Bitdefender Anitvirus 2009 Keeps Shutting Down

IS ANYONE FROM BITDEFENDER LOOKING AT THESE FORUMS?

This posting about RRbackups, from at least two of us, has been around for weeks. Opening incidents with support seems to get even less notice.

The issue reported in this thread is due to a recent product update that was released last week - the resolution is to right click on the BitDefender icon, select "Update now", retrieve all the latest updates and restart the system. Then everything should be back on.

Hello

Would you please describe the exact fix? After looking extensively through my log files, I have determined that this is the famous UNIX start of time bug....subtracting two identical UNIX timestamps gives zero, which is translated to December 31, 1969 (in my EST time zone). I see the identical timestamps when this occurs in the middle of the night the last three nights. This problem for me started three days ago, and I am getting quite angry that I have to manually mess with the system, with a reboot, every morning, and SOMETIME during the day, SOMETIMES my account is updated to say it is no longer invalid. I have a wealth of screen shots to prove all this. Two are attached. I would like confirmation that this fix actually addresses the real problem.

Thank you

Same here...the "fix" did not fix anything. Please get this resolved. I hate the idea of having to shut down my computer everytime I walk away from it b/c my antivirus randomly turns itself off.

I would like to include additional screen shots. I received email feedback from one of my tickets and it told me to do the same update you suggested. I emailed ALL the info back.

The only possible difference I see this time is that the registration expired while BD was in the middle of doing an on-demand scan, perhaps because it kept trying to do updates and wanted me to stop the scan in order to let the update occur. At 3AM it wants me to get up? I schedule my scans in the middle of the night, obviously, so I am not bothered by them during the day. Not sure if this is relevant, but again, you can see identical UNIX timestamps and the famous December 31, 1969 date where the failure occurred.

And yes, I have the "Don't update if scan is in progress" box checked in "Update -> Settings." But it IGNORES this configuration setting. I also have it set to "silent updates" - I could change it to "Prompt before installing," but doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of being completely up to date?

I have attached my history.xml for the last several days. Search for "December". Seems to be related to updates, Firewall also turned off, when my on demand scans happen (sometimes).

Please fix this.

Look for something that calculates expiration date with UNIX subtractions and doesn't add correct base date.

Thank you. I am about ready to demand a refund.

/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=5001" data-fileid="5001" rel="">latest_event_source.doc

NO FAILURE THIS MORNING!

So, since crc and dweb13 both had failures this morning, and I didn't, let's look at the difference.

I DISABLED all scans, and left automatic updates ON (1x/every hour). So, it seems to me that scanning at the same time downloads want to take place is a problem.

I have attached a detailed comparison of all events before and after the failures. BLUE indicates identical timestamps I still think are 1969 issues.

Issues I see

• Scans either finished or aborted before the failure occurs (BAD)
• Updates failed AFTER finished or aborted scans say that the scan is still in progress (REALLY BAD)
• Many similarities in sequence of events

Similarities in event progression for all FAILED cases:

• Scan are always first, starting the failure sequence, followed by
• Many update errors
• Real time protection is disabled
• Several iterations of files downloaded and mostly successful updates
• Registration expires
• Alternating update successes/failures
• Firewall enabled
• Lots of update successes/failures
• Registration new license key (via reboot the next morning)

If you check out the last column in the table, last night's success, it is clean. Just repeated successful downloads/updates.

Thank you for playing along. I guess we could muck around more, but quite frankly, I am getting annoyed at all this, as fun as the debugging process has been. Please keep posting and if you have suggestions for a test, throw it out there.

Yo BitDefender, what more evidence do you need, now that I have done your job for you?

Thanks for all your work on this Invalid_key_queen. Per your request I did not alter any settings on any of my machines; they all stay on 24/7. Here's the summary from each this morning:

"fileserver"

XP Pro, SP2

BD AV 2009

this machine was rebooted yesterday, but no user was ever logged into the desktop

on user login this morning: RTFP off, BD license shows as expired, no scan scheduled last night

"gamer"

XP Pro, SP3

BD AV 2009

no issues, scan executed successfully overnight

"laptop"

XP MCE, SP2

BD AV 2009

before reboot: RTFP off, BD license shows as expired, no scan scheduled last night

after reboot: the "file zone" meter appears (despite being turned off in settings), must click the "Fix" button to re-enable RTFP

"wife"

XP Home, SP2

BD AV 2008

no issues

"work"

XP Pro, SP2

BD AV 2009

before reboot: RTFP off, BD license shows as expired, scan scheduled last night but did not execute, presumably because of the expired license issue

after reboot: must click the "Fix" button to re-enable RTFP

What I find interesting is that the only one of my machines running AV2009 not affected by this issue is running SP3.

Hopefully we'll get a response from someone at BD soon. I have many years of experience in client relations / customer service, so I think at least telling us that they are aware of this very frustrating issue and are working on it would go a long way towards keeping us as subscribers.

Lisa,

I just read your blog entry regarding our bitdefender issue. Great, thorough job. And just so you know where I stand, I will be uninstalling BD tonight and installing AVG's free software...at least until I have time to find something better.

Hi dweb13

Thanks for the feedback - feel free to go vent all you want over there too. Comments welcome of any sort. ;-)

I am glad you have reached a resolution of your own over this. I will likely be trashing BD as well, but you may have determined by now that when a bug gets hold of me, I often pursue it to sometimes unreasonable depths. This one has become fun in a way, despite it being ridiculous.

I really want to see how this plays out...will BitDefender actually USE info we provide? Are they

really this clueless? (Okay, sorry DON'T ANSWER THAT!)

Good luck

Lisa

I am not sure its good to hear other people have the same problem . My bitdefender keeps shutting down and tells me I have to reboot . and I have been doing that for the last couple weeks .. but when I go away I leave my computer running and my email downloading . I need a fix before I have to go away which is next week . I have several requests into tech support for help but some machine keeps sending the same response back no matter what I say . The easy fix would seem to be get another anti-virus program .

My laptop runs on Vista which I hate but atleast bit defender works on it . Its my desk top which is still on XP that there is a problem . Both we bought and installed at the same time and have the same settings .

I am not a tecky . does anyone have a simple answer ???

I don't know a simple answer other than to leave BitDefender. I heard a rumor that h this problem is supposed to be fixed the end of next week...from someone at work who reported the problem YESTERDAY and got a "real answer" from a real human the same day. He was given some sort of "patch" that might help the problem. Amazing. And we are being ignored.

I echo Lisa's sentiments about the need for acknowledgement of the issue. Ignoring the issue for a day or two is simply poor form, but continuing to ignore the posters in this thread (read: the people who have purchased your product which in turn pays your salaries) for days on end, all of whom have all offered hard evidence to try and help YOU fix YOUR problem in a calm, pragmatic and level-headed manner, is absolutely unacceptable.

Here is today's summary:

"gamer" - no issues

"laptop" - tray icon says license is expired, RTFP off, RTFP had to be turned on using "Fix" button after reboot

"fileserver" - successful Quick System Scan, tray icon says license is expired, RTFP off, RTFP had to be turned on using "Fix" button after reboot

"wife" - no issues

"work" - tray icon says license is expired, RTFP off, RTFP had to be turned on using "Fix" button after reboot

I do not have the time to reconfigure five PCs from scratch with a new security solution, so hammering the BD people until this is resolved is my only practical option right now.

To my fellow thread posters: I suggest we open live support chats where we simply link the representatives to this thread, and continue to do so until we get acknowledgement of the issue and/or a satisfactory resolution.

I just completed two chat sessions. In one, the rep told me to "Please be so kind and wait for my colleague's instructions , she will be able to respond to your question in the next hours, on the forum." When I told her I hoped that was the case as we've been waiting days for a response, she said "You will soon receive an response from my colleague, as I will surely put a high priority on this issue, crc."

In the other session, the rep said "Ok, let me send you all the steps you need to take in order to solve this.", but instead just sent me the canned SYSDUMP request email.

While composing this post, BD just told me it needed a reboot to finalize an update, so I guess we'll see what happens in the morning.

with all bitdefender issues i think you will not be able to have good time here )

go away from here

Whoops. I take it back. This did not fix the issue. Might have to join the ranks and jump ship on this unstable product.

I too have been having the same problem and have finally had apparent success with a batch file sent to me by customer support with the following message:

We are sorry for the inconvenience caused by this issue. An update will be released by the end of the week that will permanently fix this.

As a workaround, until the update is released, please follow the steps below:

1. Download the attached tool on your PC and extract the contents on your desktop.

2. Run the file called restartseccenter.bat

3. Wait about one minute and then open the BitDefender console to check if the issue still occurs.

4. If the command prompt window does not disappear after you opened the BitDefender interface please close it manually.

The batch file opens the command prompt and runs the following:

@echo off

c:

cd c:\program files\bitdefender\bitdefender 2009

vsserv stop

PING -n 1 127.0.0.1>nul

PING -n 1 127.0.0.1>nul

PING -n 1 127.0.0.1>nul

PING -n 1 127.0.0.1>nul

tskill bdagent

tskill seccenter

vsserv

PING -n 1 127.0.0.1>nul

PING -n 1 127.0.0.1>nul

bdagent start

Somehow it seems to have worked for me. Now over 12 hours with no problem and the shutdown and license expired thing was happening almost hourly.

I tried to attach the batch file here but was not allowed, so create a new, blank text file, copy and paste the batch file commands above, save it as a batch file (i.e. choosename.bat and run it. Hope this helps. You would think someone from BD could come here and provide the help but, well, they're so busy dealing with all the people having this problem.

no

My comp won't shut down after a failed scan attempt. I get a message 'uiscan not responding'.

Sent a report in a few days ago, but the only email I've received back is a marketing blurb about how fantastic BD 09 is

I'll probably actually make the switch to AVG this weekend. I just haven't had time to do it yet.

After repairing several PCs for friends and colleagues plus a couple of personal unpleasant experiences, I am not a fan of AVG. I will put up with a few days of BD idiosyncrasies before I let any AVG product touch my PCs.

Lisa,

I think BD is waiting on you to release an update yourself that fixes this issue and then claim it as their own. You clearly understand it more than they do!

Thanks again for all the hard work and updates. I still haven't dumped bitdefender in hopes that they come out with a fix. I'm losing faith though. I'll probably actually make the switch to AVG this weekend. I just haven't had time to do it yet.

Hi dweb13

Thanks! I am happy to consult on the side if they are interested. However, I seriously doubt they would even consider a field-destroyer like me. ;-)

I haven't reported back in a few days because things keep changing. I am able to do a short scan without it barfing out. But my log files are different - where it used to barf out, I got a "registration renewal" and a "registration extension" = both new events. But the "extension" was just to my endpoint next year. This morning Firefix crashed when I was on Facebook, and then immediately BD came up with the "Expired" message, but when I go to BD, it appears to be running happily. But my log file is full of "cannot update because scan is in progress, after my scan completes. So Same Old Behavior at this point. Based on past behavior, BD may come up in the next couple hours with the "expired" message if things are still consistent.

So no, still doesn't work right, but didn't crash. But, I STILL have to reboot my machine to get new udpates!

Isn't that just called, COVERING UP THE PROBLEM, BITDEFENDER?

The program NOW APPEARS TO BE RUNNING FINE, but NO UPDATES ARE HAPPENING!

In MY BOOK, this becomes UNETHICAL! "Gee, users are getting upset at the errors and license expirations. So, let's fix the SYMPTOM and NOT TELL THEM that ALL SUBSEQUENT UPDATES are FAILING!" For someone like me, who leaves my computer running until something like vsserv.exe ###### nearly every available but of memory, I would be unprotected from new virus for as long as my machine remained "unbooted."

I continue my "Shame on BitDefender" stance.

Lisa

Sheesh.

And now back to your regularly scheduled nightmare.

This has truly gone on too long. For a supposedly reputable product dutifully paid for by the end user, and one that is intended to be a rock solid dependable protection against attack to prove completely unable to do so (reminds one of the Bush admin. on a certain September morn, doesn't it?), and to keep shutting down and locking the user out is unacceptable. The fallibility of this program, the ineffectual updates and otiose response from BitDefender's so-called "support" with their apparent disregard of the fine, intelligent and "above and beyond the call" help of posters such as Lisa and others here, leads me to believe that they know not what they do. The ship is foundering and attempts by the able-bodied to keep it on course are being ignored. Surely the captain is mad.

I recommend we all seek refuge in a more secure vessel.

Here is my message to BD in response to their ineptness (they even had the audacity to send me an email encouraging me to purchase another one of their products this morning!). I encourage you to do the same:

This update has not solved the issue with BD shutting down. I am still regularly (several times a day) being shut out of the program with the “license expired” message with only a reboot clearing the problem. In other words, the problem is still exactly the same.

It is now almost a month with this issue and no resolution. This coupled with my other issues with the program, and the fact that this is a wide spread problem as evinced by the numerous entries in your online forum is simply unacceptable in a paid for, commercial product of this nature.

I am sorry to say that my patience has reached an end and that I must demand a full refund of my purchase of this unstable product. Please respond with a confirmation of this and remit payment or put me in touch with someone who can.

Woke up this morning to find my bitdefender did NOT shut down last night. I performed an update yesterday evening...not sure if that update contained a fix or not. Just thought I'd let everyone know that for the moment, it appears that the situation might be resolved.

Well, that is good news! Lemmee ask a couple questions because I lost track of your testing conditions. Please clarify - when you say "shut down" what do you mean? Did you run any scans after the update? Do you have automatic updates on? If so, would you look in your history.xml and see if the updates are successful? That is still where I see the failures with these conditions.

For me, I did a manual update before bed. Automatic updates were working fine too. I had 3 different scans scheduled in the night. As soon as the first one started, the updates started failing because "scan in progress." That's fine.

The last scan finished at 4am. Updates continued to fail for "scan in progress" until 6:44 am. After that time (until now) all updates are failing for just the "update failure" reason.

So, the same behavior continues with all my scans running. I figured it would still fail because it did with only one scan (and this time was 3 scans) but I thought it was possible that they had fixed the problem. I will continue testing with you!

The issue remains unresolved on my machine with BD's update still not ceasing the "license expired" shutdown. However after several volleys with customer support in which I outlined the continuing problem, referred them to the forum here and asked for some kind of acknowledgment of their part in this and received nothing but an apparently automated reply telling me to uninstall, download the latest update and reboot (all of which i have done now, multiple times with no successful result), I have finally received some satisfaction (of sorts) in being told by BD (also an automated reply) that I am being issued a refund for my purchase of the product.

Though disappointed, I feel this is the only just outcome for a situation that has bordered on unethical and incompetent on the part of a "reputable" company selling supposed security to the masses, a company that continues to enjoy the reputation as one of the best AV solutions with superior customer support! Surely that reputation has been bought and paid for by BD themselves and not been earned through the scrutiny of unbiased third party investigation for it is surely not the experience of the myriad users whose problems and customer service dead ends virtually fill this forum.

The only thing, no doubt, that will reach the ears of those behind all this is the sound of our money going away from them.

If you agree that there behaviour has been unacceptable, then let them know by a vote of no-confidence and demand a refund. Let them then rebuild a reputation through honest work.

Well said !, Its a point that the "big" Stores overhere dont even sell Bitdefender anymore

I have used BDefender for Years but since 2008/2009 They lost it ,

Why ?, Dont know ,maybe change in personal ......

Okay, more info from a friend. In his history file I see a few different behaviors:

1) sometimes when the scan finishes, he still gets all the Update Errors: scan in progress errors that we get. But 2 minutes later, the very next event is a download update (NOT a virus signature update) and it is successful. Then the world is happy and good with no reboots needed.

2) A scan finishes and updates recover as above, but then many firewall enable/disable cycles occur followed by a load of update errors with a DIFFERENT error: "An error occurred during the update (Unknown error).If the problem persists, please contact BitDefender support (contact information available in About section)." Then a couple more firewall enable/disables and a download update is successful. The system has run without error for a day, but no scans were performed during that time.

So, it appears he has a very similar update error problem after scans, but his system was able to recover (sample size of 2 here) without his intervention within a few hours.

Wink: regarding brainwashing. Yes, the "high quality product" and "superior customer support" and the "you are the only one who has this problem" was thrown at me as FACT by a moderator in a PM yesterday. He doesn't even work for BD but continues to spout the same kind of brainwashing.

Hey - I recognize that some people have great experiences with BD - but HELLO - just because SOME people do, doesn't mean ALL people do. I just love the logic I received from a moderator "I personally checked on 3 different systems for what you described and NONE of them experienced your problem."

This is a *moderator* who said this. Well CLEARLY good behavior on THREE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS means that the entire world is happy.

Sigh. Generalizations like this from a moderator simply boggle my mind. I tried to be logical with him but clearly he took the Blue Pill.

So, for those of you still interested in this from a *debugging* point of view, let's carry on with logic and facts rather than brainwashing and denial, shall we? ;-)