Controlled Folder Access Blocked problem in Windows Defender

It wasn't just not allowing me to install the program, what started it all is that it wouldn't allow me to save the file I was working on in my Documents which I had no problem doing until yesterday.  It also didn't allow me to run the Seagate backup software that was already installed.  With Defender off, I don't have either of these problems. Do you think that turning on Windows Defender and turning off CFA will stop these problems as well?  I do have Malwarebytes Premium and have been very happy with it.

The problem was most likely just that Controlled Folder Access was turned on. Turning off Windows Defender’s real-time protection also turns off Controlled Folder Access, since CFA requires real-time protection in order to monitor and block Folder Access events (or flag them, if it’s set to Audit Mode). So just turning off CFA (in the Virus & Threat Protection Settings), will eliminate most installation issues; and that’s what’s been recommended so far by most of the application developers. But it’s possible that other components of Defender’s real-time protection might cause issues with the installation of some apps – so turning off real-time protection might be the way to go if you don’t want to risk having to repeat an installation.

But if you haven’t already done so, you should try turning Windows Defender’s real-time protection back on – and then just make sure that CFA is turned off, since that's really what was blocking things. That’s presuming that you’re running Malwarebytes Premium, which includes its own real-time ransomware protection.

GreginMich

I spent half a day trying to find out why I couldn't save to folders and use programs and continually getting the notifications from Windows Defender that something was denied on %userprofile%.  The best thing I found was that my user profile was corrupt.  One of the programs not letting me save my document was TurboTax which gave me an error.  Another was my Seagate backup drive which wouldn't run.  So I called TurboTax support and spent over an hour with them deleting their program and reinstalling.  When reinstalling the program, twice it erred out.  We then disabled my Malwarebytes and Windows Defender.  The program installed just fine.  Then reactivated Malwarebytes and was able to save my file in TurboTax with no problems.  Then I tried to use my Seagate backup drive and it works just fine.  In other words, everything works find leaving Windows Defender turned off.  It has only been a couple of hours, but things that wouldn't work are working so it would appear that the problem was Windows Defender and I'll be leaving it off.

I did delete spy bot and it let me turn the controlled folder off but was told to get it when I first started with this problem. I am going to wait a few days and see if the messages come back or not. the spybot did stop it for a few days but they came back...hoping what ever it was causing it deleted with the spybot . thanks for your help and wish us luck.

If Controlled Folder Access is functioning normally, then you can try turning it back on and allowing the app through Controlled Folder Access with these steps:

• 1. Click on the notifications icon at the far right in the taskbar.
• 2. Write down the file path provided in the notification.
• 3. Click on the notification, and then on the Add button (+).
• 4. Navigate to the file identified in the notification and open it.

But if that doesn’t work, then you probably have a more complex issue – possibly involving a conflict with Spybot; undetected malware remnants; residual antimalware remnants; or system corruption.

So here’s the catchall dragnet for issues with Windows Defender:

1. Remove any undetected malware by scanning with several third-party malware-removal apps:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect_other-protect_scanning-windows_other/list-of-malware-removal-tools/d824b9af-ebd8-4c47-94e2-8ee6c544c100

2. Remove any antimalware remnants by running the cleanup utilities for any preinstalled or previously installed AV apps:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect_other-protect_start-windows_other/list-of-anti-malware-product-removal-tools/2bcb53f7-7ab4-4ef9-ab3a-6aebfa322f75

3. Run the standard Windows 10 system integrity checks:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-update/system-file-check-sfc-scan-and-repair-system-files/bc609315-da1f-4775-812c-695b60477a93

GreginMich