Malwarebytes Troubleshooting: Malwarebytes “Unable to connect the Service”

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Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, or MBAM for short, is a popular security system for PCs that protects you from all sorts of harmful agents like viruses, trojans and spyware. Unfortunately, as useful as the service is, it will occasionally present itself with errors. One of which is something you may be familiar with when the software says that “Unable to connect the Service”.

If you need help understanding what this error means, what it does and more importantly how to solve it, then continue reading this article. We will provide information as well as a few possible solutions that will hopefully get your Malwarebytes program up and running once again.

What causes the Malwarebytes “Unable to connect the Service” Error?

To explain things as simply as possible, Malwarebytes functions when an important file becomes unstable in some sort of way. This file is typically referred to as a service. Many of the tips involved in solving Malwarebytes being unable to connect the service will center on the Malwarebytes service itself.

When this error occurs, Malwarebytes essentially refuses to start up. It prevents you from scanning your PC for viruses and leaves your computer vulnerable.

Make sense? Well, whether you do or don’t, this guide will allow you to fix the problem.

Please note that everyone has a different computer and what works for some may not work for others. If the following tips do not provide you with any solution then we recommend you to contact the Malwarebytes Tech Support group over at their forums or their official phone number to get the help that you need.

Now let’s begin examining the possible solutions to the Malwarebytes unable to connect the service error.

Solution 1: Diagnose and Turn On the MBAM Service

The very first thing you should do is check the service itself to see what its status is. Since the Malwarebytes unable to connect the service error is all about being unable to establish a connection with the MBAM Service, the most logical thing to do would be to look at said service.

Accessing the right page to assess the Malwarebytes service’s condition is very easy. Press the Windows button on your keyboard to bring up the Windows Star menu. In the search bar you must type in either services or services.msc to find the right application. Simply click on the Service option that pops up to proceed.

From the new list that appears scroll down in alphabetical order until you find the Malwarebytes Service. Check its status in one of the tabs called Status to see if it says that it is Running. If not then right click on the service, then press Start which should be located at the top of the list.

You can also right click and go into Properties and then find the option called Start up type. Set it to Automatic in case it is set to a different setting. This can help improve the odds that the Malwarebytes Service will not turn off, helping to fight back against the Malwarebytes unable to connect the service error.

Restart your PC after performing these steps. After the reboot process, turn on Malwarebytes and see if the Malwarebytes unable to connect the service error persists. If it does then move onto the following step.

Solution 2: Reinstall Malwarebytes

This is a step that many people have reported having success with so hopefully your Malwarebytes unable to connect the service error will be fixed after these next steps.

If you own the free version of Malwarebytes, then you can instantly proceed to uninstalling your Malwarebytes service, re-downloading the installation ‘.exe’ file from their website and then go through the installation process.

If you own the paid premium version of Malwarebytes then you will need to go through a couple of extra steps. These extra parts are necessary for obtaining your activation codes. Unless you have them written down somewhere or have an email saved with them, you must get them before deleting Malwarebytes or they could be lost.

Luckily, obtaining these codes is very easy. Access the Windows Start menu and in the search bar type in regedit to access a folder called the Registry Editor.

If you are using Windows 32-Bit then your ID and your password will be located in this folder pathway: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Malwarebytes.

If you are on Windows 64-Bit then the folder pathway will be slightly different. It is: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Malwarebytes.

Once you have your activation codes, you can feel free to uninstall and re-install Malwarebytes. Once it is re-installed you should reboot your PC just to be on the safe side. Once it starts up again you will hopefully have your Malwarebytes unable to connect the service error resolved.

When you reinstall Malwarebytes be sure to be mindful about having the latest and most updated version. Using older firmware could cause unforeseen issues like the Malwarebytes unable to connect the service error.

Otherwise, feel free to proceed to the next section.

Solution 3: Uninstalling Malwarebytes Anti-Malware in Safe Mode

Our last tip is similar to the previous one but it involves a lot of extra steps. Initiating safe mode could potentially remove the Malwarebytes unable to connect the service error by placing your PC to a state that allows it to better recognize and take care of problems.

What you need to do first is access the Run function by pressing R and the Windows key simultaneously. Then in the search bar type in msconfig and then you will have access to the System Configuration page. Head on over to the tab that reads Boot.

From here you need to check the box that reads Safe boot underneath where it says Boot options. It will select the minimal option by default which is the one that we need. Confirm by clicking okay, then feel free to restart your PC. It will automatically start up in safe mode.

Once your computer has completed restarting, access the main Settings menu. You can find it quickly by typing settings into the Windows Start menu search bar. Alternatively you can click on the gear icon in the Start menu if you are using Windows 10.

Click on the Apps category. You’ll see a list from which you can scroll through in alphabetical order. Locate the Malwarebytes app and then click on uninstall to remove it.

Since you cannot use the internet in safe mode, return to the System Configuration menus and turn off Safe boot by unchecking the box. Restart your computer and it will load up in the normal mode. Download Malwarebytes once again and proceed to install it, whether you use the free or the premium options.

We hope any one of these solutions has aided you with the Malwarebytes unable to connect the service error. These three solutions have helped many people, but if you are one of the unlucky ones then do not hesitate to contact Malwarebytes themselves so that you can receive the professional aid that you need. Good luck.