Ever since dowloading MS Security Essentials

[Evil_T0NY {CLR}]

....it's been having issues...it keeps detecting 3 pieces of spyware, and when I go to "clean" it....it goes to a certain point then stops....as if it locks up or something.....any clue here?

Sure this "MS Security Essentials" itself isnt' spyware?

What's weird is, I ran a scan, and it said it found no threats...but then contradicts itself by saying it found 4 potential threats....HUH?!

Personally, I think it's detecting something that's HELPFUL to my computer, not harmful (which is what is also annoying about Spyware Programs...it actually sees something helpful to a computer as harmful)

[Evil_T0NY {CLR}]

AH I nkow the term..."False Positive!"

[Qicmee]

I have never used this AV software, so I haven't experienced what you're seeing. Reviews usually say it has a low incidence of false positives.

"it goes to a certain point then stops" - Some software is frustrating because it completes an action, and then waits for a response, without giving any obvious signal the user. If this is what's happening, look for something to click or reread that section of the user documentation (not as I do).

Here's my guess. MS Security Essentials is finding no serious problem (says "all good"), then it reports potential problems for you to decide (might not be "good"). I have some software in that category; I exclude it from future scans. Here's links on how to exclude trusted software:

How do I add or remove items from the Microsoft Security Essentials allowed list?


How do I exclude certain files, folders and programs?

[Evil_T0NY {CLR}]

I have never used this AV software, so I haven't experienced what you're seeing. Reviews usually say it has a low incidence of false positives.

"it goes to a certain point then stops" - Some software is frustrating because it completes an action, and then waits for a response, without giving any obvious signal the user. If this is what's happening, look for something to click or reread that section of the user documentation (not as I do).

Here's my guess. MS Security Essentials is finding no serious problem (says "all good"), then it reports potential problems for you to decide (might not be "good"). I have some software in that category; I exclude it from future scans. Here's links on how to exclude trusted software:

How do I add or remove items from the Microsoft Security Essentials allowed list?


How do I exclude certain files, folders and programs?

Yeah, it says "threat level" moderate.....chances are this was on my computer the WHOLE time...even though

Malwarebytes, SuperAntispyware and Norton never said anything...but...apparently this MS one is picking up on these 3 programs (ones called AngryScan.A) and 3 remote access ones.

So I don't think it's a real big deal.

[WalkinTarget]

It could be a rootkit that is reloading the software after MSE tries to remove it. You can't rule out the rootkit at any point until you use a specific utility to check for the existence of a rootkit.

Try scanning the PC with GMER or F-Secure's Blacklight and see what they find. If one or both find something, don't even BOTHER trying to remove it .. you can't.

[Apache Warrior]

And neither lists Win 7 as supported.
Apache

[Infamous]

doesnt combofix remove rootkits?

[WalkinTarget]

doesnt combofix remove rootkits?

I tried it on the last PC I worked on that had a rootkit and it claimed to have removed it, but after a reboot the rootkit was right back in business. That's sorta how they work, masking their presence from the system, so I just don't trust any PC that has rootkit activity.