Strange behavior ! Automaticly reboot ?

Hi !

 

I am currently evaluating f-secure anti-virus.

 

Today after booting my machine, i got a messsage from windows security center, that no anti-virus was found on my machine. I checked f-secure tray-icon and it shows "Install product" . Soon after that, my machine tries to reboot without asking.

 

Is that a common behavior of f-secure ?

Comments

  • Blackcat
    Blackcat Posts: 503 Influencer

    No, it's not normal behaviour if your computer is in a constant/random reboot cycle.

     

    If not, let your machine reboot itself and then the AV should settle down. I would always carry out a reboot after installing a new security program and if you are on Windows XP then you do need to reboot/restart to complete the installation after installing the product.

     

    Hopefully, it should now work properly after the first reboot.

     

    If not; 

     

    Did you completely uninstall your previous AV before installing F-Secure? 

     

    Are you running any other security software in real time apart from F-Secure?

     

    If the answer to the above questions are yes and no then you could try the following;

     

    1) Download the F-Secure removal tool; ftp://ftp.f-secure.com/support/tools/uitool/UninstallationTool.zip 


    2) Reboot your machine and press F8 so that you can start your PC in SAFE mode.

    3) Run the F-Secure UninstallationTool.exe whilst in safe mode. 

    4) Reboot your PC (normal mode)

    5) But you can only install the AV trial once so you will have to contact support for a new activation code. Alternatively you can try the 2014 F-Secure IS beta version; http://www.f-secure.com/en/web/labs_global/beta-programs/internet-security-technology-preview

     

    6) Install the AV again or the beta version.  

     

     

  • I am also evaluating F-Secure, and I experience this exact behavior this morning.  I did not notice the "Install product" in the tray, but I did get the security center warning and the automatic reboot attempt.  I cancelled the reboot, and am currently unable to run a virus scan (it seemed like suspicious behavior).  When I click the Scan button, either directly or on one of the specific scan types, nothing happens.

     

    Edit: The security center warning did go away shortly after the reboot attempt.  It is possible that restarting the system will fix the broken search function.  So there may not actually be a *problem*.  But random reboots are not a positive sign for my evaluation.

  • Blackcat
    Blackcat Posts: 503 Influencer

    @Sam

     

    If you are running Windows XP then you do need to reboot the system;http://community.f-secure.com/t5/Security-for-PC/How-do-I-install-the-product/ta-p/15380

     

     You should then be able to scan your machine.

     

    With any new security software install I would always reboot first. Let us know how you get on.

     

    I am assuming that your machine is not constantly trying to re-boot?

     

    If you are experiencing random reboots then you might need to carry out a clean uninstall/reinstall as outlined above in post 2.

  • Maybe I should have been more clear. I have been using the trial for a couple of weeks now. This wasn't part of the installation process. It is not rebooting randomly. After manually rebooting (since I had canceled the reboot), I am able to scan. So everything is working.

     

    My best guess is that after booting this morning there was an update downloaded that required a reboot. Instead of telling me this and asking, it just did it.

  • Blackcat
    Blackcat Posts: 503 Influencer

    Now you have defined the problem a little better it may well be related to a new update;

     

    http://community.f-secure.com/t5/End-point/F-Secure-publishes-hotfix-on/m-p/26182/highlight/true#M1062

     

    http://community.f-secure.com/t5/Security-for-PC/Online-Security-updates-force-me/m-p/11747/highlight/true#M2453

     

    but I have not seen this with the IS version( but I am running the beta!).

     

    So it may be more related to the AV standalone version/official gold 2013 versions?

     

    And as you say it may simply be due to a large update that needed a restart.

     

    But it is worth checking back to this thread to confirm this after an official F-Secure support person has seen it. 

  • Yes, I do have the AV only version.

     

    Thank you for your responses BlackCat.  A confirmation from an official support rep would be nice, but if they are still forcing update reboots after complaints more than a year ago, I don't expect that they consider this a problem.

  • Blackcat
    Blackcat Posts: 503 Influencer

    I have seen most security programs requiring a restart after a BIG update so F-Secure is not unique in this respect.

     

    But it is worth checking with support how frequent these large updates generally are.

     

    Good luck with the remainder of your trial. 

  • I've never had a security program reboot the computer without warning or confirmation, and I have tried several over the last year. 

     

    Normally when they require a reboot, they pop up a box saying so, and let you choose to reboot (even if there is no reboot later option).  This gives you a chance to save any documents and close any programs that need closing.  Also, they usually tell you that an update is being performed, as opposed to my issue this morning, where the reboot attempt came without warning, or indication of what was causing it.  I was only able to cancel it because Windows 7 brought up the box saying that all of my programs needed to be closed in order to finish the reboot.

     

    Anyways, I'm just complaining now.  Thank you for your assistance Blackcat.

  • For me, this is a K.O. Criterium to not buy this software after evaluation.

     

    I  cant risk my work to an av product that reboots my machine on its own.

    This is a non acceptable behavior.

     

    As i mentioned, and someone else also said, this WASNT part of an installation process. Also there is no reboot loop.

    F-Secure just stopped, making windows security center warning coming up and then a reboot was initiated WITHOUT any prompt or warning.

  • Blackcat
    Blackcat Posts: 503 Influencer

    @Sam; You worked out what the problem was with little help from me.

     

    I do agree with you that the program should have warned you of a restart and I can confirm that the programs I have used in the past that needed a reboot always put up a small window telling you that a restart was necessary.

     

    If this is a common problem with F-Secure it is worth posting over in the Ideas section that it would be enormously helpful if a warning could be provided.

  • Blackcat
    Blackcat Posts: 503 Influencer

    @Warlord

     

    again I would let Support know of your problem and again post over on the Ideas Section that a warning box is needed for any update.

     

    But I would confirm with Support that a big Update was released within the last couple of days which needed a reboot (which did not give any warning of the restart); http://www.f-secure.com/en/web/home_global/support/contact/request

     

    I cannot confirm this as I am running the beta 2014 IS version which has not required any reboot so far after installation.

  • Blackcat
    Blackcat Posts: 503 Influencer

    You could also check the Downloads log-file to check for any large Updates recently; 

     

    Capture2.GIFCapture.GIF

  • Simon
    Simon Posts: 2,667 Superuser
    I've been using FSIS on and off for the last 7 years, and I don't think I've ever experienced a 'spontaneous' reboot. I wonder if it was something to do with the massive batch of Windows Updates which came down yesterday?

    I do quite often get the Windows "Your computer might be at risk" warning bubble on boot up, though. The last few times, it's said that no firewall is switched on, but I've also had it say no anti-virus is installed, or it isn't switched on. I've been putting that down to FS applying updates on bootup, or it could just be that my machine is quite old, and it takes longer for everything to start up from cold, but the warning always goes after a few seconds, and the FS systray icon appears. Not sure that this is related to the above issue, as I'm on the 2014 beta.
  • That is a good thought Simon, but I haven't installed any of those updates yet.

  • Simon
    Simon Posts: 2,667 Superuser
    That can often be a wise decision!
  • Simon
    Simon Posts: 2,667 Superuser

    Today's beta update produced the reboot prompt, as it should:

     

    Untitled-1.png

  • Janiashvili
    Janiashvili Posts: 454 Adventurer
    Well, it doesn't look like how it should(buttons are invisible)
  • Blackcat
    Blackcat Posts: 503 Influencer

    Same window here; buttons?

     

     

    Capture.GIF

  • Simon
    Simon Posts: 2,667 Superuser
    I have a custom Windows theme. The 'buttons' have never shown, just the text, and I'd always put it down to the custom theme.
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