Startup scan makes audio stutter

[NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere 0]

Since the last update I started having audio issues, regardless of whether the source is from YouTube or an application like MusicBee.

The "startup scan" runs about 3-4 times during the day and while it does my audio will start to stutter.

I'm using a Bluetooth connected headphone.

[Marcos 5,460]

Does temporarily disabling the startup scan tasks make a difference? Please provide logs collected with ESET Log Collector for more information about your system and hw configuration.

[NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere 0]

Hey Marcos,

Was waiting for the scan to happen again which it just did.

Couldn't find a way to interrupt the scan at all, I tried "Pause Protection" and also unticking the "System startup file check" task (which i think is the correct one based on the time it started) did not stop the scan.

As soon as the scan is done then the audio is back to normal again.

Thank you for the assistance!

eis_logs.zip

Edited July 27, 2020 by NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere

[Marcos 5,460]

Unchecking the 2 automatic startup scan tasks in scheduler will disable them. It's important to keep them enabled but disable them only temporarily for troubleshooting purposes.

[Nightowl 206]

12 hours ago, NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere said:

Hey Marcos,

Was waiting for the scan to happen again which it just did.

Couldn't find a way to interrupt the scan at all, I tried "Pause Protection" and also unticking the "System startup file check" task (which i think is the correct one based on the time it started) did not stop the scan.

As soon as the scan is done then the audio is back to normal again.

Thank you for the assistance!

eis_logs.zipUnavailable

Are you using an HDD and probably a slow CPU?

[Marcos 5,460]

According to the logs provided the startup scan tasks are already disabled. Did the issue disappear then?

[NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere 0]

@Nightowl  Using a SSD and Intel I7 so i got a pretty decent system, when checking the taskmanager nothing is under heavy load during the scan.

@Marcos Yes the issue is gone when unticking those 2 tasks, had it disabled today and as expected no audio issues occurred.
After enabling the tasks again a little while later the scan happened and my audio starts stuttering during the scan.

 

Have been using Eset for over 20 years and been using this headset for about 6 years without problems, this issue started after the latest update.

 

[NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere 0]

It also happens when I perform a normal Computer Scan.

Edited July 29, 2020 by NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere

[Marcos 5,460]

Please carry on as follows:
- enable advanced oper. system logging in the adv. setup -> tools -> diagnostics
- reproduce the issue
- disable logging
- collect logs with ESET Log Collector and provide the generated archive.

[NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere 0]

Collected a new log and did some additional testing, it seems to be about Bluetooth.

- Turning on the headphones during the scan makes it unable to connect with the PC, as soon as the scan is done then it connects.
- The scan gets stuck on "com4.scr" in the System32 folder from windows.
- Cancelling after it reached "com4.scr" takes 90 seconds before it really stops.
  During this the cancel button becomes grey but the animation bar keeps going and the timer also keeps ticking.

If this info provides a possible solution then I'm happy to try it, else I might just go with a fresh windows reinstall.

The new log is 213MB so i cannot upload it here.

[itman 1,805]

12 minutes ago, NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere said:

Collected a new log and did some additional testing, it seems to be about Bluetooth.

When you ran the Eset scan, did you run a Custom scan with the registry and WMI options not selected: i.e. unchecked marked?

[itman 1,805]

I have also seen enough with this and numerous other like postings that Eset needs to "pull the plug" on registry and WMI scanning in all forms that was introduced in ver. 13.2.15. Issue a new patch release with those scan features removed until they have been thoroughly tested.

Edited July 29, 2020 by itman

[NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere 0]

@itman The scan that I have been testing with is just the regular scan. 
Doing a custom one with "System Registry" and "WMI database" unchecked causes no issues.

Edited July 29, 2020 by NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere

[Marcos 5,460]

And if you leave only WMI checked and run a scan, does the issue occur? What about if only the registry is checked?

[NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere 0]

Doing solely the registry scan makes it get stuck on "Com4.scr" again.

[NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere 0]

There is not even a "Com4" file in that folder even though the scan shows it tried to open several com4.extensions in that location.

[itman 1,805]

4 hours ago, NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere said:

There is not even a "Com4" file in that folder even though the scan shows it tried to open several com4.extensions in that location.

That's the issue.

The registry scanner goes "bonkers" when references exist to a file in the registry but the file doesn't physically exists.

Also your audio stuttering when the startup/update scans are running are likewise either caused by the registry or WMI scanning. A restricted version of both the scan types are also employed by those scans. At present, there is no way to disable registry and WMI scanning for the starttup/update scans.

 

[NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere 0]

Well I have done a full clean Windows install here, the problem is still there, except now it's "com5"....

 

[NiceCaptchaMethodOverHere 0]

So it turns out that when my BT dongle is unplugged the scanner works without problems but that is not really an option for me here since I need that connection.
Feels like I'm now forced to disable the scans entirely then since it is extremely disruptive and also doesn't work anyway because it gets stuck and then shuts down.
If a technician wants to replicate this issue then simply plug in a Trust 4.0 BT dongle.

https://www.trust.com/en/product/18187-manga-bluetooth-4-0-adapter

[itman 1,805]

There were BlueTooth issues on Win 10 2004 that were "supposedly" fixed in the latest non-security cumulative update: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-fixes-windows-10-2004-bluetooth-and-intel-gpu-issues/

I for one have not been offered this update via Win Updates. So don't know if it is being pushed to all installations.

[Marcos 5,460]

We have pinpointed the issue to pure scanning of Bluetooth registry keys. These will need to be exempted from registry scans. We expect a new Cleaner module to be available within the following days.