This evening I upgraded my workstation from 2015.10.0.2206 to the latest version, 2015.10.0.2208.
After the reboot I see MsMpEng.exe and NisSrv.exe are running now, implying Microsoft’s anti-malware solution is on task. I have not seen these running before on this system (but know them well from test systems that don’t run Avast) - every version of Avast so far over the past year+ has convinced Windows 8.1 to shut down its own anti-malware software solution.
Anyone else see this? I don’t think it should be so.
I’m going to reboot again now, on the theory that Microsoft started theirs up because Avast was in the middle of a software install during bootup and wasn’t protecting the system. I’ll report on the other side whether the Microsoft Security solution has gone dormant, as it should be, again.
After the reboot MsMpEng.exe and NisSrv.exe are running again. Avast’s AvastSvc.exe and AvastUI.exe are running and all the Avast shields are on. The action center confirmed this.
I don’t often reboot this system, so maybe these Microsoft programs normally hang around for a while after bootup, I don’t know.
Yes, I know how to manually turn off Windows Defender. It’s just that I’ve never had to do so before.
Good to know, thanks for the data point. Perhaps it has to do with the particular choice of options I’ve made (shields on, software updater on, the rest of the “tools” off).
Unless I have a more serious problem I’d rather not do a Repair or clean remove/install as my scheduled scans ARE actually occurring when they’re supposed to (though they DO pop open the UI even when configured not to do so).
I’ve just manually disabled Windows Defender. Good enough for now.