C:\...DDVDataCollector... Windows Defender blocking changes

I did not see any other replies.  There is another item in the message boards on how to remove Dell Data Vault (DDV).  It is a "service" and not an installed program, so Windows 10 Defender does not give you a way to allow it.  As of the latest Win10 update, the problem is persistent. If you have sound turned on, you will hear Defender announce that it has blocked DDVDataCollector many times.   

You have to find the 3  DDV..  '.exe' files in C:\Program Files\Dell\DellDataVault and rename them or move them.  (DDVCollectorSvcApi.exe, DDVDataCollector.exe, DDVRulesProcessor.exe)  I changed the extension to ".exeX"  so I can change them back wen Dell or MS fixes the problem.  

Then, open the Task Manager and go to the Services tab, find the 3 DDV services and right click where it says "running" and click on "stop."  One of them has to be stopped before the other two, so try until "stop" works on one and then stop the others.  I think I had to stop the API service first, but not sure.

I have also just started to get the same notifications about every 5 minutes.  Windows did an update about 4 days ago.  Very annoying and I don't understand how to fix it either.  It pops up no matter whether I'm in my emails or on the web.  Any help would be appreciated.  

Thanks so much!  

Just open the message from Defender and add the application to allow it.  It's under C, program files, dell, dell data vault, ddvdatacollector.

I've stopped this service several times and it restarts itself. This resumes Windows defender controlled folder access "unauthorized changes blocked" notices over and over. I cannot find a simple explanation here or on MSoft sites of what this DDV service is and whether it's necessary and how I could find the file path to allow it through if that's advisable. Some have suggested just turning off folder access control--an anti-ransomware service--which hardly seems a good solution. Some say Dell or MSoft need to work the bugs out.  When might that be? This annoyance has been going on for several months. 

I have similar problems with

WmiPrvSE

DDVDataCollector and

BrCtrlCntr

So far I cannot find any solution, only reinstall Windows

Dell's DDV basically develops a profile of what you are doing with your dell computer. Ultimate grab bag. Not sure why they need webs visited, memos written, etc. Maybe down the road it will be used as a forensic tool.

This also started for me after a Windows 10 update. Every 15 minutes would receive a new notification. Even when the system was idle; when I would come back on the notifications would be backed up and would show they had occurred at 15 minute intervals.

After some research determined the solution had to be in the Dell SupportAssist program, the SupportAssist program (this is also by Dell but is not the same), or the three Dell Data Vault processes in Task Manager.  After some trial and error the solution was to uninstall the Dell SupportAssist app.  After the uninstall the DDV processes in Task Manager also disappeared.  The SupportAssist program is still available and works properly.

Since I regularly scan I don't believe that there was a virus involved; I am more inclined to think that somehow this has to do with a program version issue by Dell.  Did find one other post where a party had the same solution.  Could not find any help from Dell.

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@kenspacebubble wrote:

Just click the notice, which opens the Defender page, then click Add an allowed app, and choose the DDVDatacollector.exe application in "C:\Program Files\Dell\DellDataVault". The alerts will stop.

Controlled Folder Access is basically an internal firewall for your important files, so you have to whitelist known applications manually until the vendors update their programs to work within the constraints of the new ransomware protection.

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Or, you could do this: (1) open up support assist program by typing "support assist" in the search bar; (2) click on settings; (3) click on privacy; and (4), and un-check the box giving permission to Dell to collect and store your usage information on servers "that may be located outside your country" so as to receive customized information from Dell and its partners.  

it's the ransomware protection on windows defender is preventing this piece of software from writing data into the disk

Just here to confirm that Zinc's is the correct (and simplest) solution. Turn it off in DDV settings.

I added DDVDataCollector.exe to the whitelist for Windows to no avail, I still got the alert frequently through the day. It's either the Controlled Folder access is not honoring the whitelist, or DDVDataCollector is behaving inconsistently and accessing the folder(s) from multiple directions. (like a virus, which should be corrected by Dell)

You can turn it off via services as some suggested, though just clicking "stop" in Task Manager is not enough. You must open the services window itself. Right-click on the service in Task Manager and "Open Services" or simply run services.msc to get there. From that window, on each of the three Data Vault service, open properties and change the startup to either manual or disabled... then make sure it's stopped.

Or... you can simply turn it off in the DDV settings as suggested by Zinc. Much easier, and allows services to operate as intended.