Windows Defender Offline Scan attempts to start, and then the system reboots

Hi Joe,

Sorry to hear that nothing has helped.

Repair Upgrade replaces your entire OS, just as a clean install will do.

But keeps your Apps and Files. Which might cause some trouble.

Clean Boot should have identified that possibility.

There is one App that can escape discovery by the Clean Boot procedure.

I don't believe that Clean Boot will block a third party antivirus.

If there is another antivirus program involved, or the remnants of one,

that might explain our inability to succeed in identifying a software fix.

Ensure that another antivirus is not installed on your PC. Or if one has

been uninstalled, that its removal tool was run to complete the job.

Beyond that only hardware remains.

I will be curious to know if the Surface Recovery Image gives you a fix.

Good luck,  Glen

Hi AverageJoe,

Repair Upgrade has solved this problem many times before.

In your opening post you stated that you attempted the repair upgrade. Does

that imply there were problems incurred in that effort, or that WDO failed the

same, after a good repair?

I sense that you are not anxious to do the "Surface Recovery Image" procedure.

If that is true, perhaps you should try the Repair Upgrade again only under

slightly different circumstances.

Without going into detail, I once had a WDO problem that would not respond to

the repair upgrade, until I ran it without allowing updates during the procedure.

To accomplish that, you have to perform the repair, as if for another PC. And

download the ISO to your My Documents folder. From there, "mount" the

ISO and select setup to run the repair.     Respond to all questions logically.

While running in this manner, you will be presented a screen that concerns

Updates. On the middle that screen, in fine print, you will see a option.

By selecting that option, you see a screen that allows you to decline updates

during the repair. Decline updates, until the repair is finished. Then "Check for

Updates". In my case, that allowed the Repair to resolve the problem. There

must have been a problem with the sequencing of the updates.  ??

The Repair Upgrade replaces your entire Operating System. The only

thing that this does not fix, is a problem that is caused by one of your Apps.

Since they are retained by the procedure.  Even though WDO runs outside

the confines of your OS, it has to rely on it to load and configure itself.

With that in mind, you might consider performing a clean boot before

running WDO again.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows

While you are in the clean booted state, run WDO.    If no failure occurs, allow

Apps in groups, until it fails again. By process of elimination you can resolve.

Just be sure to put your PC back into "normal" boot, when you are finished.

If WDO fails while being completely Clean Booted, you should consider

performing the Repair Upgrade as described above. 

Note: Regarding the Dword, you might want to check it again, immediately

         after the Repair. To see its status before running WDO. I suspect that it

         may be the indicator of a successful WDO run. Not a requirement for one.

Good luck,  Glen    

Hello Glen, and thank you for the reply!

Before my post yesterday, I performed the Repair Upgrade steps and WDO would not run.  I followed your instructions a couple of times. 

First, I tried a Clean Boot without success.

Then I performed the Repair Upgrade without the updates.  Upon completion, OfflineScanRun was still set at 0.  I started WDO, and it unfortunately did not run.

I forced OfflineScanRun to 1, and denied SYSTEM permissions.  WDO still did not work, but at least OfflineScanRun stayed at 1.

I then performed another Repair Upgrade.  OfflineScanRun remained at 1 and switched the Owner back to SYSTEM.  Yet again, WDO would not run, and OfflineScanRun rolled back to 0.

Any ideas before I initiate a Surface Recovery?  I have a few applications that I am afraid I might not be able to reinstall.  Hence my hesitation in wiping the system.

Again, thanks for help!

Joe

Hi AverageJoe,

Repair Upgrade has solved this problem many times before.

In your opening post you stated that you attempted the repair upgrade. Does

that imply there were problems incurred in that effort, or that WDO failed the

same, after a good repair?

I sense that you are not anxious to do the "Surface Recovery Image" procedure.

If that is true, perhaps you should try the Repair Upgrade again only under

slightly different circumstances.

Without going into detail, I once had a WDO problem that would not respond to

the repair upgrade, until I ran it without allowing updates during the procedure.

To accomplish that, you have to perform the repair, as if for another PC. And

download the ISO to your My Documents folder. From there, "mount" the

ISO and select setup to run the repair.     Respond to all questions logically.

While running in this manner, you will be presented a screen that concerns

Updates. On the middle that screen, in fine print, you will see a option.

By selecting that option, you see a screen that allows you to decline updates

during the repair. Decline updates, until the repair is finished. Then "Check for

Updates". In my case, that allowed the Repair to resolve the problem. There

must have been a problem with the sequencing of the updates.  ??

The Repair Upgrade replaces your entire Operating System. The only

thing that this does not fix, is a problem that is caused by one of your Apps.

Since they are retained by the procedure.  Even though WDO runs outside

the confines of your OS, it has to rely on it to load and configure itself.

With that in mind, you might consider performing a clean boot before

running WDO again.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows

While you are in the clean booted state, run WDO.    If no failure occurs, allow

Apps in groups, until it fails again. By process of elimination you can resolve.

Just be sure to put your PC back into "normal" boot, when you are finished.

If WDO fails while being completely Clean Booted, you should consider

performing the Repair Upgrade as described above. 

Note: Regarding the Dword, you might want to check it again, immediately

         after the Repair. To see its status before running WDO. I suspect that it

         may be the indicator of a successful WDO run. Not a requirement for one.

Good luck,  Glen

Hey Joe. I'm Greg, an installation specialist, 10 year Windows MVP, and Volunteer Guardian Moderator here to help you.

This has been solved before by replacing a corrupted User Account which is a frequent problem we see in Windows 10.

You can create a new Local Admin Account to see if WDO will function properly: http://www.howtogeek.com/226540/how-to-create-a...

If so move your files over, test all programs run correctly, then when ready delete the old account. You can then link your MS account to the new one: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5375-switch...

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and keep me posted. If you will wait to rate my post, I will keep working with you until it's resolved.

________________________________________________________

Standard Disclaimer: There are links to non-Microsoft websites. The pages appear to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the sites that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the sites before you decide to download and install it.

Hello Greg,

Thank you for the reply!  Unfortunately, WDO behaved in the same manner under the new Local Admin Account I created.  I am afraid that it might come down to a Surface Recovery Image, so I greatly appreciate any another suggestions you may have before resorting to that level.

Again, thanks!

Joe

Hey Joe. I'm Greg, an installation specialist, 10 year Windows MVP, and Volunteer Guardian Moderator here to help you.

This has been solved before by replacing a corrupted User Account which is a frequent problem we see in Windows 10.

You can create a new Local Admin Account to see if WDO will function properly: http://www.howtogeek.com/226540/how-to-create-a...

If so move your files over, test all programs run correctly, then when ready delete the old account. You can then link your MS account to the new one: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5375-switch...

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and keep me posted. If you will wait to rate my post, I will keep working with you until it's resolved.

________________________________________________________

Standard Disclaimer: There are links to non-Microsoft websites. The pages appear to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the sites that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the sites before you decide to download and install it.