HOW TO FIX THE ANNOYING WINDOWS SCRIPT HOST MESSAGES I KEEP GETTING

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2026-10-20T17:58:57.48+00:00

I KEEP GETTING WINDOWS SCRIPT HOST MESSAGES THAT READ: ERROR-PERMISSION DENIED CODE 800A0046 AND HAVE RAN SEVERAL SCANS ALREADY

Microsoft Security | Microsoft Defender | Other

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  1. AI answer

    2026-10-20T17:59:14.34+00:00

    This is commonly caused by a leftover startup item, scheduled task, or registry entry from malware that was already removed by the scans.

    Try this cleanup path:

    1. Check Startup folder
      • Open C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
      • If there are .vbs script files that were not intentionally added, delete them.
      • Restart the PC and check whether the popup stops.
    2. Use Autoruns to find leftover script entries
      • Run Autoruns.
      • In the filter box, search for vbs.
      • Look for entries that reference the missing or suspicious script.
      • Delete the matching entry, then restart.
    3. Check Autoruns tabs that commonly trigger Script Host popups
      • Open the Logon tab and review entries that launch scripts at sign-in.
      • Open the Scheduled Tasks tab and remove suspicious entries that point to .vbs or .js files.
      • Restart and test again.
    4. If Microsoft Safety Scanner reported an error during scanning, check its log
      • Click Start.
      • Type %systemroot%\debug and press Enter.
      • Open the file named msert.
      • Find the error code that starts with 0x and match it to the documented action.
      • Examples from Microsoft:
        • 0x80508019: change the scan destination file or drive
        • 0x8050800C: restart the computer, then retry the scan
        • 0x80508024: run a full scan
        • Signature or engine corruption errors such as 0x8050A004, 0x80508002, 0x80508004, 0x8050A001, 0x80508001: download the Microsoft Safety Scanner again
    5. If the popup is tied to antivirus blocking scripts in a managed monitoring environment
      • Verify that antivirus software is not blocking scripts from running.

    If the message appears only at startup, the most likely fix is removing the leftover .vbs or .js startup or scheduled-task entry rather than running more scans.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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