[ RESOLVED ] MB 4.2 Error - Unable to connect the service

[ArunJ]

On MB 4.2 installation, the first run & scan was successful.

However after system restart, the application does not start due to error "Unable to connect the service"

Observation:- "MBAMServices" could not be located in Windows services.

System OS: Windows 7

Screenshot,  scan & check result logs are attached.

Addition.txt

FRST.txt

mbst-grab-results.zip

[Maurice Naggar]

Hi,  
My name is Maurice. I will be helping and guiding you, going forward on this case.
Let me know what first name you prefer to go by.
 

Thanks for the reports.   Please make sure that you do 1 new Windows RESTARt   and then wait for the system to settle back in.

Then see what ( if anything ) it says then about Malwarebytes   ( if anything ).

Some times we just need to do one good Restart.

[ArunJ]

Thanks Maurice for your response. You can call me as Arun. 

I did fresh Windows restart and tried to open MB & it pops up the same error "Unable to connect the service"

To give background, when i installed MB for the first time, i was able to do full scan & quarantined "rootkit.agent" (WDF****.sys inside /System32/Drivers) , the very reason i chose MB.

Later on restart, the application is never coming up due to this error. 

[Maurice Naggar]

Good morning.   I got your last notes.  You should still be able to have Windows running in normal mode.   Is that the case now ?   I need to be sure that Windows is in regular mode.

.The F R S T  report indicated that Windows  was   in      Safe Mode (with Networking)

 

[Maurice Naggar]

Next step,

Please read all of these lines first so that it is all clear to you about our plan. I need a one time run of MBAR like listed here, please.

Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Rootkit (MBAR) from this link here

and save it to your desktop.

Doubleclick on the MBAR file and allow it to run.

•Click OK on the next screen, to allow the package to extract the contents of the file to its own folder named mbar.

•mbar.exe will launch automatically. On some systems, this may take a few extra seconds. Please be patient and wait for the program to open.

•After reading the Introduction, click 'Next' if you agree.

•On the Update Database screen, click on the 'Update' button.

•Once you see 'Success: Database was successfully updated' click on 'Next', then click the Scan button.

With some infections, you may see two messages boxes:

1.'Could not load protection driver'. Click 'OK'.
2.'Could not load DDA driver'. Click 'Yes' to this message, to allow the driver to load after a restart. Allow the computer to restart. Continue with the rest of these instructions.

•If malware is found, press the Cleanup button when the scan completes. .

Please attach the log it produces, you'll find the log in that mbar folder as MBAR-log-<date and time>***.txt . Please attach that to your next reply.
  
 

[ArunJ]

14 hours ago, Maurice Naggar said:

Good morning.   I got your last notes.  You should still be able to have Windows running in normal mode.   Is that the case now ?   I need to be sure that Windows is in regular mode.

.The F R S T  report indicated that Windows  was   in      Safe Mode (with Networking)

 

I ran in safe mode, because AVG is enabled in my system and fear that any malware could prevent in generating logs successfully. Re-attached the logs ran in Windows normal mode.

Addition.txt

FRST.txt

mbst-grab-results.zip

[ArunJ]

14 hours ago, Maurice Naggar said:

Next step,

Please read all of these lines first so that it is all clear to you about our plan. I need a one time run of MBAR like listed here, please.

Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Rootkit (MBAR) from this link here

and save it to your desktop.

Doubleclick on the MBAR file and allow it to run.

•Click OK on the next screen, to allow the package to extract the contents of the file to its own folder named mbar.

•mbar.exe will launch automatically. On some systems, this may take a few extra seconds. Please be patient and wait for the program to open.

•After reading the Introduction, click 'Next' if you agree.

•On the Update Database screen, click on the 'Update' button.

•Once you see 'Success: Database was successfully updated' click on 'Next', then click the Scan button.

With some infections, you may see two messages boxes:

1.'Could not load protection driver'. Click 'OK'.
2.'Could not load DDA driver'. Click 'Yes' to this message, to allow the driver to load after a restart. Allow the computer to restart. Continue with the rest of these instructions.

•If malware is found, press the Cleanup button when the scan completes. .

Please attach the log it produces, you'll find the log in that mbar folder as MBAR-log-<date and time>***.txt . Please attach that to your next reply.
  
 

Done and attached the logs. No malware found. Let me know on the next steps.mbar-log-2020-09-13 (11-24-14).txt

[Maurice Naggar]

Good morning.   It is one key factor that we keep Windows in normal mode.    Thanks.

I suggest a new re-install of Malwarebytes for Windows.    Please first make sure you Close all your other work programs / screens  ( if any).

 

Malwarebytes Support Tool (MBST) Clean Reinstall 

• Open your Downloads folder. 

   Right-click   mb-support-1.7.0.827  & select Run as administrator    to start the tool   & reply YES to allow to go forward. 

 

• When prompted by Windows, reply YES to allow the tool to go forward. 

• You will be presented with a page stating, "Welcome to the Malwarebytes Support Tool!". 

• Click the Advanced Options link. This is important. Please ensure Advanced Options is clicked. 

• 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. 

• Please have lots of patience till the Malwarebytes setup screen comes back.  It may take 2-3-4  minutes for that.   Be very patient.

•  

• You will be presented with the option to install Malwarebytes for Windows. Click Yes.

•  

• Installation of Malwarebytes for Windows will commence shortly after. 

• Upon completion, Malwarebytes for Windows will automatically open. 

• Note: If installation of Malwarebytes for Windows does not commence, please let me know. 

 

Once the new Malwarebytes setup is completed,  I would like to get it onto the latest Beta version.

Start Malwarebytes.    Then click on the Settings icon  at top right.

Then look on the GENERAL tab.    Scroll down to " Beta Updates "   and click that to the Right side   (  ON  ) .

Then scroll back up to the top at "Application Updates"   and click on the button " Check for Updates ".    Have patience   & follow all the prompts.

The latest Beta is Version 4.2.1.89

 

If you encounter any issues during the running of the tool, please let me know. 

Please keep me advised after all this. Thank you. 

 

Sincerely, 

[ArunJ]

4 hours ago, Maurice Naggar said:

Good morning.   It is one key factor that we keep Windows in normal mode.    Thanks.

I suggest a new re-install of Malwarebytes for Windows.    Please first make sure you Close all your other work programs / screens  ( if any).

 

Malwarebytes Support Tool (MBST) Clean Reinstall 

• Open your Downloads folder. 

   Right-click   mb-support-1.7.0.827  & select Run as administrator    to start the tool   & reply YES to allow to go forward. 

 

• When prompted by Windows, reply YES to allow the tool to go forward. 

• You will be presented with a page stating, "Welcome to the Malwarebytes Support Tool!". 

• Click the Advanced Options link. This is important. Please ensure Advanced Options is clicked. 

• 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. 

• Please have lots of patience till the Malwarebytes setup screen comes back.  It may take 2-3-4  minutes for that.   Be very patient.

•  

• You will be presented with the option to install Malwarebytes for Windows. Click Yes.

•  

• Installation of Malwarebytes for Windows will commence shortly after. 

• Upon completion, Malwarebytes for Windows will automatically open. 

• Note: If installation of Malwarebytes for Windows does not commence, please let me know. 

 

Once the new Malwarebytes setup is completed,  I would like to get it onto the latest Beta version.

Start Malwarebytes.    Then click on the Settings icon  at top right.

Then look on the GENERAL tab.    Scroll down to " Beta Updates "   and click that to the Right side   (  ON  ) .

Then scroll back up to the top at "Application Updates"   and click on the button " Check for Updates ".    Have patience   & follow all the prompts.

The latest Beta is Version 4.2.1.89

 

If you encounter any issues during the running of the tool, please let me know. 

Please keep me advised after all this. Thank you. 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Thank you for the detailed steps.

I was able to run the support tool and successfully cleaned and re-installed MB 4.2. 

However the beta version cannot be upgraded. On checking for update, the application attempts to download & perform installation . After the installation, the version stays as 4.2.0.82 (refer the attached screenshot) . I did manual system restart and tried the upgrade steps more than twice .

Note:- In the whole process of cleaning, re-installation & upgrade, the application never performed any automatic system restart.

[Maurice Naggar]

That is ok.   From what was noted,  I am understanding that there is no more of the "Unable to connect the service" message.

To get on the Beta,  often times,  one needs to do that at the Top of the hour.

In any event, I expect that Version  4.2.1   will be released sometime this coming week.

How are things on this pc now ?    Are you needing other help ?

[ArunJ]

That's right. "Unable to connect service" error is not encountered anymore. Will perform regular update of the application and get back for any support required.

Thanks & appreciate your support, Maurice.

[Maurice Naggar]

OK.   Do keep me apprised.   😊   We can go ahead & do cleanups of the tools I had you use before.

You may delete mbar.exe

You may delete the folder \mbar

Delete   mb-support-1.7.0.827.exe

Delete   mbst-grab-results.zip   on the Desktop

To remove the FRST  tool & its work files, do this.  Go to your  Downloads folder.  Do a RIGHT-click on FRSTENGLISH.exe & select RENAME & then change it to UNINSTALL.exe .
Then run that ( double click on it)  to begin the cleanup proceed.

[ArunJ]

Any reason of why they must be deleted? I have deleted the logs and took the backup of downloaded exe files. Hope its good to use the current version now.

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello.  The steps are typical cleanup once a case has been resolved.   The mbar you no longer need.   And the support tool is changed from time to time, so a new download if needed is the best practice.   The FRST tool is always being enhanced & changed.   Ergo, we delete the tools when we are done with them.

Question:   How is the Malwarebytes for Windows program today ?

[ArunJ]

Ok clean up done. Thanks for assisting in resolving this issue.

[Maurice Naggar]

You are most welcome.   I am glad to have helped you.

All best wishes to you.   Stay safe.

[Maurice Naggar]

Closing this topic as it's been resolved.