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Thread: Windows Defender

  1. #1
    Nothing runs like a Deere cotswoldcs's Avatar
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    Windows Defender

    I've been running Windows Defender on my XP machine for probably a year now (ever since the beta version in fact) but can't say that it has found a single thing. Thinking about it I don't think WD has ever found any spyware on any machine I've installed it on. This makes me question whether it is any good and how important real-time anti-spyware protection is. I ALWAYS install AdAware SE & Spybot on all PCs and recommend AVG anti-spyware for people who are concerned or high risk (kids use PC for example).

    What do you think:

    Is Windows Defender any good?

    Was its implementation into Vista a good idea?

    How important is real-time anti-spyware protection?

    Should I uninstall Windows Defender on XP based PCs or leave it in-situ?

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    Re: Windows Defender

    I disabled it straight away!!

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    Late Night Ninja! CrazyMonkey's Avatar
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    Re: Windows Defender

    I also disabled real-time detection. Windows Defender all in all is not a great Anti-Spyware app, the real-time detection in my opinion is more of a nuissance. It takes up processing and memory power also i find if it does detect anything at all it's either something i have chosen to run or a false positive.

    I think Windows Defender is out classed by most other paid spyware apps...
    Real-Time protection can be beneficial in certain circumstances, but for the average user i would say stick with real time anti-virus and lose the Real-Time dedicated ant-spyware and just regularly scan.

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    Re: Windows Defender

    Quote Originally Posted by cotswoldcs View Post
    I've been running Windows Defender on my XP machine for probably a year now (ever since the beta version in fact) but can't say that it has found a single thing. Thinking about it I don't think WD has ever found any spyware on any machine I've installed it on. This makes me question whether it is any good and how important real-time anti-spyware protection is. I ALWAYS install AdAware SE & Spybot on all PCs and recommend AVG anti-spyware for people who are concerned or high risk (kids use PC for example).

    What do you think:

    Is Windows Defender any good?

    Was its implementation into Vista a good idea?

    How important is real-time anti-spyware protection?

    Should I uninstall Windows Defender on XP based PCs or leave it in-situ?
    1 - It was interesting when first issued, but did not achieve expectations - is is distinctly Average
    2 - Can't comment I have stuck with XP
    2 - Real-Time anti spyware is VERY important - if you brows unprotected, you will get walloped.... I use 'in-the-cloud' protection from ScanSafe.
    4 - Yes.... I did, but you need something (I also use NOD32).
    Try to make each and every day the best it can be.

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    Re: Windows Defender

    This new edition offers many good things. It is no longer a beta version. This is the full version! Its great!! Scans fast, low resources. To have a tray icon: open windows defender from start-windows defender-windows defender. Once it is open click tools, then options, scroll down, then click always (under choose when windows defender icon apperas in the notification area.) To check for updates, open windows defender from the tray menue that now appears afer doing the steps derciped above, or click start, windows defender-windows defender. once open, lick the down arrow next to the blue question mark. Then click check for updates. There you can check for updates. This program scans fast and is free. It scanned my 30 gb. hard drive, in less then 10 minites. (Quick scan) The full scan will probably take 30 minites to an hour. I liked this new version better.

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    Senior Member godsdog's Avatar
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    Re: Windows Defender

    They have tidied it up a lot and it is fleet-footed but it's still a chocolate fireguard at the moment (how on earth MS turned GIANT anti spyware program into this, I don't think I'll ever know). I'm completely ambivalent about having it on a system, as a backup. Flip a coin job. It's not going to come anywhere near matching the combination of spywareblaster and/or superantispyware/spybot s&d yet.
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