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[SOLVED] [7SP1Pro x64] Missing Malwarebytes right-click menu option

B

BrooksNYC

Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Posts
9
Hello, all

Maybe someone here can shed light on my "issue." The Malwarebytes forum was stumped, and someone suggested I post here.

For as long as I've used it, Malwarebytes has installed a right-click Windows menu option that allows for on-the-fly scanning of individual objects.

With the latest upgrade to Malwarebytes 3.4.5 Premium, that right-click menu option disappeared. It's not clear whether this is a Malwarebytes glitch, or a Windows glitch.

I piggybacked on a running thread on the Malwarebytes forum (if you're curious, my first post is #6). As suggested on that thread, I downloaded and ran three diagnostic/fix-it tools:

Farbar Recovery Scan Tool (FRST)
MB-Check
Windows Repair All-In-One

I also tried uninstalling and reinstalling the software, and toggling the software settings. Zipski. The Malwarebytes scanning option is still missing from the right-click menu.

Malware and virus scans do run clean.

Would be grateful for any thoughts you might have, and thanks.

Brooks
 
Re: Missing Malwarebytes right-click menu option

Thanks for the welcome, softwaremaniac!

Yes, SFC scan is clean.
 
Re: Missing Malwarebytes right-click menu option

Try to downgrade it to the previous version, if possible.
If not possible, try to ask it in their forum.
 
Re: Missing Malwarebytes right-click menu option

I think it is safe to say it isn't a malwarebytes issue or there would be lots of people reporting this problem.

I updated our four Windows 7 home computers (mix of 32 bit and 64 bit, Home Premium and Pro) to 3.4.5 Premium last week. I never got a popup telling me a new version was available or had been downloaded and was ready to install so I went through the settings in MBAM and clicked Install Application Updates.

I've checked 3 of the 4 computers (my husband is doing something on the 4th one) and all have Scan with MBAM in the right click menu.

Perhaps something disabled it. That's not as bizarre as it sounds. I fired up my netbook this morning and a lot of my tray icons were missing. 4 things I wanted including MS Security Essentials and MBAM were set to only show notifications. Two I didn't want appeared. I know I didn't change anything! So I had to alter the configurations of 6 tray icons. What caused it? I don't have a clue.

I've been looking for something that lets you see what it is the right click menu and if it is enabled or disabled.
This might work: hold down the shift key when you right click something. Does scan with malwarebytes appear then? If so, we at least have a clue that something disabled it.
 
Re: Missing Malwarebytes right-click menu option

4th computer checked and it is fine.

I'm still trying to get info. I stumbled across a post from a woman who in late 2017 had the issue. Her husband's computer was fine. They discovered that this was missing on her computer

check for this Registry entry:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\MBAMShlExt

If you don't have it, contact MBAM and ask what you need to do for the missing registry entry.
 
Re: Missing Malwarebytes right-click menu option

My thanks to all of you for trying to help me. I do appreciate it.

xilolee said:
Try to downgrade it to the previous version, if possible. If not possible, try to ask it in their forum.
Click to expand...
softwaremaniac said:
Oh, an even older one, that actually might work :)
Click to expand...

I backup my setup files, so can easily access versions going back a year or more. Downgrading may be the best plan. (I'll get Malwarebytes' advice on completely purging its software from my system, then start fresh.)

plodr said:
Perhaps something disabled it. That's not as bizarre as it sounds...
Click to expand...

Not bizarre at all! It's happened to me before, and will again, I'm sure.

This might work: hold down the shift key when you right click something. Does scan with malwarebytes appear then?
Click to expand...

Nuttin' doin'....but worth trying. Thanks!

It'll take me a few days to deal with this, but I'll be sure to report back. Thanks again, everyone.
 
Victory at last, and I wanted to report back.

Recent versions of Malwarebytes have a bug. In the Settings > Application tab, there's a Windows System Tray Notifications option:

SEQ66EK.png


Notifications must be turned ON. If turned off (and I had turned them off), Malwarebytes' scan option won't appear in the Windows context menu.

Whew! With that solved, I'm currently running the latest version of Malwarebytes (3.4.5.2467).

Thank you all for your help and support.
tb1EFYR.gif
 
Thanks for letting us know what the issue was.
I always turn notifications on so that's why I didn't see the issue on our computers. Now that you've discovered the problem, if someone else reports scan missing from right click menu, I'll tell them to check notifications.
 
Happy to help, plodr.

While I'm here, a late-breaking update:

A member of the Malwarebytes team tells me that the notifications setting needs to be turned on only during an upgrade or fresh installation. After confirming that the context menu feature is working properly, you can turn notifications off, if desired.

That's all, Rexall. Thanks again!
 

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