System Health Report Doesn't Find AntiVirus

I know that this has been an ongoing issue sinse the health report tool surfaced with Vista but I was wondering if there is any new information on this. Basically generating a health report has never found any anit virus software on my computer weather I have AVG, Norton, or Microsoft Security Essentials right now I have Microsoft Security Essentials completely up to date and active but the system health report records no such software and returns an error claiming I have no anti virus software.

Any new helpful information about this?

Caleb Anderson

Found this helpful 0

Answer

Halima S replied on

Microsoft

Hi bmxjumperc,

It looks like that there are still previous antivirus software files available on the computer this may be the reason for the system health report for not recognizing antivirus software presence on the computer.

I would suggest that you download and run the Windows installer cleanup utility, remove all the entries for the antivirus software.

Download the tool from the below link and later launch the cleanup utility from the start menu and then remove the entries for the software then restart the computer for changes to take effect

Description of the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility

http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/9/d/e9d80355-7ab4-45b8-80e8-983a48d5e1bd/msicuu2.exe

After the restart make sure that you reinstall single antivirus software on the computer and later run the health report and check.

If the above step fails then run SFC scan on the computer which would scan for corrupt system files on the computer and replace them.

For more information refer the below link.

How to use the System File Checker tool to troubleshoot missing or corrupted system files on Windows Vista or on Windows 7

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929833

Hope this helps!

Halima S - Microsoft Support.

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

All Replies (2)

Found this helpful 0

cyanna replied on

Hi Halima, thank you for your assistance in this matter. Since a customer alerted me to this issue I have been able to verify on numerous computers using a variety of antivirus software (MSE, Avast, NIS, AviraAntivir) that the products install correctly and work correctly, they are also reported correctly in the Action center (antivirus installed, updating correctly, virus scanning on). However generating a health reportresults in the following:

Symptom:	The Security Center has not recorded an anti-virus product.
Cause:	The Security Center is unable to identify an active anti-virus application. Either there is no anti-virus product installed or it is not recognized.
Resolution:	1. Verify that an anti-virus product is installed.
	2. If an anti-virus product is installed and functioning configure Security Center to stop monitoring anti-virus status.

root\SecurityCenter:SELECT * FROM AntiVirusProduct

Red flag here

While doing some research in this matter I have found that this has been reported time and again

See for example this thread: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7itprosecurity/thread/5d23918f-e76f-44c1-9d77-246f7c3b1116?prof=required (ignore Vegan Fanatic, he is only posting to promote his own websites)

Please note that this happens on computers with a clean installed version of Windows 7 or Vista SP2, where the antivirus program is the first program installed after the OS, UAC enabled but at a "do not dim my desktop" setting, single user configured wither as administrator or in a few cases running as the built-in administrator.

While I understand this is just a faulty reporting, the issue causes worry for users, wasted hours of support time for IT support and a mistrust between IT support and the customers.

cyanna