Windows 10: Microsoft Defender Offline starts but does not actually run

Hello,I bring a problem that has already been around for some tim: whenever I try to run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan, it doesn't really run. The computer re-starts and I get this image showing that it is loading This lasts for about a minute or so, then the computer re-starts again. I never get the screen where it shows the scan actually running I have a second computer and in that one, the scanning does move to a second screen which shows the progress of the scan. I have seen this and similar issues addressed in different topics: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/defen

:)

 

Running windows defender offline

Hi,



Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.



We understand your concern as you are having some unusual activity while running the Windows defender offline scan. In order to get clarity and to assist you accordingly, please reply with the answers to the questions below.

• What is the make and model of the PC?
  
• Do you see any error message before the blank blue screen?
• Do you get the blue screen every time, when you run Windows defender offline scan?

To identify the root cause of the issue we need to analyze the dump files located in
C:\Windows\Minidump as you are getting a blue screen before restarting the PC, please upload the dump files on OneDrive and share the link with us.



However, if you want to run the Windows defender offline scan again, then we would suggest you to put the PC in software clean boot, refer the article

How to perform a clean boot in Windows. A ‘clean boot’ starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs.



Note: After you finish troubleshooting, follow the section
Reset the computer to start normally after clean boot troubleshooting
to reset the computer to start normally.



Let us know how it goes.



Aditya Roy

Microsoft Community – Moderator

 

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.

 

Microsoft Defender Offline Scan

I'll give this thread a little bump and explain what I have tried so far to no avail. After hours of extensive reading about how WDO and now Microsoft Defender Offline scans are not working for some since as far back as 2017 for Windows Defender Offline, I had removed all remnants of Malwarebytes from my registry in an attempt to see if any of those entries were conflicting with the Microsoft Defender Offline Scan.

No dice!

The second thing I tried was a Restore Health function with the DISM command and it reported a successful operation and still the Offline scan won't initiate. Yes, I rebooted after the DISM Restore Health Command.

No Dice gain!

Some articles suggested a repair install; but honestly at this point, if sfc /scannow isn't flagging anything and my OS is completely operational with no Event Viewer Errors and no Reliability History issues of any kind (especially Critical Events) I really can't justify using a repair install that probably will not fix it either.

I mean I literally have no indication that any corruption exists anywhere throughout the OS; yet something that worked before the Cumulative Update is now broken and not a peep of it has been mentioned in any documentation that I came across lately that it is a known issue with the November 11th Cumulative Update for systems on 20H2.

Sure I could restore a full backup image I have to prove that Microsoft Defender Offline Scan worked prior to the update; but who would really be interested in that proof?

I don't understand why this feature was broke on some systems since 2017 and mine remained immune until just now.

So I would really like to hear suggestions if anyone knows how to get this feature working again on this latest Version and Build listed under my Avatar.

Thanks to any and all who have knowledge about how to fix this or if they heard a rumor that this is another feature that is being done away with and I just haven't heard yet.