Defender’s Offline Scan Fails to Run

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[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

My computer seems to work quite as expected (and fast too).

But because of a nagging suspicion I wanted to run a Microsoft Defender Antivirus Offline Scan.
When I hit that command, I got:

“Recovery
Your PC/Device needs to be repaired
A required device isn’t connected or can’t be accessed.
Error code: Oxc0000185
You’ll need to use recovery tools. If you don’t have any installation media (like a disc or USB device), contact your PC administrator or PC/Device manufacturer.”

My computer came Windows 11 Pro preinstalled, so I have no installation media.

I ran DISM Check, Analyze, Scan, Cleanup, Repair and SFC. Those gave a clean bill of health, no problems encountered.
It didn’t help, Microsoft Defender Antivirus Offline Scan still gives the same warning.

What must I do now?

Computer: Corsair One i300, i9-12900K, 64GB RAM, NVidia RTX 3080 Ti.
Windows 11 Pro, 21H2, 22000.1936

1 Desktop Win 11
1 Laptop Win 10
Both tweaked to look, behave and feel like Windows 95
(except for the marine blue desktop, rgb(0, 3, 98)

• This topic was modified 4 months ago by E Pericoloso Sporgersi.

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Trying a shutdown/ start, windows may or may not fix this problem during the startup sequence from a cold boot.

System restore?
Restore an OS image created earlier?

If this doesn’t work and the error code 0x0000185 persists, create a system image as a failsafe.(IMPORTANT)

Then try rebuilding the BCD (Boot Configuration Data) instructions in link below:
https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-rebuild-the-bcd-in-windows-2624508

No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created IT- AE

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EPS,

See this post.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Could @E-Pericoloso-Sporgersi ‘s problems be an unwanted/unknown side effect of May’s update, specifically the secure boot modifications that weren’t completely implemented yet per MS’s own admission?? Since the offline scanner uses Windows PE, I wouldn’t be surprised that this is indeed the case!

I know the offline scanner uses Windows PE because it’s documented in the log it leaves behind on my system each time I run it. The last time I ran it was about two and a half weeks ago.

@E-Pericoloso-Sporgersi what do you to get your machine back up and running after getting that screen, reboot the machine and select normal boot if you’re presented with a list of options? Or do you use the power button to reboot the machine and it reboots as if nothing had happened?

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Bob99 wrote:

what do you to get your machine back up and running after getting that screen

I hit the power button and the computer immediately shuts down.
Having pressed the power button again, the machine boots as if nothing had happened and keeps working normally.
But each time I attempt to run the offline scan, it results in “Your PC/Device needs to be repaired. Etc …“

1 Desktop Win 11
1 Laptop Win 10
Both tweaked to look, behave and feel like Windows 95
(except for the marine blue desktop, rgb(0, 3, 98)

1 user thanked author for this post.

Bob99

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Use the Restart option on the Windows flag. This will actually restart the machine instead of sleeping (which is what the power button does).

cheers, Paul

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Paul T wrote:

Restart option on the Windows flag

When the “Your PC/Device needs to be repaired …” screen is up, there is no Windows Flag nor sleep because in that state the regular Windows IS NOT RUNNING.

1 Desktop Win 11
1 Laptop Win 10
Both tweaked to look, behave and feel like Windows 95
(except for the marine blue desktop, rgb(0, 3, 98)

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Thanks for you suggestions, guys.

Meanwhile I’ve managed to do a so-called “in-place upgrade” from a Windows 11 installation iso file (See https://www.makeuseof.com/windows-11-reinstall-without-deleting-apps/ ).

Everything appears to work fine now. My problems with Windows Update and with Microsoft Defender Offline have spontaneously disappeared.

Though I must admit I had to jump through and over a few hoops and hurdles. Two salient points are:

1. If you changed the Win 11 programs’ installation folder to a different folder, say D:\Program Files as is my wont, the procedure fails. I had to restore it to C:\Program Files in the registry. Afterwards I changed it back to D:\Program Files of course. That’s 3 entries in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion.

2. The iso file language must be exactly the same as your original Windows 11 installation. I have US English Windows but chose the International English iso file, which also failed. The correct iso file in my case was Win11_22H2_English_x64v2.iso
(so NOT Win11_22H2_EnglishInternational_x64v2.iso).

Well … all’s well that ends well. 

Congratulations are welcome …

Still, thank you guys for having replied. 

1 Desktop Win 11
1 Laptop Win 10
Both tweaked to look, behave and feel like Windows 95
(except for the marine blue desktop, rgb(0, 3, 98)

3 users thanked author for this post.

Bob99, Lars220, geekdom

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One final question for you…when you run the “winver” command, (or, perhaps, check your system’s properties info) what does it produce as the version of Windows you’re running, since you’ve made the jump from 21H2 to 22H2?? In your initial post it was 22000.1936, so it should be significantly higher now.

 

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Bob99 wrote:

One final question for you…when you run the “winver” command, (or, perhaps, check your system’s properties info) what does it produce as the version of Windows you’re running, since you’ve made the jump from 21H2 to 22H2?? In your initial post it was 22000.1936, so it should be significantly higher now.

 

When I go Start > Settings > System > About > [Windows Key+Shift+T] > [[Left Click & Hold While Selecting Desired Zone] > [Release Mouse Button] > Left Doubleclick on EditPad Shortcut Icon] > Hover over EditPad Window and [Rightclick] > Select and [Leftclick Paste].

This shows me:

“Windows specifications

Edition   Windows 11 Pro
Version   22H2
Installed on   09>06>2023
OS build   22621.1778
Experience   Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22642.1000.0”

In short, running Winver gives me:

1 Desktop Win 11
1 Laptop Win 10
Both tweaked to look, behave and feel like Windows 95
(except for the marine blue desktop, rgb(0, 3, 98)

1 user thanked author for this post.

Bob99

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E Pericoloso Sporgersi wrote:

Meanwhile I’ve managed to do a so-called “in-place upgrade” from a Windows 11 installation iso file

How come your W11 needed repair/in place upgrade ?

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Alex5723 wrote:

How come your W11 needed repair/in place upgrade ?

Because a Microsoft Defender Offline Scan to assuage my nagging suspicion of an infection didn’t work (see my OP in this thread) and also because Windows Update didn’t consider my (Febr/’22) computer ready for 11/22H2.
I’ve tried a few repair methods, but none worked.

The in-place upgrade (iso 11/22H2) did the trick and everything now works fine and, very importantly, NO infection detected.

1 Desktop Win 11
1 Laptop Win 10
Both tweaked to look, behave and feel like Windows 95
(except for the marine blue desktop, rgb(0, 3, 98)

1 user thanked author for this post.

Alex5723

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