UAC suddenly challenging MBAM at startup

[whatmeworry?]

I have MBAM Pro set to start at startup. I think there's a built-in delay so that MBAM will not conflict with other software. All worked well until today, when suddenly Windows 7's User Account Control asked me AT STARTUP whether I wanted to permit MBAM to run. I'm accustomed to the [expletive deleted] UAC challenging every use I make of MBAM after startup, but today it wouldn't even let MBAM start at startup until I gave my permission. Has there been some change to MBAM that has resulted in this unfortunate development? I like to have my computer start without my having to stay there to give me OK. No other program was challenged at startup, just MBAM. And it happened when I rebooted as well. Can anyone explain this change?

(I should add that I HATE the way the UAC works. I don't mind the added protection, but I wish it would work the way many firewalls work--they challenge the program the first time, but if the user says it's OK, the program is whitelisted and not challenged again. But though I hate the way the UAC works, I am reluctant to turn it off.)

Thanks in advance.

[Banyarola]

That has happened to me also..

When I first installed pro version it would ask me. Then it stopped for a long time and just yesterday it asked me again but now it doesn't...

Of course, this doesn't answer your question but just wanted to let you know it's not only happening to you...

[whatmeworry?]

Thanks, Banyarola, for the feedback. Your experience and mine seem to suggest that something has changed with MBAM very recently. I hope someone will be able to identify what it is and how to fix it.

[exile360]

Greetings

Please do the following and let me know if it resolves the issue for both of you or not:

• Open C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Note: on 64 bit Windows versions this will be C:\Program Files (x86)\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
  
• Right-click on mbamgui.exe and select Properties
  
• Click on the Compatibility tab
  
• Make certain that none of the boxes are checked, and if they are, uncheck them and click Apply
  
• Click Change settings for all users and verify that none of the boxes are checked, but if they are, uncheck them and click Apply then click on OK to both Properties dialogues
  
• Restart your computer and verify that you no longer receive a User Account Control prompt on startup
  

Please let me know how it goes.

Thanks

[whatmeworry?]

Thanks, exile360, for your quick response. I did as you suggested. None of the boxes was checked, and so Apply was of course greyed out for both me and when I clicked on the "other users" button. So I clicked OK and then rebooted. In spite of my doing nothing, this time MBAM started at startup with no interference from the UAC. I have no idea what triggered the UAC earlier today (twice), but at least for now, all is well. BTW, is there any reason that there's well over a minute's delay between the time that most/all other programs load at startup and the time that MBAM finally loads? I didn't time it, but I know it was well over a minute, according to the clock in the system tray. Indeed, it took so long that I feared for a moment that MBAM wasn't going to start at all. I don't usually pay much attention to this, so it may not be any longer than usual, but I wonder whether so long a delay is necessary, and if it's not, whether there's a way to adjust things to, say, a 45-second delay.

Again, many thanks.

[Banyarola]

None of the boxes are checked in my version either...

But. like I had said, it happens once in awhile...

No big deal...For me anyway.

[exile360]

BTW, is there any reason that there's well over a minute's delay between the time that most/all other programs load at startup and the time that MBAM finally loads?

Yes, on Vista/7 MBAMService is set to a delayed start instead of Automatic. You can change this in Services.msc if you wish, but it is not recommended as it may cause a conflict during startup with your antivirus.

None of the boxes are checked in my version either...

But. like I had said, it happens once in awhile...

This can also happen if you removed something during a scan and then rebooted, the scanner launches to perform cleanup, which does trigger User Account Control.

[whatmeworry?]

Hi, exile. I'm well aware that MBAM deliberately has a delayed startup in Vista/7, and I'm happy with that. I just wondered whether the length of the delay could be adjusted. If not, that's OK.

Also, the circumstances you described that might trigger the UAC don't apply in my case. I have no idea why the UAC challenged MBAM twice today at startup when it hadn't ever done before on this computer. I wasn't even doing a scan, and I would never remove anything during a scan. UAC **always** asks about MBAM when I use it at a time other than startup. Indeed, it asks when I update, and then right after that when I want to do a scan, it asks again. Sigh. I don't understand why it does this with MBAM and not with many other programs. Oh well....

[exile360]

Hi, exile. I'm well aware that MBAM deliberately has a delayed startup in Vista/7, and I'm happy with that. I just wondered whether the length of the delay could be adjusted. If not, that's OK.

No, unfortunately the length of the delay cannot be adjusted, at least not to my knowledge. If you've set proper exclusions in your AV for Malwarebytes, then you should be able to change the startup type to Automatic without issues, and if a problem does occur, you can boot into Safe Mode (since Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware's protection module doesn't start in Safe Mode) and change the startup type back to Automatic (Delayed Start).

Also, the circumstances you described that might trigger the UAC don't apply in my case. I have no idea why the UAC challenged MBAM twice today at startup when it hadn't ever done before on this computer. I wasn't even doing a scan, and I would never remove anything during a scan. UAC **always** asks about MBAM when I use it at a time other than startup. Indeed, it asks when I update, and then right after that when I want to do a scan, it asks again. Sigh. I don't understand why it does this with MBAM and not with many other programs. Oh well....

mbam.exe requires administrative privileges to run for several reasons, the first is scanning: in order to check all locations that it wants to, it must have administrative access, the second is removal: in order to delete a file or registry entry that is in a privileged location, it requires administrative access, the third is the database: our database file (rules.ref) is stored in a central location for all users, so that if one user updates, all other user accounts on the system update along with it without having to perform updates from each profile, and administrative privileges are required to write to that location.

Other security software (AV's etc.) will use a service to execute all of these tasks, and the service has sufficient privileges to grant administrative access to their program for updating, scanning and removal. Ours could technically do so, but since our PRO version and Free version are the same program, just with different features and our Free version does not install a service that runs whenever you boot your PC to handle such tasks, it must universally require administrative privileges for mbam.exe to perform such tasks.

[whatmeworry?]

Thanks very much, exile360, for your interesting and helpful reply. You've helped me understand better why UAC treats MBAM the way it does. I'll also keep in mind your suggestion about trying a non-delayed startup for MBAM.

[exile360]

You're welcome, I'm glad to be of service .