Microsoft Security Essentials

I have Microsoft Security Essentials. Lately it has remained in the orange ( stays potential threat status). It says the computer hasn't been scanned lately when in fact, I just manually ordered full scan yesterday. I have it set to auto updates & scans.I am sure I have a malware invasion as my computer is running EXTREMELY slow (snail crawl), Every morning I find an error about Animalware executable not being able to run or something like that. My Outlook Express mail was the first thing to go - it just froze up totally (cannot perform any function there) this was about 3 weeks ago and I've tried EVERYTHING from Microsoft Fix it, PC Unleashed and everything in between to try and fix problem to no avail HELP!!! HELP!!!

As for the MSE staying in the "orange", if you are using CCleaner or any other 3rd party disk cleaner, make sure the boxes for "MS AntiMalware" and "MS Security Client" or anything else that looks like it has something to do with the antivirus, are NOT checked, as this will erase logs every time you run the cleaner and tell Windows that a scan hasn't been run. As for ("an error about Animalware executable not being able to run or something like that") - check in "services" that it is set to run "automatic" - Right click "my computer" - "manage" - "services & applications" - "services" - scroll to"Microsoft Antimalware" - right click it - click "properties" - under "startup type" click the down arrow to drop the menu & click "automatic" if it is not already set as so - click "apply" & exit.

As for malware itself, here are links to 3 great tools. There are lots of others out there, but, in my case, these 3 are the only ones that find anything. The Comodo CE is especially good for rootkits because it prompts you to restart during the process so it can access & scan "locked" files that can't otherwise be accessed while Windows is running.But feel free to try others if you think there are still problems. A few more are:

IOBit Malware Fighter (free)
Adaware (free)
Spybot Search & Destroy
(without "teatimer" function")
Norman Malware Cleaner

These 4 are pretty good, but kinda large, don't let that discourage you, after all if you're infected, you have nothing but time anyway. They just don't seem to help me anymore because I'm clean & have been managing to stay that way. GoodLuck

http://www.malwarebytes.org/ - (download now - from our trusted partner sites - not "buy now")

http://superantispyware.com/ - (free edition download)

http://www.comodo.com/business-security/network-protection/cleaning_essentials.php?key5sk1=189ebdd7327a7422b4b97899f5bb954efbb22af2&key5sk2=2128&key5sk3=1339511338000&key5sk4=2742&key5sk5=1339511343000&key5sk6=2742&key5sk7=1339511387000&key6sk1=&key6sk2=CH190108452&key6sk3=5&key6sk4=en-us&key6sk5=US&key6sk6=0&key6sk7=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.comodo.com%252F&key6sk8=113300&key6sk9=1024768&key6sk10=true&key6sk11=94965e9f4cf4a7418dee31bcec6dac918c1ee13d&key7sk1=2&key7sk2=19&key1sk1=dt&key1sk2=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.comodo.com%252F

You receive error: "You haven't run a scan on your computer for a while. This could put your computer at risk" when you open Microsoft Security Essentials.

This error appears as the result of third party anti-virus and/or system cleaner products conflicting with Microsoft Security Essentials.

Microsoft Article ID: 2635869


Please download and scan with the Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool from one of the following links and save it to your desktop.

• Link 1
• Link 2
• Link 3

Be sure to print out and read the instructions provided in:How to Install Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool
How to use the Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool to automatically remove viruses

• Double-click the setup file (i.e. setup_9.0.0.722_22.01.2010_10-04.exe), select your language and install the utility.
  Vista/Windows 7 users right-click and select Run As Administrator.
• If you receive a UAC prompt asking if you would like to continue running the program, you should press the Continue button.
• At the 'Setup page', click Next, check the box to accept the license agreement and click Next twice more to extract the required files.
• Setup may recommend to scan the computer in Safe Mode. Click Ok.
• A window will open with a tab that says Autoscan. Click the green Start scan button on the Autoscan tab in the main window.
• If malware is detected, you will see the Scan Alert screen.
• Place a checkmark in the Apply to all box, and click Disinfect if the button is active.
• After the scan finishes, if any threats are left unneutralized in the Scan window (Red exclamation point), click the Neutralize all button.
• Place a checkmark in the Apply to all box, and click Disinfect if the button is active.
• If advised that a special disinfection procedure is required which demands system reboot, click the Ok button to close the window.
• In the Scan window click the Reports button, choose Critical events and select Save to save the results to a file (name it avptool.txt).
• Copy and paste the report results of any threats detected. Do not include the longer list marked Events.
• When finished, follow these instructions on How to uninstall Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool 2011.

-- If you cannot run this tool in normal mode, then try using it in "safe mode".


Please download Sophos Virus Removal Tool and save it to your desktop.

• It is a large file so it may take some time to download.
• Be sure to read and follow the instructions on that same page for installing and performing a scan.
• If anything threats are detected, they will show in the Scan Results with an option to click a Details... button for more information.
• Click on the Start clean up button to allow removal of all threats found and reboot the computer when done.
• A log file should have been created...copy and paste the results in your next reply.

Logs are automatically saved to the following locations:
-- XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<Username>\Application Data\Sophos\Sophos Virus Removal Tool\Logs\SophosVirusRemovalTool.log
-- Vista, Windows 7, 2008: C:\Program Data\Sophos\Sophos Virus Removal Tool\Logs\SophosVirusRemovalTool.log