Windows 10: Defender Offline scan starts and then immediately reboots

I am unable to run windows defender offline scan.


I have seen many matches for this same problem but they were for older versions of windows 10. I am running Microsoft Windows 10 Pro version 10.0.18362


One unusual thing about this machine is it uses a m.2 ssd drive as its boot drive


I open Windows Security and select Scan Options->Windows Defender Offline scan.

I get the prompt and choose to continue

Windows reboots and I see the Offline Defender screen momentarily before the system reboots and returns to windows 10 login


The last entry in the event log for windows defender is:

Windows Defender Antivirus downloaded and configured Windows Defender Offline to run on the next reboot.



I created a USB boot drive for windows defender offline. Booting off the usb succeeds and the wizard starts. The wizard ends with the error:

Unable to detect a windows system drive 8004cc01

:)

 

offline scan by win defender

Hi,

To further assist you with your concern with Windows Defender, follow the steps below:

• Open the Run window by pressing Window + R button.
• Then type services.msc and hit "Enter".
  
• Look for Windows defender service in the list and right click on it and select start.
• Once Windows defender is opened try to do the offline scan on that window.

Let us know how it goes.

 

Defender Periodic Scanning or Offline Scanning?

That link does suggest it's useful to use Defender offline scanning in addition to periodic scanning and a third party real time anti virus (e.g. Kaspersky).

 

Unable to start Windows Defender offline scan

When attempting to start an offline scan in Windows Defender, the following happens:

• I am prompted to save my work and warned this will restart my computer
• I click "Scan"
• The advanced scans window is shown, with "Time elapsed:__" and "__ files scanned" left blank. As well as an empty grey progress bar.

The computer does not restart, even if waiting the suggested 15 minutes. Nothing happens. How can I fix this?

(I've seen there are one or two other threads related to this topic, but I didn't see any actual resolution and the comments seem to have dried up)

Version: Windows 10 (1709)