Avast 12.2.2276 and Windows Defender (Windows 7)

[abruptum]

It looks like that new Avast version disabled Windows Defender.
Error says that it is disabled by Group Policy (Error Code : 0x800704ec).
In Group Policy I don't see that Windows Defender is disabled.
I can enable it through Registry, but after reboot it is disabled again.
I never had any problems running both Avast and Windows Defender as antispyware.

[petr_matrix]

Hi,
you are correct, Avast disables Windows Defender as Microsoft does itself in windows 10 we do in earlier versions of Windows manually.
Running avast and another antivirus may be source of problems and performance decrease as well.

Thanks,
pm

[abruptum]

Hi,
you are correct, Avast disables Windows Defender as Microsoft does itself in windows 10 we do in earlier versions of Windows manually.
Running avast and another antivirus may be source of problems and performance decrease as well.

Thanks,
pm

Windows Defender in Windows 7 is not antivirus, it is just antispyware and it works fine with Avast.
Please fix this.

[petr_matrix]

Ok, it is antispyware on Win7 but it is still subset of avast functionality and can cause troubles and performance decrease. You don't need it because it is duplicated functionality.

[abruptum]

Ok, it is antispyware on Win7 but it is still subset of avast functionality and can cause troubles and performance decrease. You don't need it because it is duplicated functionality.

I understand why you disabled Windows Defender in Windows 8.1 & 10, but let users determine if they want to use additional antispyware software in Windows 7.
I never had any problems with Windows Defender and Avast running together and I used this combination for 4 or 5 years.
What is my choice now ? To run .reg file every morning to enable Windows Defender ?

[Asyn]

I agree with Petr, and if you really need a second opinion, there are better tools available.

[petr_matrix]

abruptum, you don't need use citation in every direct response :-)

I've just made an option for you but you will need to wait for another release (not sure if the next one with passive mode or one after). All what you will need is to create DWORD value "IReallyWantDefenderOnAndDecreasedPerformanceOnLegacySystems"=42 (0x2a) in HKLM\Software\[WOW6432Node]\Avast Software\Avast\Wsc.

[Asyn]

"IReallyWantDefenderOnAndDecreasedPerformanceOnLegacySystems"

[Eddy]

http://blog.kaspersky.com/multiple-antivirus-programs-bad-idea/

[no face]

That's the answer to that then. I was having the same problem and while i agree with the logic it's been fine previously.

By the way: how does one enable it in the registry?

[abruptum]

That's the answer to that then. I was having the same problem and while i agree with the logic it's been fine previously.

By the way: how does one enable it in the registry?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoNiIqZbTF8&gl=US

After that you can right click on Windows Defender key and export it as .reg file.
Next time when you want to enable Windows Defender you just need to import key (right click on .reg file - merge).
I've noticed that VPS updates also disable Windows Defender.

[no face]

That worked, thanks. It's easier to just flip the bit in regedit but anyway... why has it taken until 12.2.2276 for this to be a thing? Still, i do understand the logic of not having two anti-spyware programs running in tandem.

[REDACTED]

This explains a lot.  I too have Windows 7 & for years have used Avast Free with Windows Defender.   I updated recently & boom Defender stops working.  Ugh! 

Seeing as how Defender isn't an anti-virus in Windows 7 it would be nice to have the option to still be able to run it.  Having to go in the registry every time you turn the computer on gets to be old.

Please include an option to allow older Windows user to be able to run both if they choose.

Thanks.

[ky331]

My thoughts on the matter:
1) Windows Defender (on Win7) is NOT an anti-VIRUS program, rather, it is an anti-MALWARE program.  So that maxim that "running two REALTIME antivirus programs may lead to conflicts and/or a decrease in performance" does not apply here.
2) Some have contended that even running two [realtime] anti-MALWARE programs isn't in one's best interest, again citing conflicts and/or decrease in performance.   If that's the case, then why do many avast users successfully run (and recommend running) MBAM (MalwareBytes Anti-Malware) --- in realtime--- alongside avast???
3) The argument that WD isn't a good choice... not the best quality... that there are better programs out there (such as MBAM???)... is just that:  a USER CHOICE.   And any user who wishes to do so... whether that's in his/her best interest or not... should have their choice respected [unless there's indisputable causal evidence of inflicting harm, which I don't believe there is].
4) Many Win7 users who keep WD around do so merely for a "second opinion", as an "on-demand" scanner.   That removes the issue of a REAL-TIME conflict.   If so, what is the remaining objection to an on-demand scanner?   (That "there are better options" is again a matter of personal choice, not a matter of inflicting damage to one's system.)
5) If the contention is that WD contains a large segment Microsoft's anti-malware database, again raising the argument of conflict, then it would seem to follow that avast users will risk the same conflict when running Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool each month as part of Windows Updates... The MSRT scan is VERY similar to an on-demand scan by WD.   Is the next step for avast to block the MSRT as well?   Or advise us that it's a pointless duplication of what avast is already protecting?
6) Finally, as others have noted, avast had allowed us to run WD, for years now, alongside avast... doing so was never an issue.   What happened, NOW, to change things?   If there's not an essential reason for this change, I too would like to see things changed back to the way they were.   In particular, it's bad enough for avast to block WD once... but for it to repeatedly change back the directory entry after a user manually resets it is definitely taking things too far.

[petr_matrix]

I'll answer shortly, don't have much time now.
- Windows Defender capabilities in windows 7 are subset of avast which is antivirus and antimalware together.
- Antivirus and antimalware are the same now. Don't know if in RedStone1 (latest win10 update) is antimalware section removed or not but MS is planning to remove it because it is the same already.
- Couple of antiviruses can run together but there can be conflicts (usually deadlocks) in some scenarios. What is inevitable is decrease in performance because every file will be scanned by AV1, AV2 and after all of this it can be run. (Deadlock may occur when both AVs try to scan it together. And we do the best to be compatible with another AVs but we cannot guarantee it.)
- I provided you an option how to remove this behavior so why do you complain still? Instead of complains try to run reg add "HKLM\Software\Avast Software\Avast\Wsc" /v IReallyWantDefenderOnAndDecreasedPerformanceOnLegacySystems /t REG_DWORD /d 42 /reg:32 as administrator and it should work. I believe this option is in current beta version of avast 12.3. If it doesn't work, report it here.

Thanks,
pm

(edit typos)