Windows Defender Error Code: 0x80073afc

The McAfee Consumer Products Removal Tool [1] has been mentioned several times in this thread, Robynn.  Have you downloaded/run it yet?

• Fact: McAfee (and Norton) applications are notorious for not uninstalling (or upgrading) cleanly. The "leftovers" may be your troublemaker here.

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[1] Direct Download: http://us.mcafee.com/apps/supporttools/mcpr/mcpr.asp

Dear PA Bear:

REPOSTING => Has the 0x80073afc error returned and/or is Defender turned off again or...?

[I didn't ask you to run SFC or post the log.]

It would appear you have missed Robynn's reply on May 19 where he informed us:

"I thought the problem was resolved with the systems restore but now I'm getting the same error message again."

Reconfirmed with his post on June 2nd when he told us: "I believe is started again sometime mid April andI get the same error code."

Being the latter in response to my request for more info - including running a SFC scan - per my post of May 24th:

- When did it start again? Was it with the new and current antimalware client version or engine recently installed?

- Is it the same error code 0x80073afc alone, or...?

- Any recent Windows update (included with past May Patch Tuesday or otherwise) you might identify as suspicious to be related to the issue?

Would ask you to please do not do a system restore this time (just yet) but run aSFC instead. Then, upload your logs to your OneDrive public folder and post here a link to it so we can take a look at it.

With Robynn's last follow-up reply today, I guess he's replying to both: your post of June 4 above - where you did mention KB3022345 in a final note - and to my previous post of same date.

Pretty 'confusing'... Ah?

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@Robynn:

I do have KB3022345 is listed in Installed Updates.

I believe that PA Bear's FYI note (he shall confirm) on this update 'to disregard the "corrupt files" result when running SFC', is because that is exactly what is stated in the Additional Information section (last paragraph) of the KB article: "The two files (telemetry.ASM-WindowsDefault.json & utc.app.json) are marked as static files in the update.When an advanced user runs the System File Checker Tool (sfc.exe), the files are unintentionally flagged as corrupted. There is no impact or actual corruption on a device running this update, and a later service update will resolve this issue." (underlining mine).

Now, this KB3022345 update has been replaced by the latest 'update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry' - KB3068708 - that was first released on June 2, 2015; but oddly enough (and to add more confusion to many users seeing 'issues' with some of the latest Windows updates) this KB article contains exactly the same note as quoted above in its 'Additional Information' section. So, who knows?

You may find some ongoing discussion threads at the WU forums regarding some oddities or wrong behavior experienced by some users after recent Patch Tuesdays, but honestly, we (at least me) don't really know if 'any' recent Windows update (released in the March-May period) is for certain causing problems to the antimalware engine or the Action Center triggering the error code(s) you are seeing in your Win8.1 system.

As previously advised, the 'problem' has been escalated to the attention of the MS Product Group, and a final resolution is expected soon (we all hope).

That said...

Should I still upload the SFC scan results?

Please do go ahead - it wont hurt! And please also confirm by return you did upload any files or info that was requested in private last week (and if you have been reapproched since then) by SE Uttam? Again, TIA.

REPOSTING => Has the 0x80073afc error returned and/or is Defender turned off again or...?

[I didn't ask you to run SFC or post the log.]

Hi,

I do have KB3022345 is listed in Installed Updates.

Should I still upload the SFC scan results?