Windows security centre virus protection keeps switching off

[Hustler]

When I've finished on the PC I switch it off.
And when I need it again I switch it back on.
Just recently, over the last 4 or 5 days, every time I switch it on a little balloon on the bottom right of the screen shows something is not correct.
I click on said balloon and the windows security centre tells me that virus protection is off.
It recommends that I update one of my installed antivirus programs.
As far as I know I have just the windows antivirus program.
So I click on microsoft security essentials and update.
Takes a few minutes to run the update and then all is well again.
But it's doing it everytime I switch the PC on.
So, what needs doing here please ?
Thanks very much

 

[Grey Beard]

Try disabling System Restore and then running the update in Safe Mode. When complete run the Virus Scanner.

If all is well, then create a System Restore Point and that should fix it (fingers crossed).

Sometimes the computer will restore the system to it's corrupted/infected Restore Point, therefore undoing the Virus Scanner's disinfection work.

You didn't say which version of Windows you are using.

Good luck

Grey Beard

 

[Hustler]

Try disabling System Restore and then running the update in Safe Mode. When complete run the Virus Scanner.

If all is well, then create a System Restore Point and that should fix it (fingers crossed).

Sometimes the computer will restore the system to it's corrupted/infected Restore Point, therefore undoing the Virus Scanner's disinfection work.

You didn't say which version of Windows you are using.

Good luck

Grey Beard

That's very good of you to reply Grey Beard and I do appreciate it, honestly.
But I'm afraid I'm not technically capable of understanding, yet alone doing, what you suggest.
I'm Windows XP version 2002 service pack 3.

 

[Grey Beard]

That's very good of you to reply Grey Beard and I do appreciate it, honestly.
But I'm afraid I'm not technically capable of understanding, yet alone doing, what you suggest.
I'm Windows XP version 2002 service pack 3.

Problem is I have never run XP on my own computer, but I think pressing F8 (Function Key number 8) on boot-up gives you a menu which allows you to Boot in 'Safe Mode'- Safe Mode doesn't load all the fancy stuff on the computer, just the very basic operating stuff, so the screen will look crap - low resolution, etc.

If (before you boot in safe mode) you go into Windows Help and search for Restore or Windows Restore Point, there should be some advice where to find it in the menu structure. It's just a case of switching it off until you have done the Virus Scanner Update and Scan. Then you can reactivate this/create a good restore point.

Grey Beard

 

[Hustler]

Problem is I have never run XP on my own computer, but I think pressing F8 (Function Key number 8) on boot-up gives you a menu which allows you to Boot in 'Safe Mode'- Safe Mode doesn't load all the fancy stuff on the computer, just the very basic operating stuff, so the screen will look crap - low resolution, etc.

If (before you boot in safe mode) you go into Windows Help and search for Restore or Windows Restore Point, there should be some advice where to find it in the menu structure. It's just a case of switching it off until you have done the Virus Scanner Update and Scan. Then you can reactivate this/create a good restore point.

Grey Beard

Thanks again Grey Beard but I wouldn't feel at all comfortable trying that.
Sounds very fraught with the potential to do some major software damage in my hands.
Think I'll look out for my techie friend who lives down the road.
Or run the security essentials update every time I switch the PC on.

 

[Hustler]

And finally the problem has gone away .....

.... fingers crossed.
Switched on this morning, still had the problem.
Tried a system scan, made no difference.
Then I updated Malwarebytes, anti malware.
And the problem went away.
May have been a total coincidence of course but so far, so good.

 

[wessie]

This is an idiosyncrasy of Win XP when using Windows Security Essentials.

My netbook does it when first booting up from a complete power down. It doesn't appear from a soft boot (after going into hibernation when closing the screen.)

I ignore it as it goes away of its own accord once the machine has fully booted up and in 3 years of using this netbook I have not had a security/virus problem.

If you want to get technical, WinXP is expecting an anti virus programme to set a flag within a certain time frame to show your PC is protected. If that flag is not set in that period then it pops up the warning balloon. Eventually, Windows Security Essentials catches up and sets the flag which makes Win XP happy again.

It's a fault in the Win XP operating system rather than your PC being under attack. I put it down to XP being coded years before we had so many apps trying to log onto their online networks looking for updates, meaning WSE is fully committed monitoring this traffic and does not get around to setting the flag as it is a low priority task.

 

[Hustler]

Thanks very much for that explanation wessie.
Most appreciated.