scan schedule runs when set to AM, does not run when set to PM

[Guest]

When I set time of day for automatic scan to 10 PM, the program accepts the
time, and shows 10 PM, but the scan does not run, with computer on and
administrator user logged in. When I change the time of day for automatic
scan to 9 AM, with computer on and administrator user logged in, the scan
runs. I see when searching for "scan schedule" on this forum suggestions
about 12 hour clock and English (US) - I live in the USA, so those options
are already set. I have Windows Defender loaded to two computers (XP Home SP2
on each), and both computers are doing this.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

If you are running Windows Defender, build 1051, then a number of older
issues implied or mentioned directly in your message should no longer apply.

The 12 hour/24 hour thing should be gone. The necessity to have an
administrator user logged in at the time the scan is to run should also be
gone.

What's the evidence that the scan is not running at 10 PM?

In general, ignore messages that pre-date February 14th with regards to
Windows Defender--this is a new product which wasn't released until that
date, so message before than won't relate to it at all.

 

[Guest]

Evidence is to run Windows Defender, bottom of home page shows Status, Last
scan: 2/18/2006, at 9:00 AM. Quick scan. (Both computers)

When I noticed on 2/18/2006 morning that the scans had not run the previous
night, I reset the schedule times to 9 AM and left the computers on. The
scans ran at 9 AM (as shown by status), so I was happy, and changed the scan
schedule times to 10 PM. I noticed after 10 PM that the scans had not run.

I have reset scan schedule to 10 AM on one computer (it's about 9:30 AM
local time now), and 1 PM on the other, and will leave the computers on. I am
curious to see which (if either) comptuer will scan today.

Oh, you mentioned a build number. The About Windows Defender screen shows:
Windows Defender Version: 1.1.1051.0
Engine Version: 1.1.1185.0
Signature Version: 1.13.1276.3

Jim

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Interesting. There is a lot that I don't know about this product yet. The
scanning is done by a command-line program--mpcmdrun.exe. Is it possible
that you might have accidentally blocked that from running, or from
accessing the Internet (which it may do to update signatures before a scan)
the first time around?

There are three major executable parts--the Windows Defender service, a
system service which provides Real Time Protection--mpcmdrun, which I've
mentioned, and which you can run yourself at a command prompt or schedule
using the Windows Scheduled tasks scheduler--which is more flexible than the
options available within the ui.

And then theres the user mode program which provides the UI (and the
icon)--MSASCui.exe.

--

 

[Guest]

I'm also having the same scan scheduling problem with Defender. I can
manually start a scan, but I scheduled a daily scan for 10:00PM with an auto
update prior to the scan, and realized at 10:08 that the scan hadn't started.
I didn't get any indication from the software that it had tried to access the
internet and could not. And I can access the internet when I execute a manual
update.

I had run a full scan earlier in the day as a test. Could that somehow make
Defender think the daily scan already ran today?

Scott

 

[Guest]

Thanks for letting me know that your computer is having the same problem. I
think it is a bug. I was working around the house for the first part of
today, so I could play with this, by changing the scan schedule every hour. I
set the scan schedule to 10 AM - it worked (Status showed Last Scan: Today at
10 AM. Quick scan). I set the scan schedule to 11 AM - it worked. I set the
scan schedule to 12 PM (noon) - it worked. I set it to 1 PM - it worked. Then
I set the scan schedule to 9 PM, and left the computer running. I checked
after 9 PM, and it did NOT scan!

Thanks, Bill Sanderson, for giving me a hint towards a solution. When I
looked in Scheduled Tasks, and clicked on Advanced, View Hidden Tasks, I
could see the scheduled scan. The name is MP Scheduled Scan, it is scheduled
every day, but the start day is TOMORROW! Even though I told Windows Defender
to scan at 9 PM earlier today, for some strange reason it scheduled it to run
for the first time tomorrow at 9 PM.

Anyway, I changed to start date/time of the task to today at 10 PM, and I
expect it will run at 10 PM daily from now on. I don't imagine Microsoft will
fix this, although it would be nice if they let folks know that the first
scan you get may be the next day.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Thanks for the clue about hidden tasks--I hadn't done that, and was confused
by others citing the presence of a job within the scheduler.

Your description has the sound of a bug. As you say, it is a relatively
harmless bug, but I'll see if I can replicate it and will report it further
if I can.

--

 

[Bill Sanderson]

I was able to replicate this, observing directly what happens in the
scheduled tasks folder. With luck, this will get fixed before release.

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