Display glitch (scan does not display)

[Ark Mitch]

This just started. I can update OK/normally, & immunize OK/normally, but Scan System does not open a window. It seems to be running, shows up in task bar, but will not open. First time it finished but would not open to display findings & offer to fix, so I rebooted. Still getting same behavior.

OS Name Microsoft Windows 10 Home
Version 10.0.15063 Build 15063

Spybot Version 2.5.42.0
Start Center version 2.5.42.130

Tried attaching more detailed system/software info but your system apparently doesn't like odt files ...

Mitch
Lincoln, AR

[Zenobia]

That's weird. I can think of a couple possible things, mind you it might not be any of these. But there are a few things to look at. :)

Could you rightclick the Spybot Start Center, choose Run As Administrator, checkmark Advanced User Mode, click Settings, select the Categories tab. Do the items listed there all have checkmarks next to them?

Could you try shutting down any other non-essential programs running at the time, then running Spybot's system scan as a test to see what might happen?

There are command line parameters available, which vary depending on what type of Spybot you have(free,home,etc.). You haven't been knowingly using any command line parameters on sdscan.exe have you?
https://www.safer-networking.org/command-line-parameters/

[Ark Mitch]

1) right clicked run as administrator, selected settings and categories - all are selected.
2)When I intend to run a scan, I first shut down browsers, email etc. I leave free Avast running. I open the start center and check for updates. if there are any I install them. Then I run immunize. then I start a system scan. I usually do this just before leaving computer otherwise idle for a while ( eg trip to store etc)
3) I do not run from command line

It ran fine before last install/update - hmmm I can provide logs on request

After next windows update, if it still mis-behaves I guess I'll try R&R (remove & reinstall)

Mitch

p.s. since it does not open a window, I'm not sure if it actually ran since I didn't get opportunity to click start ... but it did post a window to the task bar

[Zenobia]

Okay, sounds like everything is good with those three things. :)

p.s. since it does not open a window, I'm not sure if it actually ran since I didn't get opportunity to click start ... but it did post a window to the task bar
If the system scan is running you can usually tell by looking at the little icon/window in the taskbar. You'll see the icon, and then when system scan starts it will show a colour on the side of it. My taskbar is black, and when system scan is running it will show a green colour on the side and then move over as the scan progresses. If you're not sure on that, I could give you directions to look and see if there is a checks.logfile from the date when the window would not appear, that might let you know if the scan ran or not. Would you be using the free version of Spybot, or do you have one of the Home or Professional editions?

I think Microsoft Smartscreen would prompt you if it blocked Spybot's System Scan, but it's still worthwhile to check. Down where it says Type here to search, could you type in This Pc, then click that, then click the drive Spybot is on(probably Drive C:\), then Program Files (x86), open Spybot - Search & Destroy 2, scroll down and find sdscan.exe. Rightclick it, then select Properties, and then the General tab. If you don't see Unblock there, then it isn't blocked.
If there is an Unblock checkbox there, click it to checkmark it, then click Apply and OK. You might be prompted by UAC so click Yes. Please let me know how it goes. :)

[Ark Mitch]

[QUOTE=Zenobia;477339]Okay, sounds like everything is good with those three things. :)

I think Microsoft Smartscreen would prompt you if it blocked Spybot's System Scan ...

where do I find "Microsoft Smartscreen" ?? I'll go look around ,,,

[Ark Mitch]

Would you be using the free version of Spybot, or do you have one of the Home or Professional editions?

I tried de-installing 2.5.42.x & installed 2.6.46.x - get same behavior - this is free version ... BTW, removal of 2.5.42.x does not remove the Windows 10 post upgrade re-install hack ...)

so summary is, immunizatino pops window as it should, but system scan does not. upgrade from 2.5.42.x to 2.6.46.x does note cure.

"smartscreen" seems to be a browser type option, but I am still searching for it ...

Thanks for continued interest ;-)

mitch

[Zenobia]

You're welcome. :)

Oh, sorry, it's actually called Windows Defender Smartscreen. I misremembered the name. Somebody was having problems in this post:
https://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?74767-Windows-defender-not-let-me-install-spybot&p=476910
That post was the first time I heard of it, too. Yes, that's correct, reading further on it, it is more web based and tends to block unknown applications being downloaded, so it probably wouldn't block sdscan.exe all of a sudden. Could you still go check the sdscan.exe file, to be certain, though? :)

Good, glad you tried installing Spybot 2.6. That was my next suggestion, wish it would have fixed it.

Do you have any other security programs besides Windows Defender and Spybot?

Could you rightclick Spybot Start Center, select Run As Administrator, then click System Scan. Next rightclick the taskbar and select Task Manager. In the processes tab you should see Malware Scanner (32-bit) with an arrow next to it. If you click the arrow you should see System Scan (Spybot - Search & Destroy 2.6, administrator privileges). Could you righclick that, then select Bring to Front. Does anything happen when you do that? If that doesn't do anything, could you try selecting Maximize, and see if that brings the window up?

[Ark Mitch]

You're welcome. :)

Could you still go check the sdscan.exe file, to be certain, though? :)

snip


OK, with Microsoft support assist :
Flag > Settings > Apps > Apps & features > scroll to SpyBot & select. option "advanced" is not available, so cannot tweak

MS support suggested restore :-(

OK, so next ... right click start center, select run aas admin & click scan system ... get brief screen flash - as though it tried to display then minimized ...

OK, so task manager ... find Malware in processes, select & see spybot, right click & select "bring to front" NADA :-(

Try Maximize Y I P P E E ! ! ! get full screen with normal options !!!!!!

click start Scan & get normal behavior - I'm going to let it run to end before fiddling with display - YAHOO !!!

[Ark Mitch]

so I let the scan run to completion & deleted the few hits ...

Then I clicked "Restore Down" button at top of window & it went to the task bar - and stayed there - would not re-open ... sigh

went back to task manager as before & clicked maximize & it reopened full screen just fine.

maybe something in registry is stuck such that restore down is a one way ticket to the task bar ... or restore down goes to 0x0 display size ?

At least I can run it now so we're good, but still would like more friendly fix :-)

Thanks for all the assistance,
Mitch

[Ark Mitch]

after exiting the scan window, I restarted start center, then clicked system scan - and it opened a full screen window! (no task manager tweaking necessary ...)

Just another data point,

Mitch

[Zenobia]

You're welcome. Okay, glad it's working in maximize. :)

Are you familiar with exporting a registry key from regedit? You might have done that before if you were making backups of registry keys,etc.

If you open System Scan in Maximize, and then rightclick the Restore Down button, does it still minimize back to the taskbar?

You could try a shortcut for System Scan and see if it will open in a Normal Window. It's just you'd be running System Scan on your desktop, and not running it through Spybot. I created a shortcut, I didn't run the full scan to the end, but everything seems okay with it. If you'd like to try that just for now, then you could try this:
Down where it says Type here to search, type in run, then select Run. Cut and paste in C:\Program Files (x86)\Spybot - Search & Destroy 2 beside where it says 'open:' and click OK. Scroll through and find sdscan.exe. Rightclick sdscan.exe and select Create Shortcut. You should get a prompt that windows could not create a shortcut here, and it will ask if you want it placed on your desktop instead, say yes. Once SDScan.exe - Shortcut is on your desktop, rightclick the shortcut, select Properties, beside Run: select Normal Window, click Apply and OK. Once you exit properties click SDScan.exe - Shortcut. Does it open with a normal window or is it still minimized?