Windows Defender

[Dencandy]

For some reason the thread about the update to Windows Defender was closed after only a couple of days. I want to point out that the latest version (which was actually released back in July this year) now makes it impossible to dissable automatic updates without at the same time dissabling real time protection. This is annoying, if, like me, you prefer to decide yourself when you want updates done. If you've got a two-way firewall (instead of Windows one-way firewall) you'll periodically be asked if you want to allow "MpCmdRun.exe" to access the internet - unless you've checked it as always allow. That's the updating routine.

Still, it doesn't keep kicking in every ten minutes like an earlier version did.

Even so, if I'd known this annoyance was built into the update I probably wouldn't have installed it. This is partly because my slow connection speed here in South Asia means automatic updates often don't work properly & badly affect my access speed to other sites. It seems Microsoft assume that everyone's got superfast internet connections.

[Irene]

I also use Windows Defender. Do you have the Options set to update at a particular time?

See this screen shot of mine....

I never notice anything untoward from either the update or the scan.

[andsome]

I know that I have asked this before, but has this program ever actually found anything on your computer, Many have found that it seems to do nothing other than sit there. There are much more active programs available. I got rid of it ages ago. :D

[Irene]

I know that I have asked this before, but has this program ever actually found anything on your computer, Many have found that it seems to do nothing other than sit there. There are much more active programs available. I got rid of it ages ago. :D

No, it has not, but it's not the only protection I use.

It doesn't give me any problems.

It updates and runs discretely.

So, whilst it behaves, it can remain. :D

[Dencandy]

I know that I have asked this before, but has this program ever actually found anything on your computer, Many have found that it seems to do nothing other than sit there. There are much more active programs available. I got rid of it ages ago. :D

Not that I can recall & I've been using since it's previous incarnation (name foregotten!) But it does warn me if something tries to install itself as a start up, either permanent or run once. If it's something I've installed myself I can allow it; if it's not (like programs that come covertly bundled with something else that I have installed) I can stop it.

As an experiment I've dissabled it and will see what happens for a month or so. As well as a good firewall and AV & anti-malware utilities I've also got WinPatrol. To test it I ran a secure delete program that runs once on re-start. Immediately WinPatrol informed me, so that's good. I'll keep the Forum informed of how things go. :)

What do you use to monitor things like that andsome? :)

[andsome]

I am trialling Nod 32 security suite. I have Win patrol, Adaware 2007, SUPERAntiSpyware, A Squared, I used to use the free version, but now have a one year subscription free from a magazine for the full version. I also of course us C Cleaner. :D :D

[Dencandy]

I also use Windows Defender. Do you have the Options set to update at a particular time?

I do have that option Irene but it can't be relied on here in Sri Lanka. For 2 reasons.

1 - is the unreliability of the power supply. Although it's more reliable than it used to be we do sometimes get cuts for several hours. My UPS will only keep things going for half an hour.

2 - much more dangerous is the prevalence of powerful electical storms out here which can burn out TV's and computers with a sudden lightening strike. Yes, really! Once person I know (a Buddhist monk, in fact!) had his keyboard burn up in front of him as he sat there with his fingers poised over the key-board and his power supply was hit by lightening. Fortunately he didn't loose his computer (or his life!).

So for those very practical reasons it's risky to leave any expensive electronic systems plugged in when not in use.

Also the internet connections are not too reliable. So if it's suddenly cut while I'm away from this desk I come back to find only a partial download has taken place and have to start all over again. When this has happened a couple of times, you realise it's best to sit there patiently while the download takes place.

Big Western companies like Microsoft don't seem to think of these things.

[Irene]

I see your problem, Dencandy.

I experienced the power supply difficulties when I lived in Nigeria at the being if the 80's,

so I can well understand your preference to be on hand when your pc is on!

[Dencandy]

I am trialling Nod 32 security suite. I have Win patrol, Adaware 2007, SUPERAntiSpyware, A Squared, I used to use the free version, but now have a one year subscription free from a magazine for the full version. I also of course us C Cleaner. :D :D

Thanks, similar to me. I don't have Nod 32 (which you're trialling for us all) nor Superantispyware, but have AVG antispyware as well as their AV and the Comodo firewall, plus a number of others to check and clean as required. AVG Antispyware is interesting because, without being alarmist, it picks out tracking cookies from the others and will delete them if you wish. How is Nod 32 performing so far, andsome?

I've just updated my Java console and WinPatrol informed me what was happening every step of the way & stopped the installation and add-on until I agreed. Great for a free program & doesn't need updating very often; I feel thankful to all those like BillP the designer who produce these essential tools for us users. As someone said: the Internet is like the Wild West, but there's no sherrif! We all have to be self-defence experts with the help of such people, and forums like this as well.

[andsome]

I am trialling Nod 32 security suite. I have Win patrol, Adaware 2007, SUPERAntiSpyware, A Squared, I used to use the free version, but now have a one year subscription free from a magazine for the full version. I also of course us C Cleaner. :D :D

Thanks, similar to me. I don't have Nod 32 (which you're trialling for us all) nor Superantispyware, but have AVG antispyware as well as their AV and the Comodo firewall, plus a number of others to check and clean as required. AVG Antispyware is interesting because, without being alarmist, it picks out tracking cookies from the others and will delete them if you wish. How is Nod 32 performing so far, andsome?

I've just updated my Java console and WinPatrol informed me what was happening every step of the way & stopped the installation and add-on until I agreed. Great for a free program & doesn't need updating very often; I feel thankful to all those like BillP the designer who produce these essential tools for us users. As someone said: the Internet is like the Wild West, but there's no sherrif! We all have to be self-defence experts with the help of such people, and forums like this as well.

I have used Nod 32 AV for almost three years now, and have been very satisfied. As an existing user I will get a discount for the full security suite. Barring anything untoward happening, on performance so far I will definitely buy the full suite when my free trial is over. :D

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

... I want to point out that the latest version (which was actually released back in July this year) now makes it impossible to dissable automatic updates without at the same time dissabling real time protection. This is annoying, if, like me, you prefer to decide yourself when you want updates done. ...

Have you read Help about automatic updates? It describes how to enable automatic updates, but of course reversing the action will disable automatic updates. Enabling real time protection is a different matter; I don't see how (where) these two are linked.

Keep Windows Defender definitions up to date

To complete these steps, you must be logged on as an administrator or be a member of the Administrators group.

Definitions are files that act like an encyclopedia of known spyware and other potentially unwanted software. Because spyware is continually being developed, Windows Defender relies on up-to-date definitions to determine if software that is trying to install, run, or change settings on your computer is potentially unwanted or malicious software.

Windows Defender works with Automatic Updates in Windows to automatically install the latest definitions. To make sure that Automatic Updates is on, click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Performance and Maintenance. Click System, and then click the Automatic Updates tab.

To check for new definitions automatically before scheduled scans (recommended)

1. Open Windows Defender by clicking Start, clicking Programs, and then clicking Windows Defender.
   
2. Click Tools, and then click Options.
   
3. Under Automatic scanning, make sure the Automatically scan my computer (recommended) check box is selected.
   
4. Select the Check for updated definitions before scanning check box, and then click Save.
   

If you don't use scheduled scans, or if you don't get updates automatically, you should check for new definitions at least once a week. To help protect your computer, Windows Defender will notify you if your definitions are out of date for more than seven days.

To check for new definitions manually

1. Open Windows Defender by clicking Start, clicking Programs, and then clicking Windows Defender.
   
2. Click the Down arrow next to Help, and then click Check for updates.
   

[Dencandy]

Have you read Help about automatic updates? It describes how to enable automatic updates, but of course reversing the action will disable automatic updates. Enabling real time protection is a different matter; I don't see how (where) these two are linked.

Well Pat, I know how to enable automatic updates for Windows, but the point is, for reasons given in earlier posts, I don't use it. So I have it dissabled. But still Windows Defender keeps trying to contact the website, I assume for updates. So I've looked through all the items on the Defender menus to see how to stop this. The only way I can see is by unchecking the box in Administrator Options at the bottom of the Options screen in Tools, but this also stops Defender running. I can stop scheduled scans on the Options menu. But I can't see any other way to stop Defender trying to contact the website every couple of hours except by unchecking that box. That's where the 2 are linked. Having Windows automatic updates disabled doesn't do the trick. Microsoft appear to be misleading us since my firewall tells me that it still keeps trying to contact the website several times during the day. Presumably when I disallow it once, it just keeps trying again later. It even does it shortly after I've done a manual update!

If you can tell me how to keep Defender real time protection running without having it keep trying to contact the website every couple of hours I'd be pleased.

This problem also occured in an earlier version and various forums were full of complaints about it. What people said was that it kept attempting to contact the website to send various statistics to Microsoft, not for updates.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Sorry, I didn't understand the details before; thank you for the detailed explanation.

However, I do not know the answer to that one. But I will forward your question to the Windows Defender newsgroup, where some of the original developers hang out sometimes.

I will let you know any replies.

[andsome]

Sorry, I didn't understand the details before; thank you for the detailed explanation.

However, I do not know the answer to that one. But I will forward your question to the Windows Defender newsgroup, where some of the original developers hang out sometimes.

I will let you know any replies.

Ask them if anyone has reported the program finding anything yet. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Dencandy]

Sorry, I didn't understand the details before; thank you for the detailed explanation.

However, I do not know the answer to that one. But I will forward your question to the Windows Defender newsgroup, where some of the original developers hang out sometimes.

I will let you know any replies.

Thanks Pat.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Does he have a scheduled scan set to run every few hours? In Tools, Options

(scroll down!) there is a setting to update definitions before a scheduled

scan. This may be what is happening. It should be possible to disable

update within the app completely, I believe.

He might be interested to know that the latest definitions will always be

available at the Microsoft Security portal:

www.microsoft.com/security/portal However, those definitions will always be

complete, so the download size is larger than if they are acquired via

WindowsUpdate or AutoUpdate (or may be, anyway.)

Further to Bill`s post and assuming he`s running XP. Has your acquaintence

tried altering the settings thru the scheduled task options? While I haven`t

tried this myself there is an option to run MpCmdRun once only. This can be

done thru Control Panel>Scheduled Tasks then select Advanced>View Hidden

Tasks. Right click `Mp Scheduled Scan`select Properties and then the

`Schedule` tab. Under `Scheduled Task`, scroll down and select `Once` click

Apply and OK. Whether or not MpCmdRun then tries to default back to the

original schedule (after the scan has been run) is anyone`s guess. MS can,

sometimes, be very persuasive in these areas I`ve found ;) Anyway, thought it

might be worth a try.

Stu

[Dencandy]

Thanks Pat, I'll look into these suggestions when I go back home at the week-end. I've also put this matter on the Windows Security News Group & have received similar suggestions as to the cause of this annoyance.

[Dencandy]

I've also put this matter on the Windows Security News Group & have received similar suggestions as to the cause of this annoyance.

I'm getting replies from the same people as you Pat. I put my query under WD Announcements (for some reason). You can see it under the heading Updates. So far none the wiser. Thanks for the trouble you took & sorry for duplicating what you kindly did as well.