Author Topic: Is Windows Defender still useful?  (Read 16053 times)

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philb316

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Is Windows Defender still useful?
« on: December 04, 2009, 11:05:23 PM »
Ok, there's a loaded question :-) however I just purchase Avast Home Edition license pak and am wondering if Windows Defender is redundant with Avast running.

TIA.

Hermite15

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Re: Is Windows Defender still useful?
« Reply #1 on: December 04, 2009, 11:08:39 PM »
I decided it was  :D (redundant) and deactivated it permanently. The thing is I rely on Avast anti-spyware potential and some might disagree with that. Wait for more opinions and then make you decision  ;)

chachazero-tan

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Re: Is Windows Defender still useful?
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2009, 12:42:44 AM »
Windows Defender has a poor history of malware prevention or removal.

Considering how it was first intended as the anti-malware module of the ill-brought-and-built Windows Vista Operating System, 'tis of little wonder why 'tis so flawed (that and that its engine hasn't been properly updated for YEARS).

Case proofs? It couldn't properly remove: Win Anti-virus Pro 2009 fraud, AMVO, Bait, etc...

If you want a RELIABLE anti-malware "shield", use Lavasoft's Ad-Aware in conjunction with Trojan Remover + Avast!
I have found this trio of protection software quite resilient to malware infections ('tis not in any way PERFECT, but has a very high protection rate).

www.lavasoft.com for Ad-Aware.
www.simplysup.com for Trojan Remover.

Offline DavidR

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Re: Is Windows Defender still useful?
« Reply #3 on: December 05, 2009, 01:09:46 AM »
Sorry but adaware has also had it day and MBAM and SAS are better at both detection and removal than adaware IMHO. I haven't ever tried Trojan Remover or heard much about its effectiveness.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

YoKenny

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Re: Is Windows Defender still useful?
« Reply #4 on: December 05, 2009, 01:53:15 AM »
Welcome  fellow Canadian

Ad-Aware has not kept up with the times and is of little use and not worth the hard disk space it consumes.

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware (MBAM) and SUPERAntiSpyware are good but do not have both resident protections active as they will interfere with each other.

There are equal or better malware removers for free than Trojan Remover's cost of US$24.00 per year.

For example MBAM with resident protection is the same price for life.

Windows Defender is part of my Layered Protection along with avast!, MBAM and WinPatrol.

norel

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Re: Is Windows Defender still useful?
« Reply #5 on: December 05, 2009, 04:59:23 AM »
When I got my new PC back in April it had Defender on it and I've been using it ever since. From what I've heard it's not that strong but it doesn't consume a huge amount of resources and hasn't caused any problems so I leave it running. It updates a couple of times a week and other than that I never know it's there. It did come in handy one time when I changed some registry values I shouldn't have and didn't know how to change them back. Defender won't let you do it without manually allowing it first, so I just clicked deny and I was back in business.  ;D

Offline Chris Thomas

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Re: Is Windows Defender still useful?
« Reply #6 on: December 05, 2009, 06:34:58 AM »
I have disabled resident shield protection of Windows Defender.

I use Windows defender just to see the Start Ups and processes.


Hermite15

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Re: Is Windows Defender still useful?
« Reply #7 on: December 05, 2009, 10:38:08 AM »
use MSconfig instead  :D ... that's where Defender has the info from.

Offline sg09

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Re: Is Windows Defender still useful?
« Reply #8 on: December 05, 2009, 10:48:24 AM »
Apart from the detection, the major problem with windows defender is that it doesn't update automatically or on schedule. It can be scheduled to update only before a scheduled scan. Moreover if you update manually it will have a definition version lagging behind the one at http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Definitions/ADL.aspx .
Anyone who knows how to loose can certainly learn how to win.

Hermite15

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Re: Is Windows Defender still useful?
« Reply #9 on: December 05, 2009, 10:52:40 AM »
considering it will only update once or twice a week, automatically, through Windows Update, that's not a problem. And you can always do a manual check once in a while, before a manual scan for instance. It doesn't update automatically before a scheduled scan that's true, but MSE does.

YoKenny

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Re: Is Windows Defender still useful?
« Reply #10 on: December 05, 2009, 11:38:22 AM »
use MSconfig instead  :D ... that's where Defender has the info from.

Another bit of your bogus advice:
Why can't I use msconfig to change my services?
http://www.blackviper.com/AskBV/XP25.htm

Hermite15

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Re: Is Windows Defender still useful?
« Reply #11 on: December 05, 2009, 11:43:12 AM »
use MSconfig instead  :D ... that's where Defender has the info from.

Another bit of your bogus advice:
Why can't I use msconfig to change my services?
http://www.blackviper.com/AskBV/XP25.htm

mixed coffee with the booze again this morning Kenny Yo ?  :D ... not mentioning the poster mentioned startup processes and not services, which is exactly what MS config is mainly about... among other things  ;D

Offline sg09

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Re: Is Windows Defender still useful?
« Reply #12 on: December 05, 2009, 01:23:11 PM »
considering it will only update once or twice a week, automatically, through Windows Update, that's not a problem. And you can always do a manual check once in a while, before a manual scan for instance. It doesn't update automatically before a scheduled scan that's true, but MSE does.
But if you follow http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Definitions/ADL.aspx you will see that windows defender often updates more than once a day. Also like MSE it updates before scheduled scan.
Anyone who knows how to loose can certainly learn how to win.

Hermite15

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Re: Is Windows Defender still useful?
« Reply #13 on: December 05, 2009, 01:31:29 PM »
considering it will only update once or twice a week, automatically, through Windows Update, that's not a problem. And you can always do a manual check once in a while, before a manual scan for instance. It doesn't update automatically before a scheduled scan that's true, but MSE does.
But if you follow http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Definitions/ADL.aspx you will see that windows defender often updates more than once a day. Also like MSE it updates before scheduled scan.

...thought it didn't, OK it does may be  ;)...I always dismissed scheduled scans with Defender so... as to more available updates for Win Def, I knew it, but never bothered to check for it (this has to be dowloaded from MS web site, more manual checks from Defender interface itself brings nothing), as I never considered Defender a major security layer on my system.

Offline sg09

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Re: Is Windows Defender still useful?
« Reply #14 on: December 05, 2009, 01:33:08 PM »
considering it will only update once or twice a week, automatically, through Windows Update, that's not a problem. And you can always do a manual check once in a while, before a manual scan for instance. It doesn't update automatically before a scheduled scan that's true, but MSE does.
But if you follow http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Definitions/ADL.aspx you will see that windows defender often updates more than once a day. Also like MSE it updates before scheduled scan.

...thought it didn't, OK it does may be  ;)...I always dismissed scheduled scans with Defender so... as to more available updates for Win Def, I knew it, but never bothered to check for it (this has to be dowloaded from MS web site, more manual checks from Defender interface itself brings nothing), as I never considered Defender a major security layer on my system.
;D
Anyone who knows how to loose can certainly learn how to win.