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Renaming malwarebytes boosts performance?


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Hi everybody,

First off, wanted to say Malwarebytes is the best antivirus program out there, at least for somebody like me with no real programming knowledge. So thanks very much to the crew who made it and keep it up to date. Now, something strange has happened with malwarebytes and the performance of my toshiba satellite l655 laptop which makes me kind of suspicious. I'm down in Bolivia for the summer doing public health research, and shortly after or maybe slightly before I got down here, my laptop started performing waaaaaay below its rated specs, temporarily freezing routinely during internet use, not being able to play more than a few seconds of media files before becoming temporarily unresponsive, and generally being extremely slow for a relatively new computer. I updated and ran malwarebytes full system scans several times, but to this day they find nothing suspicious. Finally, today, I decided to check and see if renaming the malwarebytes executable would yield different scan results. I renamed mbam.exe to onoyoudont.exe, and ran the scan, which again found nothing. However, I noticed an immediate improvement to my computer's performance, so that now it is performing at or at least very close to the level it was at when I bought it. This seems very suspicious to me.

Any thoughts?

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Hello and welcome to MBAM, toeforce:

Until one of the engineers or experts arrives, please provide a bit more info about your system:

  • What is your Operating System (XP, Vista, or Win7)?
  • Is your OS 32-bit or 64-bit?
  • What is your OS Service Pack?
  • What version (if any) of MBAM have you run (current is 1.51.0.1200)?
  • Is it MBAM Free or PRO?
  • What MBAM database version did you use (current is 7004)?
  • What brand and version of antivirus, antimalware, and firewall software do you have?
  • Do you use a router to connect to the internet?
  • Have you recently been or might you now be infected (browser redirects, IP blocks, unable to open or run programs, etc)?

It's likely that this may just be due to not having the proper reciprocal exclusions between MBAM and your AV.

So, let's start there....

Thanks!

daledoc1

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Hey Daledoc, thanks for the welcome,

OS is windows 7 64 bit, service pack 1

I have MBAM 1.51.0.1200 PRO

I have database 7003

I do not have any other antivirus than MBAM installed, I have windows firewall activated

I use wireless routers to connect to the internet most of the time, and was worried that I might have gotten some malware because network security could be worse here than in the states. I vaguely recall that my computer booted once without MBAM running active protection, which had me worried. I also had a browser start page redirect to some search engine site which I fixed within firefox. MBAM did not detect it as a problem.

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Hello again, toeforce:

Thanks very much for the info.

The first and most important thing that jumps out is that you are not running any AV software!

MBAM is NOT an AV.

Rather, it is specifically engineered to provide layered, complementary protection against rogues & other pests, alongside a standard AV and software firewall.

So, given this fact and the computer's odd behavior lately (slow-downs, browser redirects and high CPU usage, etc) and your own concerns about possibly being infected, I would most strongly suggest that you have your system checked for a possible infection.

Alas, we cannot on malware detection/removal in this part of the General MBAM forum. :(

HOWEVER: :)

There is some helpful self-help troubleshooting info for getting MBAM to run on an infected machine here.

And there are specific self-help malware removal instructions here.

If you would like expert assistance with cleaning your system, there are 3 support options from which to choose:

  • Option 1 -- Free, Expert advice in the Malware Removal Forum
  • Option 2 -- Paying customer using MBAM PRO -- Contact MBAM Support via email
  • Option 3 -- Premium, Fee-Based Support

OPTION 1

As we don't deal with malware removal in this General Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Forum, you need to start a topic in the Malware Removal forum so that a qualified helper can help you fix any malware related problems/infections you may have.

  • First, please print out, read and follow the directions here, skipping any steps you are unable to complete.
  • If the infection has so crippled the computer that you cannot follow most/all of the requested steps, then please just proceed as advised below:
  • Then please post a NEW topic here.
  • When posting your new thread, please make sure that, under "options", you select Track this topic and choose Immediate Email Notification, so that you're alerted when someone has replied to your post.
  • One of the expert helpers there will give you free, one-on-one assistance when one becomes available.
  • Please refrain from making any further changes to your computer such as (Install/Uninstall programs, use special fix tools, delete files, edit the registry, etc...) unless advised by a malware removal helper. Doing so can result in system changes which may hinder the attempts by a helper to clean your machine.

NOTE: Please DO NOT post back to ("bump") your topic within the first 48 hours.

Replying to your own posts changes the post count and helpers are looking for topics with zero replies. If you reply to your own post, helpers may think that you're already being helped and thus overlook your post.


  • o If there is no reply from any experts after 48 hours, you can reply to the topic, asking for help again.
    Or
    o You may send a Private Message to a Moderator asking for assistance.

OPTION 2

Alternatively, as a paying customer using MBAM PRO, you can contact the help desk at support@malwarebytes.org or here.

OPTION 3

If you would like to use the Malwarebytes Premium Services (Comprehensive solutions to all your computer support needs -- from installation and set-up to troubleshooting and tune-ups), please go to the Malwarebytes Premium Services support site.

Given the long holiday weekend here in US and the fact that most of the expert helpers are volunteers, it may be a day or two before someone can assist you.

Please be patient, someone will assist you as soon as it is possible.

(Once you are given the "all clear" at the malware removal forum, they may refer you to the PC help sub-forum, if you are still having non-malware performance issues.)

Thanks!

daledoc1

PS: Please use the a8JTu.jpg button instead of other ones when you reply here and at the other forums, so that it will be easier to read. :)

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Wow... :blink: Did not know that MBAM was not a full-on antivirus... I actually removed the annoying AV my computer came with because I thought it would destroy performance if I used it with MBAM, which I trust more. Thanks for setting me straight on that. I'm going to download some free AV and see what it finds

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Hi:

As you are most likely infected (browser redirects, CPU spikes, other abnormal behavior), you may have trouble getting an AV to install.

Your best bet is to get cleaned up first.

Although there are some free, web-based online scanners (ESET, Kaspersky) etc, my personal advice is to get professional help at the malware removal forum.

Unless one knows what one is doing, we home users can cause more harm than good trying the "DIY" approach --- some of the scanners and tools can make it hard for the experts to clean your machine -- or worse!

That's just my un-professional, home user, long-time computer user two-cents worth. ;):)

Cheers,

daledoc1

PS IF you browse the forums here, you'll get many personal opinions on the "best" free AV. Avast seems to be the fave at the moment. Avira was great for a while, but they have recently started foisting toolbars and other bundled software with their product; so they have really fallen out of favor of late. AVG has always been a bit of pain, but some folks like it. A few folks swear by MSE.

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