Using Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

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I always wondered why I received a monthly update for my Windows PC. I have never had it explained, and I thought whatever it did was automatic. Lo and behold, I manually downloaded an update of the tool, ran it, (took a long time to scan all files on my laptop), and noticed that it cleaned 8 detected threats, which Malware-bytes Pro trial had failed to clean before. Hmmm. So, I’m wondering if this is how this software should be used? Is there an article somewhere in the “Lounge” I could read up on this?

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This is MS way of attempting to keep your machine clean. It is quite good but only running it when you perform updates is pretty much useless.

What threats did it detect that MBAM missed?

cheers, Paul

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The Malicious Software Removal Tool is issued periodically with Windows Updates when the tool itself has been updated to remove specific, common malware threats that are known to be in circulation. It is a very targeted tool, which is why it is updated from time to time and re-issued in Windows Updates. Older, past malware threats are dropped from the tool, and newer threats are targeted.

I always let it install and run along with the other Updates.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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A new version of MSRT is issued each month, along with the other updates, on Patch Tuesday. It is always KB890830, but it is a new version each time. It seems to run in the background upon installation, because the installation takes a long time. A new copy of the file MRT.exe is placed into WINDOWSSystem32, and this can be run on demand at any time. You can set up a desktop link to it if you want. When you run it, you will see the month and year of the version, so you will know if it is up to date or not (currently says “Jan. 2015”, next version expected on Tuesday Feb 10th).

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The current Malicious Software Removal Tool can be downloaded here :

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/malicious-software-removal-tool-details.aspx

I download it monthly at the Tuesday Windows Update time instead of allowing Windows Update to download it. That way I control when it runs and can run it once a week when I do my usual security scans.

Another good security tool from Microsoft is the Windows Defender Offline stand alone sweeper.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/what-is-windows-defender-offline

After downloading the program, you run it and it loads the scanner and current data file onto a USB flash drive. You boot off the USB flash drive and it runs from there. So every file on your computer can be searched. Careful to us a blank USB flash drive. The program formats the USB flash drive so nothing undesirable is on the USB flash drive. You should run the program to install the updated data file onto the USB flash drive before doing the scan.

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Another good security tool from Microsoft is the Windows Defender Offline stand alone sweeper.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/what-is-windows-defender-offline

After downloading the program, you run it and it loads the scanner and current data file onto a USB flash drive. You boot off the USB flash drive and it runs from there. So every file on your computer can be searched. Careful to us a blank USB flash drive. The program formats the USB flash drive so nothing undesirable is on the USB flash drive. You should run the program to install the updated data file onto the USB flash drive before doing the scan.

The Windows Defender Offline scanner can be run from a CD. It doesn’t require a USB flash drive. When booted, the CD creates a RAM drive and the tool is loaded into the RAM drive. From there, it goes online to get the latest definition updates, and then runs its scan.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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I always wondered why I received a monthly update for my Windows PC. I have never had it explained, and I thought whatever it did was automatic. Lo and behold, I manually downloaded an update of the tool, ran it, (took a long time to scan all files on my laptop), and noticed that it cleaned 8 detected threats, which Malware-bytes Pro trial had failed to clean before. Hmmm. So, I’m wondering if this is how this software should be used? Is there an article somewhere in the “Lounge” I could read up on this?

You can run MSRT any time by going Start – type mrt.exe and press enter where it gives you three options.

They are Quick, Full and a Custom one where you can scan a particular file.

When an infection has disabled a 3rd party AV program, this can still be used as a fall back but is questionable as to whether it will snag whatever it is as I believe it’s just loaded with the main current ones.

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