I cannot get Windows virus & threat protection to work

JAM83 · Sep 7, 2023

Sixties Fan said:
Windows Defender antivirus refuses to work since uninstalling Bitdefender and Avast Premium Security (not both installed at the same time). I don't know how long this problem has been there, but I can say that restoring the disc image (with Macrium Reflect) to a month ago has not resolved the problem. Initially, I thought it had, but it hasn't. I've tried Tweakingdotcom, DISM, sfc /scannow and FixWin11, but nothing has worked. Is there anything else I could try, except for a Windows reset, which I don't really want to do as it will take me a long time to reinstall all my software?

I'm attaching a summary of my system for you in case that helps.

View attachment 70247
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View attachment 70249 View attachment 70250

I finally was able to completely disable Defender and all of it's components. . How? I have no idea, but I did!

Scannerman · Sep 7, 2023

Ghot said:
When was the last time you updated the chipset driver?
Those weird yellow warnings are usually part of the chipset drivers.

I believe I tried that again last week. Also tried all sorts of older chipset drivers to no avail. I'm thinking the issue originated with the special instructions Microsoft provided for installing Win 11 on non-compatible systems. That was some time ago and I don't recall everything I did but I was more successful with the modified install than I was with upgrading my "compatible" system currently running Windows 10. I'm leaving that one to run until EOL on 10 because it just isn't worth the trouble.

Sixties Fan · Sep 8, 2023

Ghot said:
A reset and a clean install are NOT the same thing.
I linked the tutorial for the clean install. Read through it a couple times.

MS is almost ready to release 23H2, and you need to be more up to date, or you will probably have issues in the future.

I've followed your procedure to the letter and now have a clean installation of Windows. There are quite a few updates waiting to install, but I'm going to wait until my first Macrium Reflect disc image has completed and when it has, I'll keep that as a standalone backup with just my main stuff installed (Microsoft Office Pro 2019, PowerArchiver, emClient, etc). I'll then add a few more apps and start a fresh Macrium backup to run each morning.

Ghot · Sep 8, 2023

Sixties Fan said:
I've followed your procedure to the letter and now have a clean installation of Windows. There are quite a few updates waiting to install, but I'm going to wait until my first Macrium Reflect disc image has completed and when it has, I'll keep that as a standalone backup with just my main stuff installed (Microsoft Office Pro 2019, PowerArchiver, emClient, etc). I'll then add a few more apps and start a fresh Macrium backup to run each morning.

Smart choices, all. ^^
I assume you Windows Defender is working again.

Sixties Fan · Sep 8, 2023

Ghot said:
Smart choices, all. ^^
I assume you Windows Defender is working again.

All is well at the moment and I'm not going to be installing any more third-party antivirus programs. Thanks for your help - it's much appreciated.

Ghot · Sep 8, 2023

Sixties Fan said:
All is well at the moment and I'm not going to be installing any more third-party antivirus programs. Thanks for your help - it's much appreciated.

Good job. Just make a fresh backup before you make any major changes.
Then if something breaks... just restore from the latest backup.
Make sure you make the backup software's bootable media, so you can access your backups if Windows won't boot.

For computering, above and beyond the call of duty... you are hereby awarded...

Sixties Fan · Sep 8, 2023

Ghot said:
Good job. Just make a fresh backup before you make any major changes.
Then if something breaks... just restore from the latest backup.
Make sure you make the backup software's bootable media, so you can access your backups if Windows won't boot.

Macrium Reflect gives me two options each time I start my computer, the default one is to load Windows as normal, but the other option is to enter recovery mode, which then loads all the files necessary for Macrium Reflect to run. Also, it's possible to start a restore from within Windows, which is how I usually do it. Also, if doing that, I need to connect to my NAS (where my backups are stored) using an ethernet cable. Once I have selected the image I want to restore, Macrium reboots the computer and then starts the restore automatically. Such a useful program to have in one's arsenal.

Ghot · Sep 8, 2023

Sixties Fan said:
Macrium Reflect gives me two options each time I start my computer, the default one is to load Windows as normal, but the other option is to enter recovery mode, which then loads all the files necessary for Macrium Reflect to run. Also, it's possible to start a restore from within Windows, which is how I usually do it. Also, if doing that, I need to connect to my NAS (where my backups are stored) using an ethernet cable. Once I have selected the image I want to restore, Macrium reboots the computer and then starts the restore automatically. Such a useful program to have in one's arsenal.

That Macrium option, where Macrium is added to the BCD, is excellent, unless the Windows drive physically dies.
In that situation you would need the Macrium bootable USB sitck or CD.

Then you would replace the drive, and then boot from the USB stick to access your restores.

The Macrium bootable rescue media also has command prompt and networking available.

Sixties Fan · Sep 8, 2023

Ghot said:
That Macrium option, where Macrium is added to the BCD, is excellent, unless the Windows drive physically dies.
In that situation you would need the Macrium bootable USB sitck or CD.

Then you would replace the drive, and then boot from the USB stick to access your restores.

I'll have to explore that option when I've finished installing all my programs. Fortunately, I don't keep my data on my computer. Instead, I store it on my Synology Diskstation and it gets backed up every night to my IDrive account. I also run a monthly backup of my NAS contents and a also a Macrium backup, which I store on two WD portable drives, one for the NAS stuff and one for the Macrium backups.