HitmanPro.ALERT Support and Discussion Thread

Mark, I've sent you a PM, if you have some spare time, please respond. And it would also be interesting to hear your vision about the future of HMPA's development.

 

@erikloman,
@markloman,
@Dan Schiappa,

December 8, HitmanPro.Alert 3.1.0 build 343 was released, mentioning "Later this week, we'll be updating existing users automatically to this new build."
December 11, HitmanPro.Alert 3.1.0 build 344 prerelease was offered.
Currently, HMPA 3.1.0 build 343 is still not offered by automatic update.
And currently, the version offered via the download link at the SurfRight download page is HMPA 3.1.0.344, even though this build was presented as a prerelease and not for general availability.
Could one of you please clarify, what is the plan for automatic updating?
Will users be automatically updated to HMPA 3.1.0.343 or 3.1.0.344, shortly, or is there a different plan? And if so, why?
Thanks very much.

 

I can't comment on whatever "plan" may be or may have been in place, but..
I did find and report a problem with 344 (existing since 340, actually). Hmp.a stops IE from launching on my system, and there has been no update since that report.
My system being the latest version of Win 10 - Version 1511, Build 10586.36.

 

^Are you perhaps also using Avast?

 

Yes I am, but selective startup with only Hmp.a service disabled and IE works fine.
Perhaps there is some conflict between the two. I'd have to uninstall Avast to test.
Anyway, it's only on IE (the latest version). I use Chrome and Firefox regularly with no issue.

Edit: I might add, I don't care for IE in any case. Thought it might have something to do with Kaspersky Security Scan failing to install tho.

 

so, it seems to be a common problem - is there any soution and is this a thing the developers worked on?

 

There was a previous problem with Avast which was solved.
An Avast update later, the IE not launching issue was back.
So yes, it's worked on by the devs.

 

In event viewer I noticed a lot of warnings from HMPA saying the update check failed, trying again in 120 minutes, I'm on 344, is this normal? I can't remember seeing it before.

 

Hi, JayKatai. I observed the same behavior in my event viewer. Maybe this will be fixed with the release of the next build.

 

This is not an error, it is just an informational message that there is no update on the update server.

 

Thanks very much, Mark. Good to know that this is not an error message. Maybe the wording of this message can be changed, so that the user knows that it simply means that an update is currently not available.

 

Perhaps it would be a good idea to change the wording in that case since it no doubt causes confusion. (One warning for when it actually fails and a different warning for when there's no update)

 

12/21/15 Resolved for me thanks..... Continued from previous post Dec 03 2015.
RE HMPA, IE, and Avast on my machine.
Updating from (paid version) HMPA v3.0.59 b209, to v3.1.0 b343 resolved IE not launching issue for me,
Also noted then and now using Avast free v11.1.2245.
(Though IE changed from v11.0.9600.18097 to v11.0.9600.18124)

Other system info that did not change between 12/03/15 and 12/21/15:
W7 Ult SP1 x64
Comodo FW v 8.2.0.4792 Free
Also: HMPA shows Exploit protection Assisted by Hardware

Note: Someone mentioned PDF readers recently. Currently using paid v of PDF-XChange Editor and so far no issues w/HMPA.

 

Which licence to use, to install HMP.A on WIN2008R2 server?

So far I didn't find a server licence in web-store, not even in reseller area..

 

Im having this same issue, IE11 will not start/open, also some desktop icons will not open either because of HMPA, I have uninstalled HMPA as there doesn't seem to be a concern for this fix, and no im not using Avast

 

With avast! uninstalled, hmp.a enabled, IE works. So, it is some conflict.
Avast "file version" (for installer) is 11.1.2245.1540. I'd guess that's the version which was installed, all fully updated anyway - and Premier edition.
Without avast!, Kaspersky installed ok too - the full Internet Security suite, as it happened.
Glad to report no apparent conflicts with Kaspersky, but I'm not about to switch over just yet.
Not least because my avast! license still has some time to run. Also, computer kinda crashed after going to sleep during Kaspersky scan.
Something else to look into... It didn't do it second time around.

 

If I had to choose between:

1. Full blown AntiVirus (free, or paid) , not compatible with HMP.A (due to frequent changes)
2. Full AntiVirus (free, or paid), not compatible with HMP.A (due to design)
3. AntiVirus (free, or paid), compatible with HMP.A
3. Basic Antivirus (free, or paid), compatible with HMP.A

I would choose any compatible Antivirus (resident), HMP.A and HMP, second opinion on demand scanner....

I'm having no issues at all, with my setups. Look at my signature.

 

I used to have some minor issues with earlier versions of HMP.A, but the latest version of this excellent program seems to be fully compatible with my current security setup (KIS and MBAM Premium).

 

Well, of course. But..
Didn't I see reports of MBAE not working well with HMP.A?
Then there's daman1's comment, a few posts back - also running Bitdefender, tho licensed by the look.
I'm not a fan of Windows Defender, just saying.
It seems what works for one doesn't necessarily work for everyone. Initially I thought my problem came about due to an OS upgrade for Win 10, since I hadn't used IE since then.
If indeed I was running avast! 2016.11.1.2245, then that update possibly is at fault. It was released December 1 and I apply any available updates as a matter of course. December 13 I reported the error.

My choice is to not bother with IE at all. Browsers I regularly use, Chrome (mostly) and Firefox, work just fine with hmp.a & avast!.
The issue came to light for me because Kaspersky on demand scanner failed to install and I thought maybe it had something to do with IE.
Both ESET and F-secure work anyway...

 

It appears I wasn't running that version, the UI is different to what I had. 10.4 somethingorother more likely. I can't tell now, nor when it was last updated.
IE not working. I don't care really. Kaspersky on demand doesn't work on win 10 anyway.

 

Bump!

 

I was doing my routine Image Backup of Windows using the built in tool but I ran into an error. This is on Windows 10 x64.

Windows Backup failed to get an exclusive lock on the EFI system partition (ESP). This may happen if another application is using files on the ESP. Please retry the operation.

I uninstalled a lot of programs until it worked. Unfortunately it was HMPA causing the error. I reinstalled and turned off the mitigations and protections one by one but only a full uninstall works.

Can this be fixed? I literally just bought some licenses but I would have waited if I bumped into this problem sooner.

I don't mind uninstalling each time but would constantly reactivating put a black mark against any licenses?

Edit: Just realised HMPA automatically reactivates itself, neat.

 

Interesting! HitmanPro.Alert doesn't do anything with partitions (especially if it's FAT) so IMO another program is causing this.
But I'd like to check it out too. What version of Windows are you using? Also, what other security software do you have installed on your machine? Thank you!

 

Windows 10.0.10586 x64, Eset Smart Security 9.0.349.0, Sandboxie 5.0.6, HitmanPro 3.7, HitmanPro.Alert 3.1.0.344. All my partitions are NTFS.

Event Viewer gives me:

EventID: 517
ErrorCode: 0x8078011e

 

Thank you for the information, we'll take a look at it but as I mentioned before it's highly likely not caused by HitmanPro.Alert. The reboot after you removed HMPA may solved the issue but has probably nothing to do with HMPA (the reboot also lifted the lock caused by another program).
As far as I know, the EFI system partition (ESP) is always formatted as FAT but this partition is not visible for the user.