UtilityReadFile failed with error code 32 - AGAIN

[wijllie]

Sorry I have to say this but in my opinion there are some things realy getting worse

since the 1.50 program update. I stated before that I never had issues on my 6 computers

with 1.46 and after updating them to 1.50 (and 1.50.0.1 patch now) there are different

errors and different annoyances which I never had in the 1.46 version.

This is realy getting frustrating because I bought the previous version because it was

so good and stable.

Now again on one of my computers (Win XP SP3-NIS2011-MBAM Pro 1.50.0.1) I have a

"UtilityReadFile failed with error code 32" which was visible in the log after a few popups:

After spending hours to fix MBAM here and there I know now I just have

to delete the rules.ref to fix the problem, so I don't have to reinstall

and clean MBAM like mostly asked by many support helpers here.

Probably that RULES.REF gets a zero filesize because an update error occured.

The rules.ref and other important MAMB files and dir's are excluded in NIS2011.

I've seen this error sometimes and always on boot, so I guess I better disable

the ONBOOT auto-update rule to avoid this.

By the way IMO it is used to much this "uninstall, clean and reinstall"

message here because that's the easy way to fix for someone who asks,

but NEVER for the (novice) user and a real hassle. In many cases the problem

comes back even after a reinstall, so please, SUPPORT, debug the program better

because it's getting worse... I am on the edge to go back to 1.46 because

I spent more on my computers to get mbam better working as something else...

I urge support to get those things straighten out because I see more

and more users have problems with crashes and failed updates and NOT related to

their system. The most errors are about updating (bad http-request / UtilityReadFile error)

and there are still some dateformat issues (uncorrect date of database and time format differences).

I posted this in other messages in the forum and by email to support but it seems to be forgotten.

I received the 1.50.0.1 patch from support after pointing to the dateformat/update errors which

solved them partially but the case was "closed" and I couldn't get them to look further, they simply

refused. A PM to R.D. is not answered. So I even don't know anymore what to think about support.

I don't know if it's the program or a instabillity issue with the update servers,

all I can say is my internet connection is superb and tested with tracert by MBAM support.

I realy hope those things get sorted out because I like(d) the program a lot.

Imo the beta 1.50 was stopped to early, also because of the big program changes which came with it.

Server stability (for database updates) should be closely watched.

Feedback is not realy needed, problem is solved for now till it happens again some day.

If other users have the same error they know now how to fix it simple with deleting the file

instead of reinstalling the whole program. That's the reason for posting and to ring

the alarm bell

Regards, Wijllie

[exile360]

Precisely the reason I created this long ago :

Show Hidden Files and Folders in Windows XP:

• Click Start and select My Computer
  
• Click the Tools item from the menu at the top of the window (if you don't see Tools press the Alt key on your keyboard and it will appear)
  
• Select Folder Options
  
• Click the View tab and make sure Show hidden files and folders is selected under Hidden files and folders
  
• Next, uncheck the box next to Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)
  
• Then, uncheck the box next to Hide extensions for known filetypes
  
• Click Apply then click OK
  

Then go to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and delete rules.ref. Once you've done that, start MBAM and when it shows the error and asks to update, let it do so and see if that corrects it.

Show Hidden Files and Folders in Windows Vista and Windows 7:

• Click on the Start button and select Computer
  
• Press the Alt key on your keyboard and click on Tools
  
• Select Folder Options
  
• Click the View tab and make sure that Show hidden files and folders is selected under Hidden files and folders
  
• Next, uncheck the box next to Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)
  
• Then, uncheck the box next to Hide extensions for known filetypes
  
• Click Apply then click OK
  

Then go to C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and delete rules.ref. Once you've done that, start MBAM and when it shows the error and asks to update, let it do so and see if that corrects it.

Reset Hidden Files and Folders in Windows XP:

• Click Start and select My Computer
  
• Click the Tools item from the menu at the top of the window (if you don't see Tools press the Alt key on your keyboard and it will appear)
  
• Select Folder Options
  
• Click the View tab and make sure Do not show hidden files and folders is selected under Hidden files and folders
  
• Next, check the box next to Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)
  
• Then, check the box next to Hide extensions for known filetypes
  
• Click Apply then click OK
  

Reset Hidden Files and Folders in Windows Vista and Windows 7:

• Click on the Start button and select Computer
  
• Press the Alt key on your keyboard and click on Tools
  
• Select Folder Options
  
• Click the View tab and make sure that Do not show hidden files and folders is selected under Hidden files and folders
  
• Next, check the box next to Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)
  
• Then, check the box next to Hide extensions for known filetypes
  
• Click Apply then click OK
  

[wijllie]

Yes and thanks for that

("long ago" should ring a bell)

You made that help because the problem occurs on a regular base with many others.

You know, there should be something done to the software to avoid this (after a while...)

If such things keep going on I (and others) loose trust in such programs. (You realy get tired of it).

It's like taking medicine for your toothpain: it helps at that time but the problem

stays and probably gets worse. You can't keep taking medicine, the problem should be cured.

[exile360]

Most users don't have this issue. In fact, I've never had it happen once on any of my systems and I run several with every version of Windows that MBAM will run on. It seems the environment has more to do with it as I've seen some software configurations cause this issue to repeat over time, in particular, AVG for a very long time was actually deleting the file, then that was fixed for a while, then it started corrupting it every time the database was downloaded and now I'm still seeing several AVG users with this issue recurring.

[wijllie]

Most users don't have this issue. In fact, I've never had it happen once on any of my systems and I run several with every version of Windows that MBAM will run on. It seems the environment has more to do with it as I've seen some software configurations cause this issue to repeat over time, in particular, AVG for a very long time was actually deleting the file, then that was fixed for a while, then it started corrupting it every time the database was downloaded and now I'm still seeing several AVG users with this issue recurring.

Never had that sort of issues with 1.46 so it could be a problem to

enviroment AND the new MBAM. But not only enviroment because there

hasn't anything changed here. Only MBAM has changed...

By the way and for information, the crash today was on a system with NIS2011.

[exile360]

I wonder why I haven't had it yet then. I'm still running 1.50 on all of my systems, as are many others that I know of who have yet to have this issue. Has your AV had no updates in the time since 1.50 was released? Even a definitions update to your AV could potentially cause it.

[wijllie]

I wonder why I haven't had it yet then. I'm still running 1.50 on all of my systems, as are many others that I know of who have yet to have this issue. Has your AV had no updates in the time since 1.50 was released? Even a definitions update to your AV could potentially cause it.

even if all dirs and files are excluded in both programs?

[exile360]

even if all dirs and files are excluded in both programs?

Absolutely. Some AV's handle exclusions better than others, and many require that exclusions be re-created when a new version of the excluded program is installed because they exclude based on the hash of the file(s). I found this to be true with Kaspersky and I know it's true for many others as well and may be true for AVG also.

[wijllie]

Absolutely. Some AV's handle exclusions better than others, and many require that exclusions be re-created when a new version of the excluded program is installed because they exclude based on the hash of the file(s). I found this to be true with Kaspersky and I know it's true for many others as well and may be true for AVG also.

Oh man, good to know, but now we have to check and do this manual too..!

Even more work GGRRRRR...

Handling a computer is getting problematic these days.

Where are my Dos 6 disks...

[exile360]

Oh man, good to know, but now we have to check and do this manual too..!

Even more work GGRRRRR...

Handling a computer is getting problematic these days.

Where are my Dos 6 disks...

Yep, that's the price of software/operating systems with ever increasing complexity . It's for protection though. This way, if mbam.exe ever gets replaced by an infected file called mbam.exe in the same location, your AV will still detect it/scan it because it was actually the hash that was excluded, not just the file/location.

[Firefox]

That makes good sense really, one question for you exile....

Does renaming a file also change the hash?