Suddenly, no AV/malware program I tried will complete

I started a previous thread when I thought the problem was only with MSE not completing a scheduled Full Scan, but now it seems bigger than that and I thought it would be better to start a more accurate thread.

I'd been running MSE and Antimalwarebytes Free version fine as scheduled (for MSE) or on demand (for both) programs. Up until 12/5. On 12/8 I did a Microsoft Update that installed a bunch of stuff (I say that as it seems very coincidental). I discovered a couple of days ago that the last time MSE ran to completion was 12/5.

I tried running MSE on demand in both normal and Safe modes. Multiple tries. In all cases it will hang at some random point (sometimes 5 minutes in, sometimes 80% of the way in) on some random file. Antimalwarebutes on demand does the same thing in normal mode; haven't tried Safe mode yet. Eset online, same thing. The stall is on a random file at some random point in the progress of the scan.

I even uninstalled and reinstalled MSE, updated it again, and ran it in normal mode. Stalled 5 minutes in.

What's interesting is that when I went to the Microsoft site to download the latest copy of MSE, it would download but wouldn't complete the virus scan. I went to Chrome. It downloaded but wouldn't execute from Chrome or even launch the file location window. I had to call up Windows File Explorer and go get it from there.

I haven't run CCleaner yet. That'll happen when I get home. What to do next? Should I try MAMB in Safe mode first or look at something I haven't checked out yet?

Hi:

Is this the same computer as the one here: MSE scheduled runs hang after recent Updates ?

A clean scan with one tool, e.g. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (aka "MBAM", not "Antimalwarebytes"), is a good sign, but it does not necessarily mean that you are clean.
Some malware requires the use of multiple tools for complete detection and removal.
Or you could have corrupt files, hardware issues, etc.

You might want to start with some routine diagnostics, such as a Check Disk, as explained in this tutorial: How to Run Disk Check in Windows 7

If that doesn't resolve your issues, then additional work will be needed, with diagnostic scans and, if needed, removal tools.
IMHO the sort of work to solve this is best conducted with a bit of expert guidance, as the powerful malware removal tools can cause damage when run in the wrong order or by an untrained user.
So, unless someone here with more expertise than I has specific suggestions, you might want to head over to one of several reputable computer disinfection fora. The trained helpers there will walk you through the scanning/cleanup/repair process.

Just a suggestion,

How much free space in on the drive you are scanning with your security programs?

Could you complete this tutorial by Golden so we can have a look.

Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

Nothing works properly with Windows 7 if it doesn't have a least 10% free space.
Windows 7 need elbow room to work properly.

You could also check and see how much of your hard drive is fragmented.
I suggest using the Windows 7 build in defrag program.

A tutorial by Brink:

Disk Defragmenter - Open and Use

tony22 said:

Defender Offline ran again and found nothing. BitDefender Rescue CD ran offline and found nothing. Kapersky Rescue Disc ran offline and found nothing.

That's very good news.

There are many reasons for stalled and slow scans, not just malware.
These include corrupt files, bad disk blocks, software conflicts, lack of free space, broken system configurations, etc, etc. etc..
Without more concrete data, such as diagnostic logs, it's hard to say for sure what the problem was.

Having said all that, you wrote:

I restarted Windows in Normal mode and reinstalled MSE after making sure I had uninstalled any other AV I had (Eset Online and MAMB).

Please be aware that Malwarebytes Anti-Malware ("MBAM") is NOT an antivirus, nor does it replace an antivirus.
To the contrary, MBAM is specifically designed to run alongside your AV to provide layered protection against zero-hour and zero-day, non-viral malware threats.
If you rely on MSE for your AV protection, it would probably be a good idea to add anti-malware protection, either MBAM or another robust program.
Millions of folks run MBAM Premium alongside MSE (or another AV (both free and paid)), without issues.

So, if you run into problems with MBAM + MSE on your system, then it might be prudent to determine what might be causing the issue (we can assist you over at the MBAM forums, if you wish), so that it can be resolved.

{For the record, ESET Online Scanner is not an AV (in the standard sense of the word), either, and it's not installed on your computer. It's an online scanner.}

Cheers,

MM