Author Topic: Newest avast! Free and Windows Defender (Windows 7)  (Read 16922 times)

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PamJ

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Newest avast! Free and Windows Defender (Windows 7)
« on: November 24, 2013, 11:28:27 PM »
I believe I found the answer to this in searching on here, but just wanted to make sure. I just purchased a new Dell computer and monitor (super deal) with Windows 7. (I'm running XP on my current computer). Anyway. This Windows Defender thing, can it run with avast! free running? Should I turn off Defender's real-time protection and its auto scan?

As always, thanks for the help!

Pam

Offline Staticguy

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Re: Newest avast! Free and Windows Defender (Windows 7)
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2013, 11:50:12 PM »
Once you install Avast Free Edition on your new purchased Dell computer, Avast will automatically disable Windows Defender. Avast is a whole lot better than Windows Defender. Windows Defender has less protection.
DELL Inspiron 15" 7000 Gaming, Windows 10 Home Version 21H1 (OS Build 19043.1237), Trend Micro Maximum Security 2021 (17.0.1333), Avast SecureLine VPN (5.12.5655), Windows Firewall, Unchecky 1.2

Offline Para-Noid

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Dell Inspiron, Win10x64--HP Envy Win10x64--Both systems Avast Free v17.9.2322, Comodo Firewall v8.2 w/D+, MalwareBytes v3.0, OpenDNS, Super Anti-Spyware, Spyware Blaster, MCShield, Unchecky, Vivaldi Browser and, various browser security tools.

"Look before you leap!" Use online scanners before you click on any link.

Rohugh

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Re: Newest avast! Free and Windows Defender (Windows 7)
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2013, 12:06:59 AM »
I run Windows Defender,  on Win 7 it is not an antivirus (it's anti spyware and other unwanted programs) and will run quite happily alongside Avast

Offline Para-Noid

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Re: Newest avast! Free and Windows Defender (Windows 7)
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2013, 12:19:40 AM »
It's highly recommended to disable Windows Defender on account of conflicts.
Besides why use an inferior product when avast has your back.

Please read the link I provided above.  :)
Dell Inspiron, Win10x64--HP Envy Win10x64--Both systems Avast Free v17.9.2322, Comodo Firewall v8.2 w/D+, MalwareBytes v3.0, OpenDNS, Super Anti-Spyware, Spyware Blaster, MCShield, Unchecky, Vivaldi Browser and, various browser security tools.

"Look before you leap!" Use online scanners before you click on any link.

joe53

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Re: Newest avast! Free and Windows Defender (Windows 7)
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2013, 12:26:40 AM »
Windows Defender (an anti-spyware) running in real-time should not conflict with avast! AV, at least on Windows operating systems prior to Win 8.

In Windows 8, Microsoft re-badged its antivirus (Microsoft Security Essentials) as "Windows Defender", which is confusing. With Win 8 you would not want to run Windows Defender AV in real-time alongside of avast!  But with Win 7, both can run in real-time. Likewise, the Windows Defender auto-scan is safe to run in Win 7 and should not conflict with avast.

Rohugh

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Re: Newest avast! Free and Windows Defender (Windows 7)
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2013, 12:37:58 AM »
It's highly recommended to disable Windows Defender on account of conflicts.
Besides why use an inferior product when avast has your back.

Please read the link I provided above.  :)

Your link is to MSE which is a different product to Windows Defender on Win 7,  please provide a link to where it is "highly recommended" to disable Defender on Windows 7 when running Avast!  I have upgraded or re-installed Avast on several occasions since I ran Beta 3 and never has it disabled Defender.

PamJ

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Re: Newest avast! Free and Windows Defender (Windows 7)
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2013, 01:07:26 AM »
Once I downloaded avast! Free, it definitely did not disable Windows Defender (Windows 7). I disabled the Windows Defender real-time protection and the auto scan myself until I found out if it was okay to run both that and avast free.

It does seem to be anti-spyware as opposed to anti-virus.

From Microsoft's website: "Applies to Window 7. Windows Defender is your first line of defense against spyware and other unwanted software."

I don't normally put 100 percent trust in Wikipedia, but..."Windows Defender, formerly known as Microsoft AntiSpyware, is a software product that helps combat malware. Windows Defender was initially an antispyware program; it is included with Windows Vista and Windows 7 and is available as a free download for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. In Windows 8, however, it is upgraded to an antivirus program."

With the varying opinions, still wondering.


(In case anybody wonders...my signature on these posts shows Windows XP because that's what I'm using on my current computer. The Win7 is the new computer.)

« Last Edit: November 25, 2013, 01:09:04 AM by PamJ »

Offline nalo89

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Re: Newest avast! Free and Windows Defender (Windows 7)
« Reply #8 on: November 25, 2013, 01:15:25 AM »
Hello PAM, I am using the latest Avast! Free on Vista Home Premium and my wife has it on Windows 7 Home Premium. Windows Defender also running on both computers with no problems. exakta

joe53

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Re: Newest avast! Free and Windows Defender (Windows 7)
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2013, 01:57:09 AM »
No need to keep wondering, Pam.

The info and opinions offered by Para-Noid and Staticguy do not apply to your Win 7 system.


Offline Para-Noid

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Re: Newest avast! Free and Windows Defender (Windows 7)
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2013, 01:59:10 AM »
Windows Defender (an anti-spyware) running in real-time should not conflict with avast! AV, at least on Windows operating systems prior to Win 8.

In Windows 8, Microsoft re-badged its antivirus (Microsoft Security Essentials) as "Windows Defender", which is confusing. With Win 8 you would not want to run Windows Defender AV in real-time alongside of avast!  But with Win 7, both can run in real-time. Likewise, the Windows Defender auto-scan is safe to run in Win 7 and should not conflict with avast.
It's basically the same thing...different name.
WD has been known to cause conflicts.
Again why use junk when you have avast?  ???

See http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/260844/two-anti-virus/#entry1441638
Dell Inspiron, Win10x64--HP Envy Win10x64--Both systems Avast Free v17.9.2322, Comodo Firewall v8.2 w/D+, MalwareBytes v3.0, OpenDNS, Super Anti-Spyware, Spyware Blaster, MCShield, Unchecky, Vivaldi Browser and, various browser security tools.

"Look before you leap!" Use online scanners before you click on any link.

Offline Para-Noid

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Re: Newest avast! Free and Windows Defender (Windows 7)
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2013, 02:02:08 AM »
The info and opinions offered by Para-Noid and Staticguy do not apply to your Win 7 system.

You are so wrong. WD has been known to cause conflict and false positives while running avast.
The user is always better off "not" using Windows Defender since it is useless.  :)
Dell Inspiron, Win10x64--HP Envy Win10x64--Both systems Avast Free v17.9.2322, Comodo Firewall v8.2 w/D+, MalwareBytes v3.0, OpenDNS, Super Anti-Spyware, Spyware Blaster, MCShield, Unchecky, Vivaldi Browser and, various browser security tools.

"Look before you leap!" Use online scanners before you click on any link.

Offline Alikhan

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Re: Newest avast! Free and Windows Defender (Windows 7)
« Reply #12 on: November 25, 2013, 02:03:15 AM »
No need to keep wondering, Pam.

The info and opinions offered by Para-Noid and Staticguy do not apply to your Win 7 system.

Well, it has very low detection rates. It uses the MSE defs and Microsoft even admit it's better to use a third party antivirus. You can keep it running if you wish, however, theirs a slight risk of a conflict with Avast (possible low level drivers) and Avast detects spyware too. In my opinion, it's useless and you should use Malwarebytes free instead and do weekly/monthly scans as you wish.
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Offline mchain

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Re: Newest avast! Free and Windows Defender (Windows 7)
« Reply #13 on: November 25, 2013, 02:42:38 AM »
Yes, Malwarebytes, even the free version, is better than Windows Defender for Windows 7.
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joe53

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Re: Newest avast! Free and Windows Defender (Windows 7)
« Reply #14 on: November 25, 2013, 03:47:18 AM »
Well, I guess I've been told off!

Para-Noid says "WD has been known to cause conflicts." I've used it for years on XP and Win 7 with no conflicts with a variety of AVs, including avast!
As for his characterization of WD as "junk",  I disagree. His link to "bleeping computer" only emphasizes the problems when one uses 2 AVs in real-time, and does not apply to the question here, and does not support his opinion.

Para-Noid says "You are so wrong. WD has been known to cause conflict and false positives while running avast." Once again I have to ask, are we talking about the same operating system here? With Win 8, I might agree. With Win 7, I would not.

Para-Noid says "Windows Defender ... is useless."  I disagree, and challenge him  to support this with any documentation other than his own opinion. See:
http://naut.homestead.com/files/Free/castner.html