ESET Smart Security v8.0.312.0 suggests HiPS driver has failed

[EviL FazZ 0]

After the recent manual ESET v8 update, I started getting a HiPS driver failed pop up error notification.

 

I've searched the ESET Forum and though there's a few things that came up with similar issues a couple of years ago, nothing recent or relevant to my exact recent issue or the actual fix. The usually responses were to just reboot the OS, but that did nothing for me and the problem was still persisted. Trying to disable the HiPS in the ESET SS Advance setup, then reboot with it whilst HiPS is disabled and re-enable after a reboot did not work either.

 

Image can also be seen in full here: plus.google.com/photos/+FazZKhedoo/albums/6146326102544238305

 

I'm not exactly sure how to test if the HiPS safely, as it's possible it's working? ESET SS's main screen shows HiPS Disabled, but within the Advance setup it shows Enabled (Box ticked).

 

This is actually my first issue with ESET in the many years I've been actively using ESET (including setups I've built for over fifty family and friends), so my apologises for the lack of other information you might require to diagnose this problem, but feel free to ask/explain what else is needed if anything.

 

Thanks for your time and hope you/someone can help 

[Marcos 4,713]

Hello,

what operating system do you use? What platform (x86/x64)? Did you perform a clean install of ESS 8.0.312 or you upgraded from an older version?

Also run the following command as an administrator to make sure ehdrv.sys driver is loaded: sc query ehdrv

and check if C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET Smart Security\em018_32.dat and em018_64.dat actually exist.

[SweX 871]

Hmmm there are no checkboxes for the "advanced memory scanner" or "exploit blocker" in your advanced setup tree from what I can see in your black screenshot where HIPS is enabled.

Edited May 8, 2015 by SweX

[EviL FazZ 0]

LoL   ...Sorry I posted a problem without my basics (thanks for reminding me Marcos)

 

OS: Windows 8.1 x64 - Clean install two months after it was officially released

ESET: Smart Security v8.0.312.0 - Clean install since v8 was released to previous v7 users

sc query ehdrv: Suggests it is "Running"

 

 

Thanks SweX, but I do not ever remember ever seeing an "Advanced Memory Scanner" or "Exploit Blocker" option in the Advance Setup tree?

 

I do not mind having to do a clean install of ESET SS v8, but not happy in having to set everything back up again as it just takes ages. The last time I used the backup option (.xml files) was in ESET SS v5 and it created more of a mess than anything else, so ended up re-setting it up manually. Does the Export Settings work now? I was hoping not to do a clean install until Windows 10 in November (I prefer to wait a couple of months), but also ESET SS seems like it's working, just with a false pop up notification error, maybe?   

Edited May 8, 2015 by EviL FazZ

[SweX 871]

Thanks SweX, but I do not ever remember ever seeing an "Advanced Memory Scanner" or "Exploit Blocker" option in the Advance Setup tree?

 

I do not mind having to do a clean install of ESET SS v8, but not happy in having to set everything back up again as it just takes ages. The last time I used the backup option (.xml files) was in ESET SS v5 and it created more of a mess than anything else, so ended up re-setting it up manually. Does the Export Settings work now? I was hoping not to do a clean install until Windows 10 in November (I prefer to wait a couple of months), but also ESET SS seems like it's working, just with a false pop up notification error, maybe?   

 

 

There you see AMS and EB.

 

I would do a clean install by using the ESET uninstaller in safe mode.

hxxp://kb.eset.com/esetkb/index?page=content&id=SOLN2289&actp=search&viewlocale=en_US&searchid=1431124979134#Win_7

 

Yes it should work fine exporting your settings, and import them after reinstalling.

If the import goes wrong, then you can try revert the product back to the default state.

[EviL FazZ 0]

There you see AMS and EB.

 

I would do a clean install by using the ESET uninstaller in safe mode.

hxxp://kb.eset.com/esetkb/index?page=content&id=SOLN2289&actp=search&viewlocale=en_US&searchid=1431124979134#Win_7

 

Yes it should work fine exporting your settings, and import them after reinstalling.

If the import goes wrong, then you can try revert the product back to the default state.

 

Thanks SweX, I'll plan a bit of time for a clean install of ESET SS v8 over the weekend and hopefully the Exported Settings will save me sometime in reconfiguring ESET SS again. Just to clarify, when say Safe Mode are you referring to Windows Safe Mode or possibly some new ESET re-install function that I'm unaware of? 

[rugk 397]

No real Windows Safe Mode. Just look at the KB article he linked. There one of the first steps is:

2. Restart your computer in Safe Mode.

So BTW if you 'do not ever remember ever seeing an "Advanced Memory Scanner" or "Exploit Blocker" option' then possibly HIPS wasn't working at all in the past, because these options are only displayed if HIPS is active.

So maybe the first try would be to deactivate this HIPS checkbox, restart, activate it again and restart again.

 

Edit: And if you want to test HIPS you can e.g. test the self-defense, which is a part of HIPS. To do this you e.g. try to kill ekrn.exe with the normal task manager or change the priority of it. In both cases it should return a "permission denied" message.

Edited May 10, 2015 by rugk

[EviL FazZ 0]

Solved ...for now   

 

Thanks to Marcos, SweX and rugk everything you all suggested really helped and when I eventually got some time this morning (London, UK) to sort this problem out, it turned out that ESET's own Repair Install worked perfectly fine and with no complications. I did not need to completely uninstall and re-install for now 

 

 

Also, I did try to stop the ekrn.exe service before I did the re-install and Windows 8 simply said no, so I gather it was running all fine and was more a damage visually issue with how ESET looked than it did working   

 

Happy system again and no more:

 

Thanks again all and have a fun week 

Edited May 14, 2015 by EviL FazZ