Greetings,
I am just wondering if there is any purpose in having and running Windows Defender if one is using the avast! product. I would like to remove it if it serves no further purpose.
Thanks,
Dave
Well… Microsoft makes the disabling of Windows Defender a little odd… it’s also embedded into the Security Center. But since first releases of Windows Defender I never saw any activity from it, I mean, everything were handled by the antivirus (avast) and NOT by Windows Defender that seems to do nothing…
Hello again my Brazilian friend.
Not sure what you mean. Windows Defender, a I use it, is an application. You start it up and it scans for spyware. There is also a component that is installed with Windows Live Messenger that scans IM files, etc.
After I read your post I got curious and looked in the Control Panel to see if it was there as an unistallable application. It isn’t.
If it can’t be uninstalled, then I guess I have to rephrase my question. I CAN turn off regular scanning and just leave it there on the pc. That is, if it isn’t doing anything useful.
Dave
It’s a resident, it runs in background, using computer resources for nothing… It runs as a service (automatically started by default).
You can, your choice.
Well okay. Thanks.
I like Windows Defender because it notifies me of a modification to my HOSTS file.
It also notifies me that MBAM is trying to modify C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\mbamswissarmy.sys when I run a Quick scan that I permit.
In my opinion, I would leave it on, I’ve had it catch things that Avast missed.
Well… I would pay to see that… it never happened to me, never… :
Same here so I would keep it.
Modify the HOSTS file and see if avast! complains.
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Modify the HOSTS file and see if avast! complains.
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Hi, that’s not the job for an antivirus,is it?
Windows Defender
I do not use it with W98 however
if not windows Defender what?
It does pop up if something tries to install something
or modify the registry
which is nice to know
The scanner my not be as cutting edge as it was when it was Giant Anti Spyware but neither is Ad-Aware
but that’s not the point
show me a good alternative first before removing the real time protection
t-timer?
Spyware Terminator?
Spyware doctor free?
Do’nt throw the baby out with the bathwater
Tech, I downloaded a file that was infected, Defender caught it, I then turned off defender to see if Avast would see it, It didn’t. I then moved it to the chest and sent it to Alwil. This was about a month ago.
BTW, Avast now sees the file as infected.
Can you send me a link to that file by IM?
I wish I could even test what Defender is doing in my computer…
It’s never detected a thing…but scince i installed it i’m clean…i guess it never got a real test…but i actually like how it analyzes the running programs and startup programs…i use it instead of task manager to know more about running tasks.
If you have a HOSTS file and you try to modify it or if malware tries to alter it then Defender will let you know right away.
HOSTS files I use:
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
Managed with HostsMan and I use its HostsServer proxy to speed up browsing:
http://www.abelhadigital.com
Thanks for the tip yokenny …i’ll sure use that tool…sounds cool…
Only sad thing is that Defender doesn’t block the change and if you are running it under as limited user, you would have to go to the admin account to allow the changes.
this time I am not running windows defender after clean install of every thing
mine is avst 4.8 home , xp sp3, CFP 3.025.378
ya defender is very good in detecting viruses presents in zip file while UR AV may fail, however it has difficulty in quarntine and cant remove any thing .( my experience is with virus only not with spyware)
regars
adi