can't access virus and threat protection

[stuck]

When I click:
    Settings | Privacy & Security | Virus and threat protection
I get:

Screenshot 2024-02-09 190935.png

I am running Win 11 Pro 23H2 but I've never set any security policies.

The other thing that is likely to be pertinent is that this laptop had a trial version of McAfee on it but I've just uninstalled that using the portable version of Revo Uninstaller Free.

Any clues?

Ken

[HansV]

Does FIX "Page Not Available" Your IT Administrator has Limited Access to Some Areas of this App help?

[stuck]

I found lots of similar videos and pages but also many pages where people with the same error message reported none of the fixes worked.

This morning I've gone back the System restore point created by Revo just before it removed McAfee to see what that does. That hasn't helped. Although McAfee appears to be back, nothing happens when I try to open it.

There is nothing important on my Win 11 laptop so I'll probably use the nuclear option of a full factory reset and start again.

Thanks.

Ken

[stuck]

A complete factory rest hasn't helped and neither running McAfee's cleanup tool.

Nor has any of the alleged sure fire fixes you find when you search this error.

Next, I'll call Lenovo support on Monday.

I've well and truly had it with this laptop. It has been an expensive mistake.

Ken

[JoeP]

You might consider an in-place upgrade of Windows 11. See Windows in-place upgrade for details.

[stuck]

Thanks Joe but how does that differ to the 'keep my data' option that's in the 'reset this PC' in System settings?

Also, note that as I've already said, a full factory reset (done by inserting a pin into tiny hole on the base of this laptop to press the 'Novo' button) didn't fix it.

Ken

[JoeP]

An in-place upgrade retains all your installed programs and data. The "keep my data" option gets rid of all your programs and settings.

If you were able to access Windows Security when you first go the PC and are not able to after a factory reset you may have a rootkit type virus installed.

[stuck]

I don't know exactly when this problem first appeared.

I bought the laptop direct from Lenovo back in the summer of 2023. When I first set it up one of the first things I did was to uninstall the pre-installed trial version of McAfee. I used the free version of Revo Unistaller to do that. I don't remember a having a problem getting to Windows Defender and doing a manual scan.

The battery life of the laptop was a massive disappointment and eventually Lenovo said they'd replace it under warranty. I did a 'factory reset' before I shipped it to them. It came back very quickly, allegedly, with a new battery fitted. This time I didn't uninstall McAfee, I let the trial run its course. I did that because I wanted to be able to tell Lenovo that the battery life is still dire and, no, I've not messed with anything. I'm using the device 'as received' after the battery replacement. Since McAfee was in place and working (and annoying me with 'buy now pop-ups') I didn't try to access the AV settings in Win 11.

It was when the McAfee trial expired that I again used the free version of Revo Uninstaller to remove McAfee. There were no errors / problems with that unintstall but when I tried to get at the AV setings in Win 11 I got the error at the start of this topic. Searches show it's not a rare occurrence but as yet none of the fixes out there have fixed it on this device. Third party AV software is a favourite suspect fro its cause but I've used the offical McAfee clean up tool to ensure there's nothing of that AV left and the error persists.

The pitiful battery life means I've not been able to use this powerful machine for what I intended (photo processing) so it has done nothing but been used as a very expensive web browser host. The web browsing it has done has been very conservative. Only sites like BBC News, some reputable photo forums and here.

Which is a long way of saying, if this laptop has got a root kit, it has either been infected since brand new (seems unlikely) or it got infected when it went back to the official Lenovo repair shop (again seems unlikely).

I've still not phoned Lenovo about the error but I really should. Alternatively, I'll do yet another factory reset and then bin it, take the financial hit, buy something else and move on.

Ken

[JoeP]

Rather than going through Settings to access this, have you tried launching the Windows Security app from the start menu?

[stuck]

I think this has fixed the problem:
    https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/ ... rue#M24704

However, from some of the comments in that topic, it might come back again so I'm not holding my breath.

Ken

EDITED TO ADD: although the link above is to a Windows Insider Program topic, and the fix appears to have worked on this laptop, this machine is not running an Insider Build.

[HansV]