Slow Scan

[JerryM]

Yesterday I decided to do a complete scan with MBAM Pro. I stopped it after 3 hours and 30 minutes. Today I tried again, and after 2hrs and 45 minutes it was still scanning.

In the past it has taken an hour or slightly over at tiimes, but never like these last two.

I am running Windows XP.

Is there some setting that is causing such slow complete scans? No application I have ever tried even approaches such long times to scan.

Thanks,

Jerry

[exile360]

Greetings

It's possible that your resident AV software is slowing it down.

Please exclude the following files from your antivirus:

Note: If using a software firewall besides the built in Windows Firewall you'll need to exclude them from it as well

For Windows XP:

• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.exe
  
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamgui.exe
  
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamservice.exe
  
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\zlib.dll
  
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.dll
  
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamext.dll
  
• C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\rules.ref
  
• C:\Windows\System32\drivers\mbam.sys
  
• C:\Windows\System32\drivers\mbamswissarmy.sys
  

If that does not correct the issue then please do the following:

Run a Disk Check on your C: drive in Windows XP:

• Click Start and open My Computer
  
• Right-click on C: and select Properties
  
• Click on the Tools tab
  
• Under Error-checking click the Check Now... button
  
• Mark the box next to Automatically fix file system errors and Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors
  
• When the message box pops up, click the Schedule disk check button and restart your computer
  
• Once your computer restarts it will check the drive, don't press any keys so that it is allowed to do so
  

You should also run a Disk Check on any other hard drives in your PC, but you won't need to restart your computer for them to be checked.

[JerryM]

Thanks for the help. I will give those things a try. It may very well be that KIS firewall is slowing it down.

Regards,

Jerry

[JerryM]

I ran a check disk, and exited my AV, KIS, and ran a complete scan. It took 2 hours, 21 min, 41 sec. While that is a long time, it is not a problem as I can see that it will complete.

Thanks for the help.

Regards,

Jerry

[pcoldie]

"It took 2 hours, 21 min, 41 sec."

JerryM - Is your scan now lasting twice as long as before the 1.45 update?? My scans are taking much longer too.

[JerryM]

"It took 2 hours, 21 min, 41 sec."

JerryM - Is your scan now lasting twice as long as before the 1.45 update?? My scans are taking much longer too.

Yes, I do not remember any scan previously taking longer than slightly over an hour. I don't run a full scan very often. I can live with the 2 hrs and just scan when I am not going to use the computer for a time.

Regards,

Jerry

[benny125874]

maybe because your hard drive is filled with things?

or maybe because malwarebytes added the new heuritic shuriken so it take more time?

[benny125874]

maybe because your hard drive is filled with things?

or maybe because malwarebytes added the new heuritic shuriken so it take more time?

nvm what i said... i just installed the new v1.45 and it like took me forever to scan...

malwarebytes scan slowed down.... by alot...

[TeMerc]

You don't need to run full scans, we will not ever recommend them to detect malware. So this point is more or less moot.

Stick with the quick and flash scans and you'll be fine.

[pcoldie]

On my system it is the quick scan which is slower.

I am confused by the advice from TeMerc

"You don't need to run full scans, we will not ever recommend them to detect malware"

when the "

[TeMerc]

On my system it is the quick scan which is slower.

I am confused by the advice from TeMerc

when the "

[pcoldie]

Correct, and it says nothing about needing to do so detecting malware.

I'm still confused. If this scan is not needed to detect malware, what is it used for?

[TeMerc]

I'm still confused. If this scan is not needed to detect malware, what is it used for?

It allows you to scan for remnants or dead entries that will not have any affect on the system.

I've never had it return anything of a threat in any stuation.

[pcoldie]

It allows you to scan for remnants or dead entries that will not have any affect on the system.

I've never had it return anything of a threat in any stuation.

Still confused! From what you say, full scan is of no real use in removing malware. So why is it included, and even listed as a key feature?

[TeMerc]

Still confused! From what you say, full scan is of no real use in removing malware. So why is it included, and even listed as a key feature?

Maybe one of the developers will be able to better explain, but it's really of no use other than what I said and of course you can also select additional drives to scan if they are on the system. But unless the software is directly installed onto those drives, there won't be as effective malware removal.

[pcoldie]

Maybe one of the developers will be able to better explain, but it's really of no use other than what I said and of course you can also select additional drives to scan if they are on the system. But unless the software is directly installed onto those drives, there won't be as effective malware removal.

Ok. Thanks for trying.

P.S. My original (slow 'quick scan') problem is being caused by the new MBAM hitting 100% processor use during the scan....

[AdvancedSetup]

Please do the following to see if it helps to resolve the issue:

Windows XP:

• Click on Start and select Control Panel
  
• Open Add/Remove Programs
  
• Uninstall Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
  
• Restart your computer very important
  
• Download and run mbam-clean.exe from here
  
• It will ask to restart your computer, please allow it to do so very important
  
• After the computer restarts, temporarily disable your Anti-Virus and install the latest version of Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware from here
  
  • Note: You will need to reactivate the program using the license you were sent via email if using the Pro version
    
  • Launch the program and set the Protection and Registration. Then go to the UPDATE tab if not done during installation and check for updates.
    Restart the computer again and verify that MBAM is in the task tray if using the Pro version. Now setup any file exclusions as may be required in your Anti-Virus/Internet-Security/Firewall applications and restart your Anti-Virus/Internet-Security applications. You may use the guides posted in the FAQ's here or post to ask and we'll explain how to do it.
    

Windows Vista and Windows 7:

• Click on the Start button and select Control Panel
  
• Click on Programs and Features
  
• Uninstall Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
  
• Restart your computer very important
  
• Download and run mbam-clean.exe from here
  
• It will ask to restart your computer, please allow it to do so very important
  
• After the computer restarts, temporarily disable your Anti-Virus and install the latest version of Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware from here
  
  • Note: You will need to reactivate the program using the license you were sent via email if using the Pro version
    
  • Launch the program and set the Protection and Registration. Then go to the UPDATE tab if not done during installation and check for updates.
    Restart the computer again and verify that MBAM is in the task tray if using the Pro version. Now setup any file exclusions as may be required in your Anti-Virus/Internet-Security/Firewall applications and restart your Anti-Virus/Internet-Security applications. You may use the guides posted in the FAQ's here or post to ask and we'll explain how to do it.
    

[pcoldie]

Advancedsetup

Thanks for the advice. I don't think I need to do this because there is no real problem with version 1.45 other than CPU usage sometimes hitting 100%, which is slowing down total time taken for a quick scan.

P.S. I'm still hoping to get an answer to the "what is full scan there for?" question....

[AdvancedSetup]

Only take less than 5 minutes to do this though and see if it rules it out.

[pcoldie]

AdvancedSetup

Ok. I have carried out all your instructions, and I have run another quick scan as a test.

Mbam hit 100% for the first part of the scan, then dropped lower. But overall, the scan progressed slower than with the previous (1.44) version-

Comparing the logs, scan time was more than 11 mins compared to around 8 mins for the last scan with 1.44 a few days ago.

This is an annoyance rather than a problem, -I will just have to take more time over my cup of coffee while waiting for a scan to complete.

[AdvancedSetup]

Well as long as its a little better that's good. The entire engine is completely different now so comparing them just cannot be done. There is work in progress to attempt to make loading and scanning a little faster for the next version but no promise.

Thanks for taking the time to test it out.

[pcoldie]

Advancedseup

Thanks for the help and advice. -Much appreciated. Also interested to hear that work is in hand to improve speed. Good news.. -Certain other mods here seem unwilling to accept that 1.45 scan times could possibly be longer than before...

As a long time Malwarebytes user, I think that apart from it's effectiveness, the speed of scans is of vital importance, especially if you hope that users of the freeware will be impressed and go on to purchase the pro version.

[AdvancedSetup]

Well speed really should not be a critical factor in detecting and removing Malware. Yes it's great to have the speed but not at the cost of lower detection and removal rates.

I would much rather have longer scan times that actually performed then job than ones that were very quick but marginally successful at detection or removal.

But we do hope to try to improve where we can.

Thanks again.