Malwarebytes Tray on Server 2012R2 says wlanapi.dll is missing

[AlexLeadingEdge]

Hi guys,

Logging into a Windows Server 2012R2 I am greeted with an error message saying the Malwarebytes Tray has crashed:

mbam.exe System Error

The program can't start because wlanapi.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.

The services are still running, but I can't access the Malwarebytes Tray.

Reinstalling Malwarebytes doesn't fix the error.

The only patches that have installed recenty were install three days ago, and are listed here:

KB4556401
KB4484384
KB4556846
KB890830

Any ideas as to why Malwarebytes has stopped working?

[Malwarebytes]

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[tetonbob]

@AlexLeadingEdge - thanks for your report. We do have a defect filed for this issue which should be resolved in an upcoming release.

As a workaround you can install the Wireless LAN Service.

In an admin powershell, run the following command and press Enter to install Wireless LAN Service. A reboot will be required.
 Install-WindowsFeature Wireless-Networking

 

[AlexLeadingEdge]

Hi tetonbob,

Thanks for your quick reply. This server is a terminal server and has no wireless devices, hence why the server role hasn't been added.

How long until this issue is repaired? A rough estimate is fine. I would rather not add overhead by adding services that are not necessary.

Will Malwarebytes Premium update automatically if the service is running in the background, even if the tray is not able to start?

[exile360]

44 minutes ago, AlexLeadingEdge said:

Will Malwarebytes Premium update automatically if the service is running in the background, even if the tray is not able to start?

Greetings,

Unfortunately it likely won't.  Additionally, whenever a new version is released it is metered out to customers gradually over time so your best bet would be to manually check for updates frequently or monitor the forums here for news on releases.

[tetonbob]

Hi @AlexLeadingEdge - Great questions and I understand why you would not want to install an unnecessary service on a terminal server.

If all goes well in testing, we should have the Component Package this fix will be part of, released by the end of this month. It will be in Beta sooner than that. I can't give an exact date.

As long as the service is running, Malwarebytes Premium will update automatically once the new CU is shipped.

We typically meter our releases, so not everyone will get them at the same time. Also, update check time frames are specific to the machine, and on a regular basis for that machine. So it could take some time to see it automatically update even after the release.

Protection services are still running, but you won't be able to access the UI or tray until the issue is resolved.

 

Edited June 17, 2020 by tetonbob

[Porthos]

52 minutes ago, AlexLeadingEdge said:

Will Malwarebytes Premium

Also just to add,

I am sorry to inform you that Malwarebytes Premium (stand alone) is not supported on any server OS and is also against the EULA as well.

I know you are going to say that it has always worked but it has never been supported for Server Operating Systems.

  Quote

(b) Paid License.

If you purchased a license to the Software from Malwarebytes or from a Malwarebytes authorized reseller, then conditioned upon your compliance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Malwarebytes grants you a non-exclusive and non-transferable license to Execute the number of copies of the Software for which you have paid solely in executable form on the corresponding number of Devices owned or used by you. Furthermore, you may not Execute the Software on any Device(s) running a server operating system unless it is a Malwarebytes server product as reflected in its official product name and official release notes. You agree that your purchases are not contingent on the delivery of any future functionality or features (including future availability of any Software beyond the current license term or any new releases), or dependent on any oral or written public comments made by Malwarebytes regarding future functionality or features.

https://www.malwarebytes.com/eula/

The proper version is this. https://www.malwarebytes.com/business/ep-server-security/

Edited June 17, 2020 by Porthos

[Jack_Tornwood]

Howdy ,

Had the same problem with our servers 2012 r2  "6" and two of the gives the same error like "

Logging into a Windows Server 2012R2 I am greeted with an error message saying the Malwarebytes Tray has crashed:

mbam.exe System Error

The program can't start because wlanapi.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem."

So just to add "premium service works great with the servers" even if EULA doesn't says so.

Anyhow to solver this problem check this link https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-r2-and-2012/hh994698%28v%3Dws.11%29

 

Hit the server "Manage" then "Add roles and futures" "Futures" roll all the way down to "Wireless Lan Service" tick it and install it then restart the server and you are done.

P.s .....don't ask me why you need that protocol to work malware bytes  but it does.

Take care

[AlexLeadingEdge]

I have installed the Malwarebytes Cloud Console version and it works fine. I was hoping to avoid this as the client already owns a 3-pack licence of Malwarebytes Premium, so now they're effectively paying twice for the same thing (and I think they've only just renewed their yearly licence).

Unfortunately New Zealand and Australia are undergoing a major cyber attack so we have had to get this back up and running ASAP, rather than wait until the end of the month for the fix.

[Porthos]

6 minutes ago, AlexLeadingEdge said:

I was hoping to avoid this as the client already owns a 3-pack licence of Malwarebytes Premium, so now they're effectively paying twice for the same thing (and I think they've only just renewed their yearly licence).

The client purchased or was just using the wrong version of Malwarebytes as it is not designed or licensed for server use.

They need to contact the help desk for a refund of the wrong license.

Please contact our support team at https://support.malwarebytes.com/hc/en-us/requests/new to get a refund.

Edited June 19, 2020 by Porthos

[AlexLeadingEdge]

20 minutes ago, Porthos said:

The client purchased or was just using the wrong version of Malwarebytes as it is not designed or licensed for server use.

They have had the same licence since October 2016. It was sold directly to the client, they asked for a version that would run on Small Business Server 2008, as this was their server at the time (now Server 2012R2 for the Terminal Server and 2016 for the Domain Server). As far as I know Malwarebytes Premium was the only paid-for version available at that time.

[Porthos]

I fully understand. Since none of my clients have ever been server users I can't say what was available back then. All I can say as the program developed and the company grew in the business sector as well as the home user sector, the role Malwarebytes software has changed in to many separate programs and roles.

Does the client have 3 servers or one server and 2 workstations using that subscription?

[AlexLeadingEdge]

11 minutes ago, Porthos said:

Does the client have 3 servers or one server and 2 workstations using that subscription?

Was two servers, one workstation, now one server, one workstation.

Now my issue is that I can't get Malwarebytes Support Tool to stop popping up every time someone logs into the Terminal Server. Sign.

[AlexLeadingEdge]

*Sigh.

And I can't edit my posts here.

I have deleted all the files in the TEMP folder and it seems to have stopped popping up.

[Porthos]

19 minutes ago, AlexLeadingEdge said:

And I can't edit my posts here.

Sorry it takes a couple hundred posts to earn the edit feature because of past abuse.

[vincedigital81]

Just created a forum account today despite having been a strong Malwarebytes supporter for the past 7+ years just to state that I have noticed that increasing Malwarebytes is now getting greedy to the point of demanding payment for cleaning of PUP from home computers. It is SAD that Malwarebytes has come to this where now they have half baked products coming out that are more money oriented than anything else.... 

Malwarebytes, is now going on the path of other crappy AV brands.... Think its time to find an alternative. I'm sad that one of the industries great go to places for Malware solutions now is a greedy corporation, but this is the sad truth IMO.

Finally, running malware bytes on a server will not stop against Cyber attack there are other products that are more appropriate.

Thanks for reading my opinion.

Cheers

[Porthos]

11 hours ago, vincedigital81 said:

 Malwarebytes is now getting greedy to the point of demanding payment for cleaning of PUP from home computers.

@vincedigital81

That is not true.

If the computer is a regular computer and not connected to a Domain and not using a server OS, Malwarebytes is the same as it has always been. Free for cleaning.

 

Edited June 24, 2020 by Porthos

[AdvancedSetup]

I have been doing computer support for about 30 years both home and enterprise. I've seen a handful of computers that were purchased as old stock from a business but was not removed from the Domain.
There are a couple of issues with that. The licensing agreement from Microsoft prohibits that specific business license transfer. In some cases the business did not purchase a business license and instead did use a retail or other license that was okay to transfer but again they were not removed from the Domain first.
In most cases a business will format the drive before selling or providing the end-user with the computer, but as we all know that is not always the case.

 

Remove Windows Computer from Domain Using System Properties

Remove Windows Computer from Domain Using PowerShell
https://ss64.com/ps/remove-computer.html

How to Remove a Windows 10 PC from a Local Active Directory Domain

 

You can also use NETDOM to remove a computer from the Domain if needed and comes with the following software (RSAT)
Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows operating systems
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2693643/remote-server-administration-tools-rsat-for-windows-operating-systems

 

You cannot install RSAT on computers that are running Home or Standard editions of Windows. You can install RSAT only on Professional or Enterprise editions of the Windows client operating system.
However, Home computers cannot join a Domain so that should not be an issue here.

From an elevated admin command prompt with RSAT installed you can use the following command to remove the computer from the Domain

netdom remove <computername> /force

Example: netdom remove davescomp /force

 

There is no intent or discussion at this time of ever removing the ability for consumer, home computers used for personal use from scanning and removing malware. We are simply trying to alert some users that may not be aware they are using the product inappropriately.

Thank you

 

[Porthos]

Great explanation and solutions @AdvancedSetup Thanks.

Just to add. Many eBay Amazon and other market places have computers in this state for sale. It is not the end users fault that it was not dealt with before being sold.

Also some employers give/sell old/retired computers to their staff and do not follow guidelines and remove the domain settings and in some cases the now improperly licensed software as well.

To avoid accidentally purchasing one like this it is best to buy from Microsoft authorized refurbishers.

Other wise it is best to clean install Windows as soon as you receive it.

 

[exile360]

1 minute ago, Porthos said:

Other wise it is best to clean install Windows as soon as you receive it.

I'd do this anyway, just in case since you never know if a system is infected, or worse, if a previous owner installed hidden spyware on the system in the hopes of stealing financial info or anything else of value from whoever ends up buying it.  The second scenario certainly isn't the most likely, but either way, it's best to start with a known clean install of Windows just for peace of mind.

[Porthos]

Just now, exile360 said:

I'd do this anyway, just in case since you never know if a system is infected, or worse, if a previous owner installed hidden spyware on the system in the hopes of stealing financial info or anything else of value from whoever ends up buying it.  The second scenario certainly isn't the most likely, but either way, it's best to start with a known clean install of Windows just for peace of mind.

I do the same for new store bought OEM computers as well. Gets rid of the manufacture bloatware fully all at once.

[AlexLeadingEdge]

8 minutes ago, Porthos said:

I do the same for new store bought OEM computers as well. Gets rid of the manufacture bloatware fully all at once.

Same here. The amount of craplets that come pre-installed is getting excessive, especially with notebooks.

[exile360]

Yeah, you're not kidding.  Things got better for a while around Windows 7/8 when MS started cracking down on the OEM's for preinstalling so much junk, but they've since started up with it again.

[Porthos]

1 minute ago, exile360 said:

but they've since started up with it again.

Microsoft is just as guilty with the store apps included with Windows. I run a script on every computer to remove the "removable" ones that can be uninstalled normally. Many apps that used to be "locked" from uninstalling can now be uninstalled by right clicking on the app in Start since 1903. I jumped for joy when many of those apps can be just installed.

[exile360]

Yeah, I disable the app store altogether since I don't run any UWP apps.