Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool. Runs daily ?

[Mooly]

I just looked at the Malicious Software Removal Tool log which seems to be located in the following folder,

%windir%\debug\mrt.log

Looking at the log it seems to be running daily as there is an entry for each day since I installed W8.1

I thought this tool ran once and then deleted itself. Also I'm pretty sure in Vista and W7 ? that there was only a monthly entry.

 

[David Bailey]

Check in System32 for MRT.exe.

It can be run manually.
If it's there.

A picture---



You can right click it & pin it to Start or Taskbar, etc. .

 

[Mooly]

Yes, a folder is there called MRT (no .exe) but it is empty.

This is a snapshot from the start of August from the %windir%\debug\mrt,log. Every day is like this, sometimes with more than one entry for a given date. It just seemed strange that's all although it is the same on both my W8.1 installs, one an x64 and the other Enterprise x86.

 

[David Bailey]

Here's mine---

 

[Mooly]

Looks like its normal then. Thanks As I scroll down all my entries I get the "no infection" line whenever there is a change of engine, which corresponds to the monthly updates. Why the other daily entries I have no idea.

 

[Borg 386]

If you want easy access to the tool you can do what I do. I d/l MSRT manually & place it in a folder where I know it's easily accessible. When the new version is issued, I d/l it, run it & then keep it on a folder on the desktop.

 

[Mooly]

I'm happy for it run as designed tbh, even if that is just once a month. I was just puzzled at all the daily entries, that was the main concern, but as Davids system (thanks for the rep by the way ) does the same I'll leave as a default.

 

[Borg 386]

Any added layer of safety is a good thing.

I got into the habit of d/l ing it manually back in the XP days. I noticed that the tool d/l ed & ran a quick scan by default every patch Tuesday. I had to use it once during the middle of the month & I navigated to the folder where it was put & to my amazement, there was a whole collection of MSRT tools from the previous months. They were taking up space & the older versions weren't being deleted.

I'm sure they've fixed that by now (maybe), I haven't looked in a while since I always d/l it manually.

 

[fafhrd]

Microsoft run this primarily to check for pirated Microsoft software.

If you run unlicensed MS software, it will soon remind you to pay up or stop using it, as of course, you should.

It will find and offer to remove what MS consider to be "HackTools".

Windows Defender is just that - it defends Windows - and as a sweetener it offers an occasionally ineffective anti-malware product, and a fairly trouble-free antivirus - but not the best available.

 

[TairikuOkami]

MRT is used to remove the most common malware, it is very very limited.

Families Cleaned by the Malicious Software Removal Tool

It is not like Kaspersky Free Removal Tool, that removes everything.

There are better alternatives for daily scan like HitmanPro Free - scans fast at startup (~10 AV engines).