How do i fix these threats that has been going on for days, when i clicked the take action button it's taking so long to complete it, is this normal?

Question

How do i fix these threats that has been going on for days, when i clicked the take action button it's taking so long to complete it, is this normal?

Aich Reinhardt 20

Screenshot 2026-06-30 002319

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

0 additional answers

Your answer

Answer 1

David-M 118.7K Independent Advisor

Hi. I'm David, and I'm happy to help you.

This infinite loading loop is a classic Windows Defender bug. It happens because the threat has likely already been removed, so the system gets confused trying to take action on a file that doesn't exist anymore.

Let's double-check your PC for safety and then force Windows to clear these stuck alerts. Here is what you need to do:

To ensure that your computer has no threats, I suggest you perform a full scan using Microsoft Safety Scanner. Download from the link below.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/intelligence/safety-scanner-download

Also, perform a full scan using Malwarebytes as a second opinion.

Download through this link: https://malwarebytes.com/

After scanning, you can uninstall it.

If both tools do not report threats and the threat notification keeps showing, do the following:

Open File Explorer, paste the address below into the address bar, and press Enter:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Scans\History\Service\

(If you are unable to access this directory, see the Note below.)

Inside this folder, delete the folder "DetectionHistory";
Then restart your computer.

Then, see if the notification is no longer showing and run a scan now using Defender, just in case.

If you are unable to access the mentioned folder due to a permissions error, start Windows in Safe Mode and try again.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/start-your-pc-in-safe-mode-in-windows-92c27cff-db89-8644-1ce4-b3e5e56fe234#WindowsVersion=Windows_11

Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

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

Aich Reinhardt 20 Reputation points

2026-06-29T18:36:12.5533333+00:00

So using the Microsoft Safety Scanner full scan takes another 12 hours for me again? And what scan do I choose after the notification is no longer showing, full scan or just quick scan? And is full-scanning with Malwarebytes a must do? (I'm sorry, english isn't my first language if I sound it wrong)
David-M 118.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-06-29T18:47:18.48+00:00
I understand that long scans can be frustrating. Scan times vary a lot depending on your computer's files, so it might not take 12 hours for you. However, to be absolutely safe, do not skip this step. It is important to be 100% sure the PC is clean before clearing those alerts.

To answer your questions directly:

Microsoft Safety Scanner: Yes, please run the Full Scan. A good tip to avoid losing time is to start it right before going to bed and let it run overnight.

Malwarebytes: Yes, this is highly recommended, but it will not take hours. A full scan is not needed here. Just run the default Threat Scan; it is very fast (usually taking only 2 to 5 minutes) because it looks exactly where active threats hide.

What scan to run at the end: After both tools show that the PC is clean and the DetectionHistory folder is deleted, just run a Quick Scan in Windows Defender. This takes less than a minute and is just to refresh the system and turn the security icon back to green.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have.
Aich Reinhardt 20 Reputation points

2026-06-29T19:21:35.3233333+00:00

Just in case, can I leave the scan overnight? Because I know it's going to take a long day if I just stay put on my PC
David-M 118.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-06-29T19:35:36.83+00:00

Yes. Leaving it to run overnight is a good idea so it doesn't interrupt your day. Once it's finished, you can just follow the next steps.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have.
Aich Reinhardt 20 Reputation points

2026-06-30T08:14:47.7666667+00:00

Hey so I left it overnight and it's stuck like this but I already scanned with "Malwarebyte" and I found 135 threats (I don't know why it's a lot) so, should I cancel the Microsoft one?
David-M 118.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-06-30T13:11:39.1166667+00:00
Do not cancel it just yet!

Even though Malwarebytes already found and cleaned 135 threats, the Microsoft tool is scanning a completely different place. The quick Malwarebytes scan only checked the main system areas, but your screenshot shows that Microsoft is scanning an old backup folder on the D: drive (Windows.old).

This means the 107 infected files found by Microsoft are different threats that Malwarebytes did not reach. If the scan is canceled now, those 107 threats will remain on the computer. Since the green progress bar is completely full, the tool is likely in the very final stage of cleaning those files.

Let the Microsoft Safety Scanner finish completely so it can delete those 107 threats found.

Once it finishes and confirms the removal, proceed with the previous steps to delete the DetectionHistory folder to finally clear the stuck Windows Defender notifications.

Please let me know how it goes.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have.
Aich Reinhardt 20 Reputation points

2026-06-30T17:57:44.9766667+00:00

Update, thankfully I got rid of the threats using your steps, I'm truly grateful for your help