Prepar3D 3.3.5 Setup.exe targeted by AV software

[RaptyrOne 1,412]

Just for info: I have had some issues with my sim recently (thanks Orbx) and plan to format and reinstall from scratch soon anyway so I did a "trial run" on upgrading to P3D v3.3.5 from 3.2 yesterday, not to concerned about breaking anything as a result. Using Control Panel, I uninstalled everything to do with P3D - the sim, aircraft, sceneries, ASN, orbx - absolutely everything. I then had to manually delete a huge number of files and folders in several locations including hidden appdata, programdata etc. Then CCleaner pro to delete about 200+ (no, not exaggerating!) orphaned registry entries. Many but not all were PMDG SID/STAR related. Why don't software developers do a much better job of their uninstallers, especially in the registry? But that is not the point here.... 

 

I then ran the full installer for P3dv3.3.5. 

 

Bit Defender 2016 immediately threw a fit and complained about the setup.exe as having a trojan virus. It deleted/cleaned the file (gave me no choice) which made it disappear. It did give me a choice to restore the file though, which I did. Rather unlikely LM would package a trojan with their installer. Bit Defender immediately deleted it again. Irritating. As I am soon to format my PC anyway, I simply uninstalled Bit Defender. Rebooted. Problem solved. Easy! Not exactly.... 

 

This brought Windows Defender back online and blow me down but does it not also identify and delete the setup.exe! So I restore it and begin the install process quickly. While the sim is installing, Windows Defender is throwing a fit in the background, virus this and virus that. I ignored it as ther installer seemed to be running OK. Needless to say, after P3D had installed, without any errors reported, it would not run, said it is missing Scenery.

 

So I Googled how to disable Windows Defender. With all AV dead and dormant, P3D v3.3.5 went on without further issue and runs 100%.

 

If anything, I have learnt that when I do format and re-install my entire PC soon (just waiting on Win 10 Anniversary ISO to be released early August), I will not be installing AV and will be disabling Windows Defender until after P3D is fully installed.

 

After this, I re-enabled Windows Defender, ran a scan on the system and it reported a clean system. No Trojan in that setup.exe after all.

 

This might help someone out there as it cannot just be my system (Windows 10 pro x64). I did email Bit Defender to draw their attention to the false positive.

[Bobsk8 12,732]

Get a good AV like Webroot and you won't have those issues. Windows defender is free, and that is what it is worth. 

[RaptyrOne 1,412]

Get a good AV like Webroot and you won't have those issues. Windows defender is free, and that is what it is worth.

 

Yes but don't forget that Windows Defender (WD) is built into the OS. Unless you are running Mac, Linux or another OS, you very likely have it too. When you install another AV it will typically disable WD but it is still there.

 

Bit Defender is one of the highest rated AV's on the market, but that is another debate, not going there maybe a more recent AV definitions update has caused it as I don't see many reporting issues. I have a full paid license with BD, not a free half baked version.

 

My point is that others will come across this too. If I had been installing into a pristine copy of Windows on a freshly formatted SSD, would have been extremely annoyed to be uninstalling and reinstalling stuff. That totally defeats the point of a fresh install in the first place.