Actually, the new mb-clean tool does keep your license and after a restart offers to download the latest version, which does activate with your current key.
Hello - I read the info you posted, Jim (PhoneMan) but, I can't open my MWB 3.1.2 in order to follow this step:
Warning: We also recommend deactivating the product before running the tool. Refer to the links under "Helpful Resources" for detailed instructions.
At least, I'm assuming that the Helpful Resources area is located within the product since I can't find it anywhere else on their website.
My issue is that I can't open MWB at all. I want to delete it and reinstall it. Why, oh why, don't they have a Remove & Reinstall product for MWB that we can download? Can anyone help me do this?
What do I need to know before running mb-clean.exe?
Warning: It does not backup the license activation key. Please make sure to backup or obtain the license activation information before running the tool in order to restore paid versions.
Warning: We also recommend deactivating the product before running the tool. Refer to the links under "Helpful Resources" for detailed instructions.
It does not clean Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac or Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Mobile
It does not reinstall or repair a product; this can to be done manually after cleanup
If applicable, backup your license key and deactivate the product
Double-click mb-clean.exe to run it
A prompt to confirm the cleanup will appear, select “Yes” or “No”
Yes - will proceed with the cleanup process
No - will exit the utility
Utility will launch a Command Prompt window which will disappear once the the cleanup process completes.
Once completed, a log file ("mb-cleanresult.txt") will be on your desktop and you'll be prompted to reboot
We recommend an immediate reboot
Suppressing the reboot may result in an incomplete cleanup
Upon reboot, your machine will be free of the supported products mentioned above and ready for re-installation of Malwarebytes
There is also a MB-Check tool and I am wondering what it will show AFTER mb-clean has been run. It also saves a text file to the desktop. I am planning of removing MB 2 and installing MB 3 on a test system this weekend and will probably run the MB-check tool before and after MB-clean to see the difference.
Anyone remember the early Windows, or was it DOS, utility that would compare two files like those logs and flag differences -- missing or added? Is there something similar for today's Windows?
In addition to what is discussed here I want to compare the network startup files -- I've a better note somewhere of what the real name is -- for two desktop configurations on my Windows 7 PC.
Boot to my desktop from the WINKEY L choice of users and the internet is accessible.
Boot to Dottie's first and you can't access the internet ..... unless you switch to my desktop, check that you can access the desktop, and then switch back to Dottie.
Also sometimes after a shut down when it's on Dottie's desktop it will startup going to her desktop -- that I think would likely be the Fast Startup setting but that's not in Windows 7 so ..... ?
I've noticed with this new version if you run it after MB 3 has been removed already you aren't prompted for a restart. I don't know what that means though.
There was something rather stubborn not being removed by this new tool on one of my machines. I was struggling to create a clean install until I used REVO Uninstaller Pro. That seemed to have removed something their cleanup tool couldn't and now MB 3.0.6 is up and running on all of my machines.