About the same time as I updated Avast free in August I stopped getting definition updates for the anti-spyware version of Windows Defender. In the past couple of days I discovered that Windows Defender was actually turned off without my permission. I also found that there was register entry that was causing this. Deleting this entry only proves a temporary measure as something keeps reinstating it. My question is does this version of avast free actively turn the windows 7 version of the anti-spyware Windows defender off or have I got a well hidden virus?
It was turned off by Avast. Avast already protects you against Malware and, Defender conflicts with Avast.
It didn’t conflict before the august update so what changed? Remember this is the Windows 7 version of defender which is spyware and pup protection not the windows 8 & 10 antivirus version. And why did I not get any notification of this change?
I suggest you pose your question directly to Avast:
http://support.avast.com/support/tickets/new
The explanation for it is posted by avast elsewhere on this webboard.
Please (re)search before posting.
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=189162.msg1327820#msg1327820