Can't run Malwarebytes

[Labbe]

I've installed the program from "mb3-setup-consumer-3.7.1.2839-1.0.563-1.0.10064.exe" without problem or warning. But since I run it, I immediately get the message "Unable to connect the service".

My OS is Windows10 64bit 1809. I tried to uninstall re-install several times without success. I have Avast free installed but it don't seem to be involved. Have anyone an idea?

[Malwarebytes]

***This is an automated reply***

Hi,

Thanks for posting in the Malwarebytes 3 Help forum.

 

If you are having technical issues with our Windows product, please do the following: 

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If you haven’t already done so, please run the Malwarebytes Support Tool and then attach the logs in your next reply:

NOTE: The tools and the information obtained is safe and not harmful to your privacy or your computer, please allow the programs to run if blocked by your system.

1. Download Malwarebytes Support Tool
2. Once the file is downloaded, open your Downloads folder/location of the downloaded file
3. Double-click mb-support-X.X.X.XXXX.exe to run the program
   • You may be prompted by User Account Control (UAC) to allow changes to be made to your computer. Click Yes to consent.
4. Place a checkmark next to Accept License Agreement and click Next
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7. Click the Gather Logs button
   
    
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[exile360]

Greetings,

Please do the following to see if it corrects the issue:

1. Download and run the Malwarebytes Support Tool
2. Accept the EULA and click Advanced tab on the left (not Start Repair)
3. Click the Clean button, and allow it to restart your system and then reinstall Malwarebytes, either by allowing the tool to do so when it offers to on restart, or by downloading and installing the latest version from here
   

If the problem still persists then please do the following so that we may take a look at what is going on with your Malwarebytes installation and hopefully find a solution:

1. Run the Malwarebytes Support Tool
2. Accept the EULA and click Advanced tab on the left (not Start Repair)
3. Click the Gather Logs button, and once it completes, attach the zip file it creates on your desktop to your next reply
   

Please let us know how it goes and provide the requested logs if the problem continues.

Thanks

[Labbe]

I followed the suggestion by exile360. Repeat the Clean and reinstall procedure twice with with reboot after the 1rst with no success. Tried to uninstall Malwarebytes with Iobit uninstaller and clean registry with "Iobit advanced system care". Running "Regedit" shows 3 keys related to mbam.exe that are impossible to delete. Then I reinstall Malwarebytes with the same error message.Then I ran Support tool Gather logs. Here is attached the result. 

I have to mention that this problem occured when I tried to install an update of Malwarebytes. Six months ago it was running well. Since I do not run Malwarebytes everyday I don't know when the trouble started. The only main recent change on my system is the installation of Win10 ver 1809 4 months ago.

mbst-grab-results.zip

[exile360]

Thanks, the logs show that the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) service is not running.  It's a critical component of the Windows OS and is needed for Malwarebytes to be able to run and function properly along with many other programs and system components that also depend on it.

To fix the issue, please open the Services control interface by clicking START and typing services.msc and pressing Enter
In the Services window, scroll down the list until you find Windows Management Instrumentation and double-click on it
Make certain the Startup type: is set to Automatic, and if it isn't, set it to Automatic via the provided drop-down menu then click Apply and click the Start button to start the service.

If that failed or the Windows Management Instrumentation service was not listed, proceed with the following:

Tweaking.com Windows Repair All-in-One

• Download Tweaking.com Windows Repair from here and install it or if you would prefer, you may instead download and extract the portable version from here
• Once installed or extracted, launch Repair_Windows.exe
• Click on the Repairs - Main tab
• Click on the Open Repairs button
• Once it displays the list of repairs, click the checkbox next to All Repairs so that everything listed is UNCHECKED
• Now, click the checkbox next to Repair WMI so that it is checked
• Click on the Start Repairs button at the bottom
• Once it completes, allow it to restart your system
  

Once that's done, see if Malwarebytes now works properly.

[Labbe]

OK exile360, the issue is fixed with Tweaking.com Windows Repair.

Thank you very much for your help.

Malwarebytes now shows PUP from IObit , "advanced system care"  and "driver booster". A little bit surprising, I thought that IObit was a reliable software publisher, recommended by several computer magazines.

[exile360]

Those items are marked as PUP for a couple of reasons, mainly because in general Malwarebytes will detect most driver updaters and system performance booster programs.  If you use these programs and wish to keep them then simply perform a Threat scan with Malwarebytes using the Scan Now button on the Dashboard in Malwarebytes then once the scan completes, click the empty checkbox at the top left of the results list to clear all the checkboxes next to all of the detections and click Next and when prompted on what to do with the remaining detections select the option to always ignore them and they will all be added to your exclusions list in Malwarebytes so that those items will no longer be detected by future scans or real-time protection.

As for why they are detected, you'll likely find the following info to be informative:

https://www.malwarebytes.com/pup/
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/malwarebytes-news/2016/10/malwarebytes-gets-tougher-on-pups/
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/cybercrime/2015/06/digital-snake-oil/
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/cybercrime/2015/06/driver-updaters-digital-snake-oil-part-2/
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/cybercrime/2015/07/pup-makers-digital-snake-oil-part-3/
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/threats/registry-cleaner/
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/puppum/2016/12/why-malwarebytes-detects-pc-pitstop-as-potentially-unwanted/
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/malwarebytes-news/2017/11/winning-the-battle-against-pups-on-your-computer-and-in-u-s-district-court/
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/puppum/2016/07/pup-friday-cleaning-up-with-5-star-awards/
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/puppum/2016/08/systweak-redux-our-response/

Regarding legal precedent, please refer to the following articles which cite two cases involving Malwarebytes and vendors blocked as PUP:

https://blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/2017/11/section-230c2-protects-anti-malware-vendor-enigma-v-malwarebytes.htm
https://blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/2018/09/section-230-helps-malware-vendor-avoid-liability-for-blocking-decision-pc-drivers-v-malwarebytes.htm

The following links should also prove informative as to why many items are classified as PUP by Malwarebytes:

https://decentsecurity.com/#/registry-cleaners/
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2563254/microsoft-support-policy-for-the-use-of-registry-cleaning-utilities
https://www.howtogeek.com/171633/why-using-a-registry-cleaner-wont-speed-up-your-pc-or-fix-crashes/
https://www.howtogeek.com/162683/pc-cleaning-apps-are-a-scam-heres-why-and-how-to-speed-up-your-pc/
https://lifehacker.com/5482701/whats-the-registry-should-i-clean-it-and-whats-the-point
https://lifehacker.com/5033518/debunking-common-windows-performance-tweaking-myths
https://www.howtogeek.com/198758/never-download-a-driver-updating-utility-theyre-worse-than-useless/
https://www.howtogeek.com/233115/the-only-way-to-safely-update-your-hardware-drivers-on-windows/
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1857635/good-free-automatic-driver-updater.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1974868/trusted-driver-updater.html
https://www.howtogeek.com/172839/10-types-of-system-tools-and-optimization-programs-you-dont-need-on-windows/
https://computer.howstuffworks.com/question1751.htm
https://lifehacker.com/5415355/do-you-really-need-more-than-4gb-of-ram
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/memory-module-upgrade,2264.html
https://www.howtogeek.com/128130/htg-explains-why-its-good-that-your-computers-ram-is-full/
https://techlogon.com/2011/03/28/will-more-ram-memory-make-my-computer-faster/

[Porthos]

3 hours ago, Labbe said:

recommended by several computer magazines.

Mag's will recommend ANYTHING they are PAID to recommend.

[David H. Lipman]

                            

31 minutes ago, Porthos said:

Mag's will recommend ANYTHING they are PAID to recommend.