MalwareBytes free version? Can only get free trial. NOT the same!  

You can get the free version here, but please read the review......... Malwarebytes Free review | Tom's Guide

Photo said:

Hi, I used to do a manual scan every few weeks with MalwareBytes, but I can't seem to do that now.
Am I missing something? I click the free version and it installs the full version for a free trial, and it is running ALL the time!
The reason I need it is my laptop is slow enough. I don't want anything running the whole time.

Photo said:

The reason I wanted to do a Malware scan was I got something on my laptop called zopener. It was a text file and I googled it. I found that zopener.exe was some sort of trojan or malware....

I stopped using Malwarebytes long ago but I've just installed it to test. The Premium Trial (and all its real time protection) can be ended easily, the same way now as back then. Go to Settings > Accounts and you can deactivate it there...




But now that Windows Security can also detect PUAs (aka PUP, aka malware) I find little use for MWB now.

Enable or Disable Microsoft Defender PUA Protection in Windows 10

When I do want a second opinion from a 3rd-party scan I'll use ADWCleaner, which I understand shares the same definitions as Malwarebytes.

https://www.malwarebytes.com/adwcleaner/

...I did Malwarebytes under the "free trial" and that found nothing! So I'm none the wiser. I still don't know if I have malware or not.

It does sound like you are clean, but you might like to try Defender Offline....

How to Run a Microsoft Defender Offline Scan in Windows 10

Free version direct from Vendor.

https://www.malwarebytes.com/mwb-download/

f14tomcat said:

Free version direct from Vendor.
https://www.malwarebytes.com/mwb-download/

That Free version was the one I installed and tested in post #13. It always installs as the 'Premium Trial', which expires after 14 days then reverts to the Free version. I showed above how to end the trial immediately if you don't want real the time protection.

Bree said:

That Free version was the one I installed and tested in post #13. It always installs as the 'Premium Trial', which expires after 14 days then reverts to the Free version. I showed above how to end the trial immediately if you don't want real the time protection.

Oh, I see. That was not stated in your post #13 above.