Is Windows Security stopping right away when you click to start a full scan? That's the problem.
Is Windows Security stopping right away when you click to start a full scan? That's the problem.
Hey guys, I have a bit of free time this week so decided to do some system maintenance... I think I have a problem with security, I've tried a few times now, and even after updates and sfc etc., it still won't finish. From memory, I used to run full scans that took about an hour? My current attempts just seem to be stuck at different stages of the scan. Any help would be great!
Check your computer's settings and see what devices are connected. Even though it says you can work while scanning, wait for the job to finish before doing anything else. Let the system run its own scan without interference. See if the time gets shorter or if those annoying stops stop. Look at Task Manager to find other apps that might be using up resources like updates or backups. Another spot is Process Explorer (Microsoft), which is free on their site. Go check your Reliability History and Event Viewer logs too, because one of these two tools might show a hidden error code or warning when the scan hangs. It's hard to tell just by looking, but trying these steps will help you find out what caused the problem.
If you let the scan finish on its own without doing anything else, it could stop working because of how your computer saves energy. When the PC isn't being used much, it might switch to a low-power setting. Then Windows Security won't start checking things anymore.