Windows 7: Problem with security scans being cut short

Hey I know this isn't a 7 issue but don't know quite where to go with it.
Have just rejuvenated an old XP (Home and SP3) machine for a friends kids and everything up to date and seemingly running really quite fast considering the age of the machine.

Now I have downloaded installed and then uninstalled Comodo Premium free twice now because the scan would not run full term.

So I tried MSE and with the same results anyone got any ideas please?

I get a message that says Antimalware Service Executable has encountered a problem etc etc and then gets me to send a report to Microsoft - am getting nowhere with them, and strange thing is Malwarebytes still runs no problems.

Be sure you are not running multiple antivirus programs. Also, you said you "rejuvinated" the machine. Did yuou format it and put a fresh install of XP on it or did you leave the installation that was on it? Knowing XP, it can develop all sorts of issues over several years. I would advise you to format the hard drive anfd put a fresh installation on it. Do not use any of those factory partitions either. Use a normal Windows XP disc so it is a bloat free installation.

Hiyya windude no mate I only ran Comodo and free Malwarebytes a combo I have never had trouble with before. But I think it had a virus (most probably a rootkit) on board before I started to clean up the original install as the previous owner never kept the security (Trend) up to date and I am suspecting it was lying dormant until I tried scans of whatever source as I have started scans with Comodo, Malwarebytes, Kaspersky TDSS Killer and Microsoft Malicious all which ran to approx 25% then the machine rebooted or froze.

So I wiped the drive and diskparted it ready for a clean install off of some old (but new) editions of XP I picked up but either the wipe didn't go correctly or the drive is bad because I kept getting a disk write error message. Thinking it might have been a bad opto drive I changed it but it made no difference, so I have slipped in a small (40GB) drive and it started to install ok .

I am going to try a secure erase later to see if that works as the install started ok on a small (40GB) HDD I had spare so it will be interesting to see what happens when I retry the larger drive.

If this goes ok I ma going to stick on Comodo and Malwarebytes via a stick and run a scan before hooking up the net.

PS Sorry late reply

Oh windude and anyone else interested I forgot to post this ref I was given by a member of another forum.
Rootkit Bounces Back ...with a vengeance | Tech Support Forum

Try wiping the hard drive with Darik's Boot and Nuke. Do a DOD short wipe and then try to install Windows XP after that has completed. Tutorial on how to use Darik's Boot and Nuke: Darik's Boot and Nuke - Use to Secure Wipe a Hard Drive

Ok windude I'll give it a go mate as I have now wiped three drives (0's) and diskparted them to create a primary partition, but all get to loading all the XP files on and when it reboots it just goes to a screen CTRL/ALT/DEL to restart the machine. The proces starts all over from there.

I have been using that mini tools Partition Wizard if that is of any useful info.

Frankly I think I might have a couple of dud OS's here although the first one I used worked ok. Mind you they are dated 2002 and I think were a job lot from some company that swapped over to 7.

So at the moment I am formatting a drive that I haven't wiped to see if that works if not then I'll bin the disks and see if the friend can afford an OEM of 7 - pity cos the machine is only for the kids to play on so they don't muck up her laptop that I have just spent some time fixing.

Maybe there is a virus embedded in the mobo or keyboard - but I am really clutching at straws there I guess.

Well I don't know what is going on with this machine windude as that last drive I just shoved in without wiping or doing anything with has taken the install without a hitch! It just formatted it and away it went!

Frankly I cannot think of why perhaps the wiping was wrecking the drive?

Hiyya Derek I can't get your post up in IE but can read it in my email so yes mate I was formatting it NTFS in the primary partition as per whs tut when doing SSD's and even just letting the machine format the larger partition when I loaded the XP disk and run it.

To be honest D I am getting a tad frustrated with this one as I can hook up to the net now but it will not let me update Windows or download any security from either the net or the stick I have both on. I think I mentioned before perhaps the machine itself has become contaminated with something or thses disks are corporate ones that will not "stick".

I am trying another disk OS right now if that fails then it is the machine I cannot think of anything else it could be as I had three old XP new OS CD's and the first one went without a hitch.

I have tried the Microsoft Fix it but it does nothing to help, and the contact details are all US ones so if this does not work then I will scrap it and try another spare machine. If need be I'll flip in a copy of 7 for her but it really is a waste a s it is only for the kids to learn on.

Yeah, my fault on that, I deleted it. Just thinking outloud. XP can be formatted NTFS or FAT32.

Microsoft Corporation

No probs mate well the last install is running now from a different disk.

Its a pity that there wasn't some way of downloading it now onto a stick and then just activating it with the code on the pack. Then I wouldn't have to be bothered with SP 1,2,3 and the interminable updates