My brother in law's laptop had some malware which I have gotten rid of. After I cleaned it up I went to start his Security Center since the Action Center (windows 7) said that Windows Security Center Service is turned off. When I click "turn on now" it says it cannot be started. I tried doing it manually by going into services and clicking on Security Center, but it isn't there. My laptop is also Win7 and I confirmed that it is normally there but on his it is missing. Is there a way to install it or fix the problem? Any help or advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Please start the command prompt (cmd.exe) with admin rights [1] and run sfc [2]: sfc.exe /scannow Is it able to find and repair broken files (create the txt file shown under [2] and look if all files are restored)? Are you now able to start the Security center? The best option is to backup all data and install the Windows again, because you don't know which changes the malware made. best regards André [1] http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/How-do-I-run-an-application-once-with-a-full-administrator-access-token [2] http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929833"A programmer is just a tool which converts caffeine into code" Want to install RSAT on Windows 7 Sp1? Check my HowTo: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=150221

"verification 100% complete" "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violation." Still can't start Security Center. Unfortunately I can't re-install windows as he can't find the backup discs that came with the computer. I've got plenty of protection on it now, hopefully this time around he'll listen when I tell him to update and scan regularly. What are his chances with malware/virus/spyware protection but no security center? Thank you for your help. Merydeth

"verification 100% complete" "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violation." Still can't start Security Center. What happens when you run net start wscsvc from a command prompt with admin rights? André "A programmer is just a tool which converts caffeine into code" Want to install RSAT on Windows 7 Sp1? Check my HowTo: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=150221

Hi, Actually, the officially recommended method is still to format and re-install the compromised computer from a known good build (i.e. operating system CD + all security patches while disconnected from the network). For more information on hacking, please see these links: Help: I Got Hacked. Now What Do I Do? http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/secmgmt/sm0504.mspx Help: I Got Hacked. Now What Do I Do? Part II http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/secmgmt/sm0704.mspx How A Criminal Might Infiltrate Your Network http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2005/01/AnatomyofaHack/default.aspx Malicious Software Removal Tool http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx The Day After: Your First Reponse To A Security Breach http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2005/01/IncidentResponse 4. You can also contact your antivirus vendor for assistance with identifying or removing virus or worm infections. If you need more help with virus-related issues, contact Microsoft Product Support Services. For information about Security updates, visit the Microsoft Virus Solution and Security Center for resources and tools to keep your PC safe and healthy. If you are having issues with installing the update itself, visit Support for Microsoft Update for resources and tools to keep your PC updated with the latest updates. I hope this helps. Thank you for your time and cooperation! (Please note that the newsgroups are staffed weekdays by Microsoft Support professionals to answer your non-urgent, break/fix systems and applications questions. Our goal is to provide 24 hour response to all questions. If this response time does not meet your needs, please contact Customer Service and Support (CSS) for more immediate assistance. For more information on available CSS services, please click here: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;OfferProPhone#faq607.) Regards, Sabrina This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees, and confers no rights. |Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

It just says "the service name is invalid" "more help is available by typing net helpmsg 2185." but that doesn't do anything either

Search the Disks, backup his personal data to an external drive and install Windows again. The malware has damaged too much."A programmer is just a tool which converts caffeine into code" Want to install RSAT on Windows 7 Sp1? Check my HowTo: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=150221

I realize this topic is a bit old, but the following solution worked for my Win7 client experiencing this issue after being infected with a fake AV. Essentially the virus/malware blows out the wscsvc registry entry. If you export it from a working W7 machine and import/merge it to your registry, you should get the Security Center service back upon restart. Start-->Run... Type: regedit and hit enter Navigate to Computer\HKEY_LoCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\wscsvc If you don't see that key, then you have a similar issue to mine. Just import the wscsvc registry entry as described below. This person hosts a version both x64 and x86: http://cid-9fb18a384ebfc662.office.live.com/self.aspx/.Documents/wscsvc%5E564%5E6.zip?sa=59322391#resId/9FB18A384EBFC662!139 The solution was originally posted by Niki Han at: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itprosecurity/thread/084209d7-81c7-47f5-85e4-1eb532bac8ba I realize this is probably too late for the OP, but it may help someone down the road.

Thanks nizbot - this registry add worked a charm. My scenario; - My Security Centre service was missing - An admin-level cmd prompt 'net start wscsvc' would get error 2185. - The registry had a blank entry for the wscsvc entry - All AV / malware scans revealed nothing (was a day-old laptop)

thanks you this soultion work for my condation the problem was windows security center dose not apper in windows services.msc

NIZBOT YOU LEGEND!!! save me pal its took me a month to find a souloution to that cheers mate :D

I realize this topic is a bit old, but the following solution worked for my Win7 client experiencing this issue after being infected with a fake AV. Essentially the virus/malware blows out the wscsvc registry entry. If you export it from a working W7 machine and import/merge it to your registry, you should get the Security Center service back upon restart. Start-->Run... Type: regedit and hit enter Navigate to Computer\HKEY_LoCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\wscsvc If you don't see that key, then you have a similar issue to mine. Just import the wscsvc registry entry as described below. This person hosts a version both x64 and x86: http://cid-9fb18a384ebfc662.office.live.com/self.aspx/.Documents/wscsvc%5E564%5E6.zip?sa=59322391#resId/9FB18A384EBFC662!139 The solution was originally posted by Niki Han at: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itprosecurity/thread/084209d7-81c7-47f5-85e4-1eb532bac8ba I realize this is probably too late for the OP, but it may help someone down the road. Could you (or someone) reupload that registry key zip? I can't access it from that link. Also - thanks for the solution!

HI please any body help me here i have the same problem and my security center is missing i try to open command prompt but it does not let me open it. i can not even open my computer properties. i wanted to solve the problem after reading all the solutions above but it is not working. please help me how can i open my cmd promt so i can go to wscsvc .? please help me where i can download wscsvc or security center again.? thank you so much I will really appreciate your help. thank you

HI please any body help me here i have the same problem and my security center is missing i try to open command prompt but it does not let me open it. i can not even open my computer properties. i wanted to solve the problem after reading all the solutions above but it is not working. please help me how can i open my cmd promt so i can go to wscsvc .? please help me where i can download wscsvc or security center again.? thank you so much I will really appreciate your help. thank you

I found this and it fixed my problem. I hope it helps anyone else. http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_vista-performance/superfetch-advanced-settings-choosing-apps-and/e9ded298-9373-403b-aa3a-2bd2ae456480

when I have run this, it says some of the corrupt files were fixed. pls suggest what should I do now?

A friend of mine brought his laptop in to work because it was infected with this fake AV and I want to do a clean install for him. Unfortunatly he did not heed my advice when he bought it and has no full copy of windows on CD . There is a key on the back of the computer. Can I use a disk I own and then use his key or can I download an ISO from microsoft with this key? Also he did not do backups. Can I transfer his files to a disk or removable drive and then put them back on the machine after reinstallation without risk or is this particular virus (windows 7 recovery) to tough for microsoft security essentials to kill or block. His machine was running MSE but I doubt that it was up to date and it had real time protection turned off, By the virus I assume. Cheers

Awesome. This is the only solution after hours of searching online, that worked. I just took the registry branch from another Windows 7 PC since the link is no longer working, but pretty straight forward. Thanks!

This finally did it!! Thank you. The "Win 7 Antivirus 2012" trojan virus had delited that file and the BFE file in the same register.

Thanks a million Kyle, this worked great. Two thumbs up to you!!

Nizbot i want to thank you very much for the info to rectify my problem with my registry. It was not to late but just in time because if i had not seen your post i would have reformatted and reloaded windows.. this has saved me hours of reloading... thanks again .

nizbot you nailed it - exactly the fix need on a Win7 Pro x64 PC while going through post infection remediationDale Unroe

Hey. I tried the solution mentioned: I downloaded and imported the registry, but security center item in my Service window still is not there. So I still can't start Windows Security Center (and in turn reinstall Microsoft Security Essential). I don't know if the fact I have Windows XP instead of Windows 7 makes a difference or not. Can anybody help me with this?

Hey. I tried the solution mentioned: I downloaded and imported the registry, but security center item in my Service window still is not there. So I still can't start Windows Security Center (and in turn reinstall Microsoft Security Essential). I don't know if the fact I have Windows XP instead of Windows 7 makes a difference or not. Can anybody help me with this? I fixed it. Since I have windows XP, I needed to use this. http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/33/1/How-to-restore-the-missing-Security-Center-service-in-Windows-XP-SP2.html Thanks anyway.

Yes, Windows XP and Windows 7 are very different. This thread covered a problem reported in Windows 7. The solution you discovered applied the same methodology but used the appropriate registry changes for XP. I'd caution anyone who might stumble upon this thread now following your post to use extreme discretion at downloading and then importing a .reg file off the internet. Registry changes are potentially catastrophic to your functional OS. In other words, you are one malformed .reg file import away from potentially having to rebuild your PC. The malware infection is a small example of a registry change with adverse consequences as its change disabled the Windows Security Center. Think about the possibilities of someone who has provided a .reg file not to fix your PC but to damage it. Social Engineering is largely at work in malware attacks much like the Windows Security Center compromise at the root of this discussion. Don't be a futher victim and compound the problem. The safest way to import a registry change is to take the time to find out what that exported registry key should be and create it yourself. Of course its convenient to let someone else do that for you and you just download it. But think about what trust you are extending and don't just blindly click a download when you can go to another PC and export that key yourself. My 2 cents ...be safe. Dale Unroe

I picked this link up from the Microsoft forums. It uploads a zip file which installs the necessary registry information to restore the wscsvc entry for you: http://www.winhelponline.com/temp/w7-wscsvc.zip Download and reboot comp. Worked for me, hope it helps you too. Good luck!

There is other post related the same problem. i tried all but no one worked. only this one worked and its so simple solution for that. its superb.