Solved Cannot Get MSE Scheduled Scan to Run

[AlanDyson]

I know this has been discussed before, but posts tend to be old and a definitive answer has eluded me.

Despite extensive fiddling, I simply cannot get the otherwise excellent Microsoft Security Essentials to run a scheduled scan. I've tried changing the date and time, scanning daily, scanning weekly, making sure the computer is on at the relevant time, and set Task Controller to wake the computer when a scan is due (it being left on standby for most of the day).

It's not a fatal problem because I get regular warnings that a scan has not been run for some time (sometimes even the day after the previous one!), and "Scan now" only takes a couple of minutes unnoticed.

Any more ideas would be welcome.

 

[G4PYR]

My computer is on 24/7 and I have set MSE to scan at 0100 each day with a full scan.

This is does and the scan can be any time from 30 mins before to 30 mins after 0100. But it always scans.

Perhaps with that time fram around your set scan time the computer is not on, mine switches off the monitor but nothing else and will every 30 mins through the night check for email.

Just my thoughts.

 

[AlanDyson]

Thanks for that. I was aware that the scan could start either side of the set time, and allowed for that when checking with the computer fully on. But still no scan.

 

[JMH]

Alan,
See if these links can help...

MSE SCHEDULED SCAN NEVER RUNS - Microsoft Answers

http://www.sevenforums.com/system-security/168926-microsoft-security-essentials-scheduled-scans.html

Task Scheduler - Wake Up Computer

Microsoft Security Essentials Product Information

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Alan:

Do you use CCleaner or a similar application to clean out certain files, possibly log files?

 

[AlanDyson]

Thanks for the responses guys. More twiddling (including adjusting CCleaner which was set to clear Windows log files) has got me no further. I made sure the computer was on for an hour each side of this mornings scheduled scan but zilch. (When I say "on" I mean asleep, or on standby as we used to say. I expected the Task Scheduler setting to wake it, but no.)

I think I'll just leave the settings as they are. MSE is very keen to ask for a manual scan, and having its icon showing in the system tray provides a useful reminder.

 

[JMH]

Thanks for the responses guys. More twiddling (including adjusting CCleaner which was set to clear Windows log files) has got me no further.

Current accepted wisdom with Win 7 is to NOT use a cleaner.

If you ever think your Registry needs to be cleaned, repaired, boosted, tuned-up, cured, tweaked, fixed, or optimized it shouldn't.

In other words, injudicious use of "Registry cleaners" CAN & DOES cause problems.

IMO - there is no reliable way for a third party program to know whether any particular key is invalid, redundant or neither.
Some registry cleaners may not know for sure whether a key is still being used by Windows or what detrimental effects removing it may have.
This has led to examples of registry cleaners causing loss of functionality and/or system instability.

FYI
Do I need a Registry Cleaner? | What the Tech

 

[Corrine]

Thanks for the responses guys. More twiddling (including adjusting CCleaner which was set to clear Windows log files) has got me no further. I made sure the computer was on for an hour each side of this mornings scheduled scan but zilch. (When I say "on" I mean asleep, or on standby as we used to say. I expected the Task Scheduler setting to wake it, but no.)

I think I'll just leave the settings as they are. MSE is very keen to ask for a manual scan, and having its icon showing in the system tray provides a useful reminder.

Go to the Applications Tab of CCleaner and make sure that Windows Defender is UNchecked.

Although CCleaner is not as aggressive as other programs, I agree with JMH that you should avoid the registry cleaning aspect of CCleaner. Stick with Cookies & Temp files.

 

[AlanDyson]

Thanks to JMH and Corrine for your interest.

@JMH
I didn't say that I used the Registry utility in CCleaner. But I do run it occasionally and thank you for your advice, which I will heed. (Actually, it removes hardly anything unless I have uninstalled a major program, McAfee AV being the only recent example.)

@Corrine
Windows Defender has never been checked. It's now been disabled by MSE.

I've taken your advice also and unchecked everything except:

IE: Temporary Internet Files; Cookies
Chrome: Internet Cache; Cookies
Multimedia: Adobe Flash Player
(I have excluded a number of cookies which I need to keep.)

I appreciate that this is off-topic, but I'd welcome your advice as to any other items that could usefully be included, particularly in Windows System.

(None of this gets me any closer to solving the MSE scheduled scan problem, but I can live with it.)

 

[Corrine]

Hi, Alan.

Despite extensive fiddling, I simply cannot get the otherwise excellent Microsoft Security Essentials to run a scheduled scan. I've tried changing the date and time, scanning daily, scanning weekly, making sure the computer is on at the relevant time, and set Task Controller to wake the computer when a scan is due (it being left on standby for most of the day).

Let's start with Task Scheduler.

Depending on the load on the servers, a scheduled scan can start an hour earlier or later than the time set. In order for the scan to run, the computer cannot be shutdown, in sleep mode, in hybrid sleep mode, or in hibernation.

Thus, after Task Scheduler awakes the computer, it may be that by the time the definitions have updated and the scan is ready to begin, the computer has returned to sleep.

It is also possible that Task Scheduler is not set to automatic. You can check this as follows:

• Go to Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services
  Scroll down the list to Task Scheduler and make sure it is started and automatic.
• If Task Scheduler is not set to automatic, make that change and restart it.
• In the event Task Scheduler does not start, you will need to click on the dependencies tab and check/start each of the dependencies listed.
  
  Note: There may even be dependencies that will not start until another service they are dependent upon is started. Thus you may need to go through the complete list and to start them. When you get to the end, it will then be necessary to reverse course through the dependencies until you get back up to Task Scheduler and Start the ones you couldn't because of the dependencies.
• If any changes were made, restart the computer and see if that helps.

@Corrine
Windows Defender has never been checked. It's now been disabled by MSE.

Windows Defender, per se, is disabled by MSE because its engine is included with MSE.

In order to check that MSE's scheduled scan is actually working on your computer, I suggest you do the following:

• Launch MSE and select the Settings Tab
• Change the time setting for "Around" to a time you will be at your computer and it will be on
• Check scheduled scans and uncheck "Start the scheduled scan only when my PC is on but not in use".
• Check "Limit CPU usage during scan to 50%
• Save Changes

Let us know how you make out.

 

[AlanDyson]

Thanks to Corrine for your continued advice.

I have at last got the scheduled scan to run. I thought I had achieved this by removing all the conditions in Task Scheduler (the scan has such a light touch that I am quite content not to specify only when idle and on AC power). As it happens, the computer was idle and on AC power when the scan ran, which is just as well because I've discovered that these options become checked again on reboot! Had it been in use or on battery power, the scan presumably would not have run.

There seem to be an awful lot of hoops to jump through to get the scheduled scan set up, and I do wonder whether it's best just to wait till the icon turns orange and run a manual scan.

Corrine, you may wish to comment on the following:

1. Why are some of the options in Task Scheduler not retained on reboot? For MSE, this means that you cannot choose to have the scan start when the computer is in use, which is what I want to do. To have to remember to leave the computer live and plugged in to get MSE to scan is inconvenient to say the least, and probably unrealistic for many people.

2. When the "start scan only when computer is on but not in use" is checked, MS Antimalware disappears from Task Scheduler. Does that mean that the scan would not run whatever?

3. I understand that a scan cannot run while the computer is asleep, but why doesn't the Task Scheduler obey the instruction to wake it up?

4. I don't understand how the load on the servers can advance or delay the start time of a scan. (I can see that there may be some effect on the running of a scan if you have chosen to check for definition updates, but that's a different matter.)

This may be a bit long-winded for something that I can easily work round. But, while MSE functions way better than any of the several AV packages I've used over the years, this is the first real problem I've had in setting up an automatic scan to run reliably.

 

[Corrine]

Hi, Alan.

I believe that by removing all of the conditions in Task Scheduler, have removed the condition to "Wake the computer to run this task".

That aside, two comments regarding "Start the scheduled scan only when my PC is on but not in use"? First, when referring to "scheduled scan", this is not referring to Task Scheduler but the scan scheduled by MSE. Second, the MSE scan is not resource intensive and with the "Limit CPU usage during scans to 50%" checked, even less so.

This article from TechNet, Troubleshooting Task Scheduler, may be helpful.

Note also from the tutorial here at Seven Forums: Task Scheduler - Create New Task:

10. If you Created a Task to Wake Up the Computer and Run A) You would need to change how long Windows 7 will wait to go back to sleep mode automatically after waking up unattended (no activity made by the actual user) and idle. The default time is only 120 seconds (2 minutes), so you would need to set this for how long it may take for the program or task to run instead. The tutorial below can help show you how to. It will be the same in Windows 7. For how, see:

Sleep Return Timeout for Unattended Wake Up - Vista Forums

Consider how many users from around the world that there are of MSE. For example, you are in the U.K. and I am in the U.S. Thus, if your PC is scheduled to update and run a scheduled scan at the time the the U.S. is "waking" and MSE is downloading the latest definitions, the servers would be very busy. Another reason the servers could be busy is if your scheduled scan is during a time of heavy online activity. With the network inspection feature inspecting traffic of online MSE users, that would also have an impact on server usage. Coincidentally, as I was responding here, I had MSE launched on another computer so I could check some wording. I saw activity start, looked over and realized MSE was beginning its scheduled scan -- as it turns out, not much of a delay, it was 7 minutes past the actual time scheduled.

Personally, I have not found a need to use Task Scheduler in conjunction with MSE but rather use MSE to schedule a daily quick scan at a time when I know my computer will be on. I am not concerned should a daily quick scan be occasionally missed if my computer is asleep during the scheduled time.

One last suggestion, if you really prefer to use Task Scheduler rather than the built-in MSE scheduled scan, on the Settings tab, try UNchecking "Run a scheduled scan on my PC (recommended)" and see if that allows Task Schedule to control the task.

 

[AlanDyson]

Thank you, O Mystical Rose, you have inspired a big improvement in this old boy's grasp of these issues.

I discovered that with all options checked in the MSE scheduled scan settings, relevant details were automatically sent to Task Scheduler. I could see that some of the conditions checked in Task Scheduler could have been preventing a scan from running as I wished, and that is why I experimented with it. Because of this misunderstanding, I thought that the disappearance of MS Antimalware on checking "Start the scheduled scan only when my computer is on but not in use" must be a glitch. I never particularly wanted to use Task Scheduler.

Also, I can now see that having MSE set to check for latest definitions could result in a scan being delayed. (Though it's set for 10am here so should not compete with many in the US apart from New Yorkers having an early helping of pancakes and maple syrup.)

I agree wholeheartedly that MSE has a light touch; that was obvious from the outset, and it's a major reason why I've recommended it to many people. So I have no problem with a scan running while I am using the computer.

With all this in mind, I've unchecked the two scheduled scan settings apart from the CPU usage limit. I'll try to make sure that I'm at the computer when tomorrow's scan is due, and hopefully will be able to report a successful scan.

Last thing, I've set a scan for 10am every day. So if my hope is fulfilled, I should hit a scan naturally every few days without having to make a special effort to ensure the computer is on. Failing that there is always the MSE reminder to keep me fully scanned.

Still grateful for your continued attention.

 

[AlanDyson]

Sorted! My misunderstandings of the role of Task Scheduler and scan timings made a mountain out of a molehill.

I didn't want to have to take special steps to have the scheduled scan run, otherwise I might just have well relied on starting it manually. Given that the MSE scan is fast and has a light touch, I am quite happy to have it run while I'm using the computer. Armed with my new understanding, I set the scan to run daily at a time when I would probably be at the computer some days, and unchecked the two options above the CPU usage limit. Yes, the scan has run and I didn't even notice it happening!

Thanks again for the advice. Your kind attention has added a little to an old boy's internal memory.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I set the scan to run daily at a time when I would probably be at the computer some days, and unchecked the two options above the CPU usage limit. Yes, the scan has run and I didn't even notice it happening!

If you uncheck those 2 choices as you have done, are the settings in CCleaner then irrelevant? Or must you also make certain choices there?

 

[AlanDyson]

As advised, I've set CCleaner to clear cookies and temporary files. It doesn't seem to have any effect on the MSE scan.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

As advised, I've set CCleaner to clear cookies and temporary files. It doesn't seem to have any effect on the MSE scan.

What about the choices in CCleaner/applications/Windows for "MS Antimalware"?

Or CCleaner/applications/utilities for Windows Defender?

Do they appear to have any effect?

 

[AlanDyson]

They're all unchecked. Only checked items are browser caches and cookies, system temp files and flash player.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

They're all unchecked. Only checked items are browser caches and cookies, system temp files and flash player.

OK.

I'll replicate your settings and see if I have continued issues.

I thought I had it figured out by unchecking those settings in CCleaner, but yesterday I got another orange flag asking me to scan.

So, I've also unchecked the 2 settings you mentioned within MSE itself. If I can go a month or so without an orange flag, that should do it.

 

[AlanDyson]

Here's a bit more detail in case it helps. I've set a scan daily at 10am, because I use the computer around that time fairly frequently. This morning I turned the computer on just before 10 and finished about 10.30. I didn't notice anything going on during that time, but when I checked MSE I found that it had scanned at 10.15.

Job done, I hope!

It might also be helpful to extract the positive things I've learned from this thread.

1. It's hopeless expecting Task Scheduler to do anything while the computer is on standby (asleep). Setting it to wake does not work. This effectively means that a scheduled scan will only run while the computer is fully on.

2. Setting MSE to check for new definitions before scanning is likely to delay it. Given that automatic checks run frequently, this setting is superfluous anyway.

3. Setting the scan to run only when the computer is on but not in use means that it has to be left on after use, or the scan won't run. That seems to be pointless; if you have to remember to leave the computer on, you might just as well start the scan manually.