"Virus scanner initialization failed" message - ESET File Security 4.5 on SBS 2011

[sycomputing 0]

Using ESET File Security for Windows Server 4.5.12005.0 on SBS 2011 w/Exchange

After reviewing the log files, we're getting this msg intermittently since 12/15/2019:

ESET Kernel    Virus scanner initialization failed. Antivirus protection will not function properly. 

Right now, the interface has just auto-updated and is reporting that AV protection is disabled and that most of the app's software modules "will not function properly." We've been using this ESET product on this server for 7 years and have never seen this msg before. The last manual scan we did was on 12/31/19 with no positives.

We're not sure where to manually turn on protection or if there's a way to do it. We know we can disable both AV and real-time security, but I'm the sysadmin and I haven't done that.

Please advise our next step to ensure protection is active and working - thanks very much

UPDATE: We tried manually disabling/enabling AV protection from the taskbar interface - after this procedure the application reports it is no longer able to update the virus definition database ("General Compiler Error") - see attached .pdf for screenshots

UPDATE 2: After a server reboot, the app reports all is well. Both AV protection and updates are working normally, however, we're still suspicious that something is intermittently causing an issue. Naturally we don't want to be forced to reboot each time the app fails.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

 

eset-failure.pdf

Edited January 19, 2020 by sycomputing

[Marcos 5,461]

EFSW 4.5 is very old and already reached EOL. Please uninstall it and install EFSW 7.1.

[sycomputing 0]

Thanks for your reply.

Please advise if a new license is required - (our current one is active).

Please advise with instructions on how to manually remove the application in case of issues with the built-in uninstaller.

[Marcos 5,461]

Your license entitles you to download, activate and use any future version of ESET File Security.

In case of problems with uninstallation, you should be able to remove EFSW using the ESET Uninstall tool in safe mode.

 

[sycomputing 0]

Ok many thanks. We'll try this.

[sycomputing 0]

Well, it seems the uninstaller is hanging at "uninstalling drivers." It's been stuck there for about 30 minutes.

I was hoping to avoid going onsite today, what is your recommendation for using the uninstaller with the /nosafemode switch as per this article:

Is that switch still an option?

 

[sycomputing 0]

UPDATE:

Well after an initial issue uninstalling v. 4, booting into Safe Mode and using the ESET uninstaller turned out to be quick and painless.

I'm pleasantly shocked and amazed!

Thanks for your help Marcos.