Malwarebytes restarted to install update but update date was unchanged

[Dinobot2]

I went to run a MB scan this morning (Oct. 9, 2023, roughly 8:15 am EDT) before I left for work, and when I manually checked for an update from the Settings -> About tab, it said it was up-to-date without changing the "last update time" (which for me was Oct. 8, 2023, 1:35 PM EDT). When I clicked to Check for updates from the Setting -> General tab, it said it would have to restart. So I let it restart, it closes, a dialog box saying its installing Malwarebytes updates pops up and then it re-opens. When I went to check the update again it still had the same Oct. 8 last update time.

I know that the update issue that was experienced by many people has been resolved and the updates are working now, and they are indeed working for me (at least as recently as two hours ago). However, I am still curious about the need for Malwarebytes to restart itself and allegedly install an update that, at least at the time, didn't exist. Is this related to the same issue that was fixed? Was this a different type of 'update' that was ran or did something malfunction on my scanner and it had to make a fix? Or some other reason?

[Malwarebytes]

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[Porthos]

5 minutes ago, Dinobot2 said:

Was this a different type of 'update'

Malwarebytes has 3 different kinds of updates.

Program updates

Component updates

Definition updates

Some require restarting the program and some require restarting the computer at times.

 

[Dinobot2]

3 minutes ago, Porthos said:

Malwarebytes has 3 different kinds of updates.

Program updates

Component updates

Definition updates

Some require restarting the program and some require restarting the computer at times.

 

I have noticed there are three different areas that can check for updates:

1. Check for updates button on the About tab in Settings

2. Check for updates button under the Application updates setting on the General tab in Settings

3. The first step before a scan.

Do each of these correspond with the three different updates you listed?

[Porthos]

1 minute ago, Dinobot2 said:

Do each of these correspond with the three different updates you listed?

They all do the same.

[Dinobot2]

Meaning they all do all three (depending on what update is needed)? Or they all do only one of those?

[Porthos]

Just now, Dinobot2 said:

Meaning they all do all three (depending on what update is needed)?

This

The last updated date is database definitions only.

[Porthos]

I would suggest you follow this topic so you will know when the full version or the component package changes.

 

[Dinobot2]

Just now, Porthos said:

This

The last updated date is database definitions only.

Ok, so some more questions then.

1. If there's a program or component update, that "last updated" date won't change then?

2. If all three update areas do the same thing, why did it not do anything the first time I clicked Check for updates but worked on the second time in a different area mere seconds later? Was that just incredibly convenient timing on my part?

3. Does that also mean that, if I start a scan and during the "Check for Updates" step of the scan, if it finds an update that requires a restart, it will stop the scan and restart the program, necessitating starting the scan again?

 

3 minutes ago, Porthos said:

I would suggest you follow this topic so you will know when the full version or the component package changes.

 

Followed. Thanks.

[Porthos]

3 minutes ago, Dinobot2 said:

If there's a program or component update, that "last updated" date won't change then?

Correct

4 minutes ago, Dinobot2 said:

If all three update areas do the same thing, why did it not do anything the first time I clicked Check for updates but worked on the second time in a different area mere seconds later? Was that just incredibly convenient timing on my part?

Definition updates come first if there are any.

5 minutes ago, Dinobot2 said:

Does that also mean that, if I start a scan and during the "Check for Updates" step of the scan, if it finds an update that requires a restart, it will stop the scan and restart the program, necessitating starting the scan again?

The update check during a scan only gets definition updates.

Because you are using the FREE version, Program updates, and component updates are done manually with the check for updates button.

[Dinobot2]

1 minute ago, Porthos said:

The update check during a scan only gets definition updates.

Because you are using the FREE version, Program updates, and component updates are done manually with the check for updates button.

So then the previous answers don't apply then? Maybe you were under the assumption that I was a Premium user in which case my apologies for not clearing that up.

That being said, even on the Free version the option for Automatically download and install updates is available. Maybe that only applies to definitions updates for me, but it's under Application updates, which makes it kind of misleading.

[Porthos]

2 minutes ago, Dinobot2 said:

Maybe you were under the assumption that I was a Premium user

I am fully aware you are using the free version.

If you followed the advice I gave you in the other topic, All of my answers in this topic apply.

Quote

I suggest you right-click on the tray icon and uncheck "Start with Windows" and then choose "Quit Malwarebytes".

When you need to run a scan open it from the desktop icon and run your scan and when finished, Right click and "Quit Malwarebytes" again.

 

[Dinobot2]

1 minute ago, Porthos said:

I am fully aware you are using the free version.

If you followed the advice I gave you in the other topic, All of my answers in this topic apply.

 

Ok so, with respect, your answers appear contradictory in this thread then and as a result I am a fair bit more confused now. I already do what you suggest as I don't keep MalwareBytes running in the background when i'm not doing a scan. I'm also not sure how that applies to my questions here and what I experienced.

Perhaps we can re-establish, as a Free user:

1. Which updates take place automatically when the program is open

2. Which updates take place when I hit Check for updates on any of the three areas, preferably being specific for each of the three even if it involves repetition.

I promise I'm not trying to be pedantic or pushy, and maybe it's perhaps this curiosity of mine coincided with the update issue earlier, but I would just like to know what these entail so I am not caught off guard.

[Porthos]

1 minute ago, Dinobot2 said:

Which updates take place automatically when the program is open

When you open the program and go directly to a scan, the only update is the database.

3 minutes ago, Dinobot2 said:

Which updates take place when I hit Check for updates on any of the three areas, preferably being specific for each of the three even if it involves repetition.

First, there are only 2 manual checks for updates locations.

Here

And Here

If you click one of those 2, if there is a definition update that will come first.

The next click will update the full version of the program (requires a Malwarebytes restart) or a component update that usually does not require a restart of the program.

Is that more clear now?

[Dinobot2]

Just now, Porthos said:

First, there are only 2 manual checks for updates locations.

I was counting the update before the scan as one of them. I should have been clearer.

3 minutes ago, Porthos said:

If you click one of those 2, if there is a definition update that will come first.

The next click will update the full version of the program (requires a Malwarebytes restart) or a component update that usually does not require a restart of the program.

Is that more clear now?

It is, Thank you very much. It's very much appreciated.

So, because my thing didn't restart on the first "check for update" click, but on the second, that's because the first time I clicked it it was checking for definition updates, then the next click was for the program which required said restart. Which area I clicked it from didn't matter, it just counts the number of total clicks.

Do the clicks have to be consecutive? If I click check for updates then close MB then open it again and click again, does that reset the counter? If so, that would explain why, despite using the scanner over the weekend, I didn't get the manual program update on the second click until this morning.

[Porthos]

11 minutes ago, Dinobot2 said:

So, because my thing didn't restart on the first "check for update" click, but on the second, that's because the first time I clicked it it was checking for definition updates, then the next click was for the program which required said restart. Which area I clicked it from didn't matter, it just counts the number of total clicks.

Correct

12 minutes ago, Dinobot2 said:

despite using the scanner over the weekend

When you scanned over the weekend. you received just database updates.

FYI, database updates happen many times in a 24-hour period.

My suggestion to you is to open Malwarebytes and do a manual check for updates twice before you do your scan. That will take the mystery out of it and you will be FULLY updated when you scan.