.
• After the reboot, please wait for the program to reopen.
• You will be presented with the option to reinstall Malwarebytes for Windows. Click No.

Edited January 3, 2019 by LiquidTension

[LAVA]

50 minutes ago, LiquidTension said:

Hi LAVA,

Uninstallation of the standalone Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit Beta typically removes all file system/registry items.

If you're concerned items have been leftover, you can use our Malwarebytes Support Tool to perform a clean removal.

Malwarebytes Support Tool (MBST) Clean Uninstall

• Please download MBST using the link below:
  → http://downloads.malwarebytes.com/file/mbst
• Once the file is downloaded, open your Downloads folder or the location of the downloaded file.
• Double-click mb-support-#.#.#.###.exe to run the program.
• Click the Advanced menu on the left. Please do not click Start Repair.
• Click the Clean button followed by Yes to proceed.
• Upon completion, click OK to reboot your computer.
• After the reboot, please wait for the program to reopen.
• You will be presented with the option to reinstall Malwarebytes for Windows. Click No.

 

Okay, let's backtrack a bit.  l must retract my 'mouse-freeze' report from this morning (1/3/2018).  I found an anomaly, and retested via wired mouse.

The cordless mouse has a 'unifying' transceiver.  I've -reset- that mouse/transceiver link and fixed that issue.  No mouse freezing with either mouse.

THEREFORE, my 24 hour test of Anti-Exploit Beta file did not result in any symptoms... the hang/freeze problem with 3.6.1 is elsewhere (in my case).

The original problem with the full version of MBAM 3.6.1 also occurred using a different mouse, so that issue is reconfirmed (freeze, forced reboot).

[LiquidTension]

7 minutes ago, LAVA said:

Okay, let's backtrack a bit.  l must retract my 'mouse-freeze' report from this morning (1/3/2018).  I found an anomaly, and retested via wired mouse.

The cordless mouse has a 'unifying' transceiver.  I've -reset- that mouse/transceiver link and fixed that issue.  No mouse freezing with either mouse.

THEREFORE, my 24 hour test of Anti-Exploit Beta file did not result in any symptoms... the hang/freeze problem with 3.6.1 is elsewhere (in my case).

The original problem with the full version of MBAM 3.6.1 also occurred using a different mouse, so that issue is reconfirmed (freeze, forced reboot).

Thank you for sharing your findings. We believe the Web Protection component in Malwarebytes for Windows 3.6.1 (CU 1.0.508) is part of the system lock ups/freezing issue.

Earlier versions of Malwarebytes for Windows do not exhibit the issue. You have the option of installing the previous version from here: https://malwarebytes.box.com/s/xq78v2de2k893g1h41upzbtqmsc6t375

Once installed, navigate to Settings -> Application and turn off the, "Automatically download and install application component updates" setting to prevent the program from upgrading to the latest affected version.

[LighteningSam]

For my 2 cents. I don't think it is related to MSE or any other antivirus. And for those surprised that you can run MSE with Malwarebytes, we've been doing it for years on Win 7 machines and Defender on Win 10 machines. They work very well together. Someone said one of the computers they were using didn't have Win updates installed for over a year, so that would probably rule out a current (around the end of November since we had them start freezing at the end of November) WIN OS update. I am guessing an update/bug in Chrome or MBAM.

This has to be a hard one since the freeze is so random. At first, I thought it was a hardware problem. The motherboard that I was using stopped updating BIOS and drivers on their website so I assumed there was some conflict. I had 3 computers with the same motherboard. So I started replacing one motherboard, BUT, I ALSO upgraded to WIN 10 at the same time and freeze went away. At this point I knew of 2 computers freezing with the same motherboard then the 3rd one showed up as freezing. I isolated the other two by removing everything that was non-essential (including MBAM) and it went away.

[JoseM]

On 1/3/2019 at 11:14 PM, LiquidTension said:

Thank you for sharing your findings. We believe the Web Protection component in Malwarebytes for Windows 3.6.1 (CU 1.0.508) is part of the system lock ups/freezing issue.

Earlier versions of Malwarebytes for Windows do not exhibit the issue. You have the option of installing the previous version from here: https://malwarebytes.box.com/s/xq78v2de2k893g1h41upzbtqmsc6t375

Once installed, navigate to Settings -> Application and turn off the, "Automatically download and install application component updates" setting to prevent the program from upgrading to the latest affected version. 

1.0.482  works fine no issues for me

[LiquidTension]

On 1/4/2019 at 11:43 PM, LighteningSam said:

For my 2 cents. I don't think it is related to MSE or any other antivirus. And for those surprised that you can run MSE with Malwarebytes, we've been doing it for years on Win 7 machines and Defender on Win 10 machines. They work very well together. Someone said one of the computers they were using didn't have Win updates installed for over a year, so that would probably rule out a current (around the end of November since we had them start freezing at the end of November) WIN OS update. I am guessing an update/bug in Chrome or MBAM.

This has to be a hard one since the freeze is so random. At first, I thought it was a hardware problem. The motherboard that I was using stopped updating BIOS and drivers on their website so I assumed there was some conflict. I had 3 computers with the same motherboard. So I started replacing one motherboard, BUT, I ALSO upgraded to WIN 10 at the same time and freeze went away. At this point I knew of 2 computers freezing with the same motherboard then the 3rd one showed up as freezing. I isolated the other two by removing everything that was non-essential (including MBAM) and it went away.

We've seen a wide variety of installed Anti-Virus (AV) software (with many users not having one installed at all). At this point, we don't suspect it's AV-related. We are looking into a potential correlation between certain network adapters and Malwarebytes for Windows 3.6.1 CU 1.0.508. 

Which network adapters does your computer have? To check:

• Press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard at the same time. Type devmgmt.msc and click OK.
• Expand Network adapters.

Edited January 7, 2019 by LiquidTension

[LiquidTension]

7 hours ago, JoseM said:

1.0.482  works fine no issues for me

Thanks for confirming!

[LiquidTension]

Hi everyone,

We have a new pinned topic on the issue that contains known information, current workarounds and steps for providing troubleshooting information:
https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/241223-malwarebytes-for-windows-and-windows-7-freezelock-up/

We'll be closing most of the open topics on this issue and consolidating all on-going discussion into a single discussion topic:
https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/240530-another-windows-7-x64-freeze-after-the-10508-update

Please use the topic linked above for further discussion.

Thanks again to everyone for providing feedback on the issue.