IMatch not starting

[denisjc]

Installed the new version 2023.1.14 which was running beautifully.
Today, I get as far as the splash screen and then nothing. Tried a reboot, then a reinstall. Tried a fresh download and then reinstall. Still nothing.
What do you suggest?

[Mario]

Please locate the IMatch log file in the TEMP folder on your system, ZIP and attach it.
See The IMatch Log file for more information.

Did you close IMatch normally yesterday?
Installed any new software?
Which anti-virus software are you using?

[denisjc]

Thanks Mario
Did you mean the imatch6_log.tx file? It seems to be only 6kb.
I believe I shut IMatch down correctly the last time I used it.
My antivirus is Trend Micro Maximum Security. I installed a new version 1 week ago. Coincidence?
No other recent program installations.

[denisjc]

Okay. I think I see the problem.
Turn off Trend Micro: IMatch runs perfectly. Turn on Trend Micro: IMatch does not start.
I think a new Trend Micro update must be causing the problem. I will contact Trend Micro for advice.
Thanks Mario.

[Mario]

I think a new Trend Micro update must be causing the problem. I will contact Trend Micro for advice.

Probably a false positive.
But if your virus checker is blocking an application, it should notify you. Not just doing it silently and letting you wonder what the problem is. I would not consider this as good behavior.

Some users running Norton Anti-Virus products could not even install IMatch 2023 - despite the fact that it gets a 100% clean on Google's VirusTotal web site.

I tried to contact Norton and provide IMatch as a sample so they can check why their engine is detecting it wrong.
But they have only a contact form and you can either provide a link for the file to check or upload the file to check. They allow only for 90 MB (?) in size. The IMatch installer is is 350 MB.
I could not find a developer contact to clear this up, so I have up after spending way too much time on Norton.

[mopperle]

General recommendation regarding AV software: Do not waste any money on AV software. They are full of bloatware to rectify the price. Simply Use Windows Defender. It is as good/bad as any other AV software and it is free.

[Mario]

General recommendation regarding AV software: Do not waste any money on AV software. They are full of bloatware to rectify the price. Simply Use Windows Defender. It is as good/bad as any other AV software and it is free.

I agree. Since Windows Defender became so good (and free), the anti-virus software vendors have a hard time to justify their annual cost. So they come up with all kinds of extra security features which often just get in the way.

For example, if a software has not been downloaded tens of thousands of times, they consider it a threat. Just like that.
For a niche product like IMatch, with a new version out just two weeks ago and maybe several hundred downloads, they consider it a threat (unless the software comes from their white list of known or paying vendors).

Windows Defender integrated into Windows does a real good job and usually does not get in the way. If you don't need "extra" protection like on-site mail scanning or something, this is all you'll ever need.

[denisjc]

Since switching off Trend solved the problem, I have been wondering whether there is a work around. There is. I simply added an exception to Trend Micro. All is good.
Thanks for your advice about Defender. I will give it some thought.

[Mario]

See also: IMPORTANT: Virus Checkers