Scans Causing Chrome to Work at Snail's Pace

[FAB58]

Hello - I'm using Malwarebytes Premium with Windows 10 on a Lenovo IdeaPad 3. It seems like since the last Malwarebytes update, my Google Chrome browser is virtually unusable for a good 30+ minutes every day at startup while scanning is going on. I disabled all extensions and followed all instructions to ensure that Chrome is updated and cleared. I even hired a tech support pro who remotely went through a bunch of stuff with me that didn't help. She advised me to install Firefox and test the browsers side by side for a bit. After a week of testing I'm having no issues with Firefox at startup or any other time, and still tearing my hair out waiting for Chrome.

I'm 99% sure it's a conflict between Google Chrome & the Malwarebytes scanning process because as soon as I see the pop-up saying the scan is complete, Chrome starts humming along just fine again. Does anyone know what might be causing this and how to fix it? Thank you!

[Malwarebytes]

***This is an automated reply***

Hi,

Thanks for posting in the Malwarebytes for Windows Help forum.

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

Malwarebytes Support Tool - Advanced Options

This feature is designed for the following reasons:

• For use when you are on the forums and need to provide logs for assistance
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[Porthos]

9 minutes ago, FAB58 said:

I'm 99% sure it's a conflict between Google Chrome & the Malwarebytes scanning process because as soon as I see the pop-up saying the scan is complete, Chrome starts humming along just fine again. Does anyone know what might be causing this and how to fix it? Thank you!

Was this during a manual scan you were doing?

[AdvancedSetup]

Please try the following.

 

Can you please do the following?

• Download the Malwarebytes Support Tool
• In your Downloads folder, open the mb-support-x.x.x.xxx.exe file
• In the User Account Control pop-up window, click Yes to continue the installation
• Run the MBST Support Tool
• In the left navigation pane of the Malwarebytes Support Tool, click Advanced
• In the Advanced Options, click the CLEAN button and follow the onscreen instructions to reinstall Malwarebytes
• NOTE: Please have patience as it can take a while to remove and reinstall. The computer will restart to complete

After the restart please do the following

• Run the MBST Support Tool
• In the left navigation pane of the Malwarebytes Support Tool, click Advanced
• In the Advanced Options, click Gather Logs. A status diagram displays the tool is Getting logs from your machine
• A zip file named mbst-grab-results.zip will be saved to your desktop, please upload that file on your next reply

Thank you

 

 

If that does not help, then try cleaning up Google Chrome using the following guide

 

 

 

[FAB58]

Thank you for the replies.

To Porthos: No, this is happening during automatic daily scans. I had another thought last night to check the scheduled scans and saw that the toggle to scan at next available time was turned on. Since I'm usually either working or shut down, that's likely forcing the scans to start whenever I open my laptop to begin working each day. As a test, I turned that toggle off and just checked to see if the Chrome delays are still happening. Unfortunately, they are -- and there should be NO scanning taking place at this time. So maybe that theory is out the window.

To Advance Setup Staff:  I did previously find and run the Malwarebytes Support Tool, but I can run it again when I done with my work today & upload the logs as requested. The instructions for Resetting Google Chrome are a bit intimidating for me, so I might have to engage a consultant if I have to go there. I'm worried about messing something up. I'm a one-person operation and know just enough to get myself into trouble. Thanks again.

[AdvancedSetup]

Well, get us some logs and we can review and see what we can do to try and clean this up automatically via a script clean up.

 

Do the CLEAN Removal and Reinstall of Malwarebytes and then gather the logs and post and we'll see what else we can do for you.

Thanks

 

 

[FAB58]

Hello! Zip file is attached. But I should tell you what happened in the process:

> As instructed, I used Advanced options to CLEAN and REINSTALL. However, during the process, a window popped up that said "Installation Cancelled." I hit OK (my only option) and it appeared to resume the installation (per green "in process" bar in the Clean box).

> Malwarebytes Premium is showing as reinstalled -- but my computer did NOT restart. (I recall getting this same error message the first time I removed & reinstalled, tho' I don't think I used Advanced Options.)

> I went back to the Support Tool as instructed (though without a re-boot), went to Gather Logs, and it produced the attached zip file on my desktop as expected.

Thanks so much for any insights you can offer.

mbst-grab-results.zip

[AdvancedSetup]

The logs indicate a few issues in the Event Logs section. We'll do a bit of clean up and see if we can correct some of these issues.

 

System errors:
=============
Error: (05/18/2022 02:36:41 PM) (Source: Schannel) (EventID: 4103) (User: NT AUTHORITY)
Description: A fatal error occurred while creating a TLS client credential. The internal error state is 10013.

Error: (05/17/2022 07:26:52 PM) (Source: Service Control Manager) (EventID: 7022) (User: )
Description: The Windows Search service hung on starting.

Error: (05/17/2022 07:23:10 PM) (Source: Service Control Manager) (EventID: 7022) (User: )
Description: The Intel® SGX AESM service hung on starting.

Error: (05/17/2022 07:18:16 PM) (Source: Service Control Manager) (EventID: 7000) (User: )
Description: The HelpDeskService service failed to start due to the following error:
The system cannot find the file specified.

Error: (05/16/2022 03:19:55 PM) (Source: Service Control Manager) (EventID: 7023) (User: )
Description: The Mozilla Maintenance Service service terminated with the following error:
Incorrect function.

 

 

 

 

Please download the attached fixlist.txt file and save it to your C:\Users\faith\Downloads\  folder
NOTE. It's important that both files, Farbar , and fixlist.txt are in the same location or the fix will not work.

Please make sure you disable any real-time antivirus or security software before running this script. Once completed, make sure you re-enable it.

NOTICE: This script was written specifically for this user, for use on this particular machine. Running this on another machine may cause damage to your operating system that cannot be undone.

Run Farbar      C:\Users\faith\Downloads\FRSTEnglish.exe     and press the Fix button just once and wait.
If the tool needs a restart please make sure you let the system restart normally and let the tool complete its run after restart.
The tool will make a log in the same location as the Farbar program   C:\Users\faith\Downloads\      (Fixlog.txt) or wherever you ran Farbar from. Please attach or post it to your next reply.

Note: If the tool warned you about an outdated version please download and run the updated version.

NOTE-1:  This fix will run a scan to check that all Microsoft operating system files are valid and not corrupt and attempt to correct any invalid files. It will also run a disk check on the restart to ensure disk integrity. Depending on the speed of your computer this fix may take 30 minutes or more.

NOTE-2: As part of this fix all temporary files will be removed. If you have any open web pages that have not been bookmarked please make sure you bookmark them now as all open applications will be automatically closed. Also, make sure you know the passwords for all websites as cookies will also be removed. The use of an external password manager is highly recommended instead of using your browser to store passwords.

NOTE-3: As part of this fix it will also reset the network to default settings including the firewall. If you have custom firewall rules you need to save please export or save them first before running this fix.

The following directories are emptied:

• Windows Temp
• Users Temp folders
• Edge, IE, FF, Chrome, and Opera caches, HTML5 storages, Cookies and History
• Recently opened files cache
• Flash Player cache
• Java cache
• Steam HTML cache
• Explorer thumbnail and icon cache
• BITS transfer queue (qmgr*.dat files)
• Recycle Bin

Important: items are permanently deleted. They are not moved to quarantine. If you have any questions or concerns please ask before running this fix.

The system will be rebooted after the fix has run.

fixlist.txt

Thanks

 

[AdvancedSetup]

Let me know if you have any questions @FAB58

 

[FAB58]

I truly appreciate all your time in outlining these steps for me. I'm just feeling very nervous when I don't really understand what I'm doing or if those directories you listed will be problematic for me. I don't think so -- but I don't know for sure. I'm not sure I know how to correctly disable & re-enable security software, so I'll need to look at that. It sounds like a lot of big stuff that will impact my whole computer, even though the problem appears to be isolated to Chrome, so I'm just not sure if I should attempt this fix on my own.... 

In preparation, I just spent literally a whole hour just to get a few pages of saved passwords unhidden & printed from Chrome. (I know... I resisted saving passwords for a very long time and then life got very hectic & I caved.) The problem seems to be happening more randomly now. For the last couple hours, I can't even smooth-scroll on a page and the lag with up/down arrows is maddening. A few hours ago it was fine. I'm grateful I was advised to install Firefox, as that's the only thing allowing me to be productive right now.

I'll continue working on it. Thanks again.

 

[AdvancedSetup]

Once you get passwords saved we can help you. It may look daunting but thousands of people before you were able to do it so I'm sure you can too.

Cheers

 

[FAB58]

Good morning! I wanted to post a courtesy update on this issue....

After our last correspondence, I made the choice (holding my breath) to accept the Windows 11 upgrade recommendation that kept popping up on my computer. Additionally, I did another complete clear and reset of Chrome per their instructions and then reset Chrome as my default browser. It's been 3 days now with no issues, so hopefully something in that process cleared out whatever the problem was. I have tested Chrome while Malwarebytes is scanning and there have been no hangups or delays. So at least for now -- and hopefully for good -- I'm marking this case as resolved.

Thank you again for your kind assistance. 

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello @Fab58. Do stick with Advancedsetup. I simply would like to offer some remarks about Chrome & web browsers & Windows.
Having Windows 11 has increased the Microsoft support life for Windows. Windows 10 Home & Pro support life at MS will expire in October 2025.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-10-home-and-pro

As to Chrome, insure it is the latest release from Chrome
https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95414?
On some periodic basis, suggest to delete all Cache content on Chrome for "all time" period. That will help keep Chrome running more snappy.
open Chrome.
At the top right, click More .
Click More tools and then Clear browsing data.
Choose the time range All time.
Select the types of information that you want to remove.
Click Clear data.

By the way, the same principle applies to the Edge browser in Windows 11 / 10. Clearing all cache helps.

As to Malwarebytes, take a look at the setting for "scan impact".
Launch Malwarebytes for Windows.
Cick the gear-like Settings icon on the top-right bar.
On the General tab
look down to "Manual scan performance" impact
click the selection "Manual scans take less priority ( less performamnce impact"

Best to you. Stick with Advancedsetup.

[FAB58]

Your input is greatly appreciated Maurice! Yes, I regularly clear the cache & browsing history for all time. Just changed the MB scan setting as you suggested -- but even prior to that, again no hangups with Chrome while MB was scanning this morning. Yay.

[Maurice Naggar]

<<remarks>>
I would recommend doing the custom run with Fixlist that Advancedsetup listed earlier 
https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/286694-scans-causing-chrome-to-work-at-snails-pace/?do=findComment&comment=1516226

It will not touch or do anything with "passwords" saved on web browsers.

[AdvancedSetup]

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