why is cleaning of Malwarebytes disabled by default?

[Ashley_F]

Hi again.

 

I'm new here and just finished posting a topic regarding a different question, but I have another one that I would like to ask.

 

I just noticed that, under Applications > Utilities, there is no checkmark in the box for Malwarebytes. Cleaning of Malwarebytes appears to be disabled by default. (See attached screenshot.)

 

My question is this . . .

 

Why is cleaning of Malwarebytes disabled by default? I have Spybot S&D and SUPERAntiSpyware installed on my computer as well, but their boxes are pre-checked, so I'm curious, what makes Malwarebytes special in this regard? Why is cleaning for it turned off by default but enabled by default for SUPERAntiSpyware and Spybot?

 

Thanks again.

[mta]

why the inconsistency, I can't say, that is weird, but my guess for MBAM being not checked would be to preserve the scan and update logs (and for Pro users, the program logs).

so on that same theory the others should be unchecked too.

 

unless we hear an official reason, sadly you are just going to get member's guesses.

but the powers-that-be do read these posts so you never know...

[Ashley_F]

"my guess for MBAM being not checked would be to preserve the scan and update logs (and for Pro users, the program logs)."

 

I was wondering about that, wondering what part(s) of MBAM it actually cleaned. What are your thoughts on that? I mean, should CCleaner even be doing that? Unlike, say, surfing on the Internet, where your computer picks up and stores tons of files that are more or less nothing but junk, programs like SUPERAntiSpyware or MBAM do not generate junk files that need to be cleaned by a program like CCleaner — or do they? And even if they do, wouldn't it be better to just delete them through the UI of the program in question, especially with security programs?

 

"so on that same theory the others should be unchecked too."

 

Exactly.

 

"unless we hear an official reason, sadly you are just going to get member's guesses. but the powers-that-be do read these posts so you never know."

 

Can I contact Piriform support staff directly? Do you know if they answer questions from users of the free version?

[Andavari]

I was wondering about that, wondering what part(s) of MBAM it actually cleaned. 

 

Scan logs.

[mta]

paid for subscriptions of Piriform products get you priority support.

free versions also get support (but not priority) so as to turn-around time, I cannot say.

and I imagine it's for support not for advice - but you can only ask and see what happens.

 

as to MBAM and the like and what CC does rather than the UI itself doing - you are right - very little difference.

and my personal preference is not to have those programs either keeps their logs in the first place, or to make their space/time reservations as small as allowed.

I've never needed my maintenance programs to keep logs of everything they do/find/kill.

[Guest MrV]

CCleaner cleans the logs and quarantine files from MBAM. The rule is defaulted to "off" because the quarantine location could potentially have files that a user may want to retain.

 

The rules for other similar applications are defaulted to "on" because they do not include files the user may want to keep.

 

Unlike, say, surfing on the Internet, where your computer picks up and stores tons of files that are more or less nothing but junk, programs like SUPERAntiSpyware or MBAM do not generate junk files that need to be cleaned by a program like CCleaner — or do they? And even if they do, wouldn't it be better to just delete them through the UI of the program in question, especially with security programs?

 

These applications generate logs and files that users may want to remove. Users have the option to remove them via the application UI, CCleaner simply provides single point removal of such files.

[Nergal]

Hurrah, development team answers are the best! thanks @MrV!!!

[mta]

Or in other words, as has been stated before else where, for first time users don't just accept the default settings without knowing what will be effected.

What you think will happen may not.

Do an Analyse first, and verify the results, before cleaning.  At least until you know how CC will react.

[Ashley_F]

CCleaner cleans the logs and quarantine files from MBAM. The rule is defaulted to "off" because the quarantine location could potentially have files that a user may want to retain.

 

Understood. Thanks for explaining.

 

The rules for other similar applications are defaulted to "on" because they do not include files the user may want to keep.

 

This part, not understood. You said similar programs do not include files the user may want to keep, which is why CCleaner cleans them by default. I'm sorry, but I don't follow. Let's use SUPERAntiSpyware (SAS) as the example. Why wouldn't SAS also have files of its own that the user may potentially want to keep?

 

Hurrah, development team answers are the best! thanks @MrV!!!

 

Yes, it's always nice to have authoritative answers laid down for the record. It removes any speculation and provides a source to refer other users to when similar questions arise.

 

Or in other words, as has been stated before else where, for first time users don't just accept the default settings without knowing what will be effected. What you think will happen may not. Do an Analyse first, and verify the results, before cleaning.  At least until you know how CC will react.

 

Absolutely. That's why I tried reading everything I could about the operation of CCleaner before doing anything with it, and for any questions that I couldn't find answers to on my own, I'm asking about them on here.

[Nergal]

If, after an analysis, you see items in SuperAntiSpyware you wish to keep, they can be excluded (right click each item you with to retain and choose add to exclude list) or you can uncheck it altogether. What the developer was getting at was that a blind cleaning of Malwarebytes may cause a worse issue than cleaning of (by example) SUPERAntiSpyware