Windows Defender ( Formerly Windows Antispyware )

[imported_rogerwilco]

I got a software update notification from Softpedia.
It seems that there's a new version of Windows Antispyware ( and a new name too... )
Windows Defender

did someone install it already ?
is it worth the update ?

 

[imported_rogerwilco]

well,
I wanted to install it after all,
and it said it needed XP SP2, and since I'm not going to install this crap in order to install Windows Defender, I mark this software "Annoying" from the get-go...

 

[talyn00]

and why is SP2 "crap"?

 

[CVSiN]

Originally posted by: talyn00
and why is SP2 "crap"?

SP2 is crap =/
still slower and more of a pain in the ass than SP1.. i only update casue most MS software including media center demands it now..

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: CVSiN

Originally posted by: talyn00
and why is SP2 "crap"?

SP2 is crap =/
still slower and more of a pain in the ass than SP1.. i only update casue most MS software including media center demands it now..

sounds like you fell into the anti-MS marketing. SP2 is PERFECTLY fine on every level. Disable the unneeded Firewall and there is no difference.

 

[imported_rogerwilco]

Originally posted by: CVSiN

Originally posted by: talyn00
and why is SP2 "crap"?

SP2 is crap =/
still slower and more of a pain in the ass than SP1.. i only update casue most MS software including media center demands it now..

my thoughts exactly...
SP2 is crap !

 

[talyn00]

Originally posted by: Homerboy

Originally posted by: CVSiN

Originally posted by: talyn00
and why is SP2 "crap"?

SP2 is crap =/
still slower and more of a pain in the ass than SP1.. i only update casue most MS software including media center demands it now..

sounds like you fell into the anti-MS marketing. SP2 is PERFECTLY fine on every level. Disable the unneeded Firewall and there is no difference.

i find it runs nearly the same as SP1 after disabling some of the more annoying features of SP2 (like the reminders for anti-virus and firewall)

 

[imported_rogerwilco]

sounds like you fell into the anti-MS marketing. SP2 is PERFECTLY fine on every level. Disable the unneeded Firewall and there is no difference.

please don't make me a brainwashed microsoft hater...

I have no problem with most of their applications but I recall installing SP2 a year ago,
and having to deal with many problems (after working hard to configure NIS to perfection) I don't need a built in pop up blocker ( 'cause I use firefox anyway), don't need their firewall, don't need annoying reminders.

I just don't need SP2...

 

[EagleKeeper]

SP2 has caused an Acer system to become unstable.

Rock solid with the original XP Home.

Flaky when SP2/Updates were installed.

I reinstalled with the OEM disks; dropped on ZA & AVG; burned a Ghost and disabled the Updates.

 

[JackMDS]

Defender Home Page.

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

:sun:

 

[mechBgon]

I have no problem with most of their applications but I recall installing SP2 a year ago,
and having to deal with many problems (after working hard to configure NIS to perfection) I don't need a built in pop up blocker ( 'cause I use firefox anyway), don't need their firewall, don't need annoying reminders.

I just don't need SP2...

If you think SP2 is mainly a pop-up blocker, a firewall and reminders, you're merely looking at the superficial stuff. Remember the zero-day WMF exploit that was running around for close to a month before it was brought to light and detectable by antivirus apps? With SP2 and a hardware-DEP-equipped CPU, you could be preemptively protected from that, to give just a single example of how SP2 is better.

And if you think you need an antispyware app like Defender, but not SP2, then I don't understand your logic. 😕 In the WMF exploit example, guess what it was being used to do? Install nasty stuff like SpyAxe. Having used Microsoft AntiSpyware beta before, I can also remark that any "slowdown" resulting from SP2 is going to pale in comparison to the sluggish feel of a system equipped with MS AntiSpyware.

Think about this. If you are installing SP2 on a longstanding Windows install then I do suggest installing it in Safe Mode.

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: rogerwilco
well,
I wanted to install it after all,
and it said it needed XP SP2, and since I'm not going to install this crap in order to install Windows Defender, I mark this software "Annoying" from the get-go...

You can always find some body that would call some thing in the world around us "Crap" (and I mean every thing not just computer related, and the same apply to "Annoying from the get-go".😕

Can you explain your claims in specific technical terms?:thumbsup:

Did you Benchmarked the Applications that you use on your own computer after upgrading to SP2 and it showed slowed down? I.e. your Word Processor, and the statistics software that you use for your scientific research work did not work well, or alternatively the pr0n is fuzzy, and the music file produced sound in disharmony?
:shocked:

:sun:

 

[techs]

I was running MS Antispy and updated to Defender.
The first thing you notice is there is no longer a systray icon.
You can see these three services running in taskmanager to tell it is running:
MSASCui
MsMpEng
MsPMSPSv

It has one good feature that I like. You can specify a drive or folder to scan, a feature that was missing from MS Antispy.
One really bad decision was to drop the advanced settings (at least I didn't see them) to explore and control things like bho's, browser restore, downloaded active X ,Startup manager and the like. Plus there is no more tracks eraser.

FYI you can uninstall MS Antispy and install Defender then uninstall Defender and re-install MS Antispy with no apparent problems.
Of course you must already have a copy of Windows Antispy downloaded since it is no longer available on the MS website.

I will be installing Defender on a shop computer and do more extensive testing and will post any issues that arise.

 

[dawks]

Originally posted by: mechBgon

I have no problem with most of their applications but I recall installing SP2 a year ago,
and having to deal with many problems (after working hard to configure NIS to perfection) I don't need a built in pop up blocker ( 'cause I use firefox anyway), don't need their firewall, don't need annoying reminders.

I just don't need SP2...

If you think SP2 is mainly a pop-up blocker, a firewall and reminders, you're merely looking at the superficial stuff. Remember the zero-day WMF exploit that was running around for close to a month before it was brought to light and detectable by antivirus apps? With SP2 and a hardware-DEP-equipped CPU, you could be preemptively protected from that, to give just a single example of how SP2 is better.

And if you think you need an antispyware app like Defender, but not SP2, then I don't understand your logic. 😕 In the WMF exploit example, guess what it was being used to do? Install nasty stuff like SpyAxe. Having used Microsoft AntiSpyware beta before, I can also remark that any "slowdown" resulting from SP2 is going to pale in comparison to the sluggish feel of a system equipped with MS AntiSpyware.

Think about this. If you are installing SP2 on a longstanding Windows install then I do suggest installing it in Safe Mode.

Well said mech. A Windows XP PC should NOT be on the internet WITHOUT SP2. One of the keys to SP2 was that Microsoft completly changed the way their binaries are compiled, which potentially fixed thousands of bug/security/issues itself.

And yes, installing Windows Defender, without wanting to install SP2 is just stupid. The 2 go hand-in-hand really.

I have SP2 running on 50+ machines at work, and 5-6 personal systems I regularly maintain and have no issues with it. It works flawlessly.

Originally posted by: techs
I was running MS Antispy and updated to Defender.
The first thing you notice is there is no longer a systray icon.
You can see these three services running in taskmanager to tell it is running:
MSASCui
MsMpEng
MsPMSPSv

It has one good feature that I like. You can specify a drive or folder to scan, a feature that was missing from MS Antispy.
One really bad decision was to drop the advanced settings (at least I didn't see them) to explore and control things like bho's, browser restore, downloaded active X ,Startup manager and the like. Plus there is no more tracks eraser.

FYI you can uninstall MS Antispy and install Defender then uninstall Defender and re-install MS Antispy with no apparent problems.
Of course you must already have a copy of Windows Antispy downloaded since it is no longer available on the MS website.

I will be installing Defender on a shop computer and do more extensive testing and will post any issues that arise.

I cant seem to find a setting or any mention of realtime protection. Is this still active in Defender? Thats the biggest selling point for most people I've been installing it for. Kind of a pain if it lets you get infected, then cleans it at night during a scan..

 

[John]

Microsoft Windows Defender 1051 (Beta 2)

No validation needed.

Microsoft Fixes Flag That Says Symantec Software Is Spyware

http://www.informationweek.com/security...0200780&subSection=Viruses+and+Patches

🙂

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: dawks

Originally posted by: mechBgon

I have no problem with most of their applications but I recall installing SP2 a year ago,
and having to deal with many problems (after working hard to configure NIS to perfection) I don't need a built in pop up blocker ( 'cause I use firefox anyway), don't need their firewall, don't need annoying reminders.

I just don't need SP2...

If you think SP2 is mainly a pop-up blocker, a firewall and reminders, you're merely looking at the superficial stuff. Remember the zero-day WMF exploit that was running around for close to a month before it was brought to light and detectable by antivirus apps? With SP2 and a hardware-DEP-equipped CPU, you could be preemptively protected from that, to give just a single example of how SP2 is better.

And if you think you need an antispyware app like Defender, but not SP2, then I don't understand your logic. 😕 In the WMF exploit example, guess what it was being used to do? Install nasty stuff like SpyAxe. Having used Microsoft AntiSpyware beta before, I can also remark that any "slowdown" resulting from SP2 is going to pale in comparison to the sluggish feel of a system equipped with MS AntiSpyware.

Think about this. If you are installing SP2 on a longstanding Windows install then I do suggest installing it in Safe Mode.

Well said mech. A Windows XP PC should NOT be on the internet WITHOUT SP2. One of the keys to SP2 was that Microsoft completly changed the way their binaries are compiled, which potentially fixed thousands of bug/security/issues itself.

And yes, installing Windows Defender, without wanting to install SP2 is just stupid. The 2 go hand-in-hand really.

I have SP2 running on 50+ machines at work, and 5-6 personal systems I regularly maintain and have no issues with it. It works flawlessly.

Originally posted by: techs
I was running MS Antispy and updated to Defender.
The first thing you notice is there is no longer a systray icon.
You can see these three services running in taskmanager to tell it is running:
MSASCui
MsMpEng
MsPMSPSv

It has one good feature that I like. You can specify a drive or folder to scan, a feature that was missing from MS Antispy.
One really bad decision was to drop the advanced settings (at least I didn't see them) to explore and control things like bho's, browser restore, downloaded active X ,Startup manager and the like. Plus there is no more tracks eraser.

FYI you can uninstall MS Antispy and install Defender then uninstall Defender and re-install MS Antispy with no apparent problems.
Of course you must already have a copy of Windows Antispy downloaded since it is no longer available on the MS website.

I will be installing Defender on a shop computer and do more extensive testing and will post any issues that arise.

I cant seem to find a setting or any mention of realtime protection. Is this still active in Defender? Thats the biggest selling point for most people I've been installing it for. Kind of a pain if it lets you get infected, then cleans it at night during a scan..

Yes, their is real time protection. The way to see its running is to check on the three services listed above in task manager.
Here's a link to the MS forum where you can see more info:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/securit...r=33d293cc-19b6-404b-865b-565a73822c7f

 

[ND40oz]

I installed it, I do have a systray icon, looks like a little castle wall, but I can't update my definition files. Everytime I tray to, it gives me this error code: 0x8024002b with no other information.

Any ideas?

Edit: Windows updates has the updated def files.

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
If you think SP2 is mainly a pop-up blocker, a firewall and reminders, you're merely looking at the superficial stuff. Remember the zero-day WMF exploit that was running around for close to a month before it was brought to light and detectable by antivirus apps? With SP2 and a hardware-DEP-equipped CPU, you could be preemptively protected from that, to give just a single example of how SP2 is better.

And if you think you need an antispyware app like Defender, but not SP2, then I don't understand your logic. 😕 In the WMF exploit example, guess what it was being used to do? Install nasty stuff like SpyAxe. Having used Microsoft AntiSpyware beta before, I can also remark that any "slowdown" resulting from SP2 is going to pale in comparison to the sluggish feel of a system equipped with MS AntiSpyware.

Think about this. If you are installing SP2 on a longstanding Windows install then I do suggest installing it in Safe Mode.

Last time I had to do an executive report, the number was about 30% of new critical bugs do not effect SP2 or are much lower in impact with SP2.

As for speed, we finally deployed it and it has improved my boot time by about 45 seconds from before (corp developer laptop connected to unix servers for doc and source mgmt, GPO, startup script from server, devices, sync My Docs to network storage). Corporate momentum can sometimes really suck...

 

[Fritzo]

Yeah! Security fixes, bug fixes, and security tools automatically enabled that are needed but 95% of computer users don't know how to install muchless use = crap!!!!

:roll:

 

[Nocturnal]

Just to let you know you can't install this if you have a pirated copy of Windows. Even if you're able to download the executable itself, it checks your cd-key and if it isn't valid, no install 🙂

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: ND40oz
I installed it, I do have a systray icon, looks like a little castle wall, but I can't update my definition files. Everytime I tray to, it gives me this error code: 0x8024002b with no other information.

Any ideas?

Edit: Windows updates has the updated def files.

Interesting because in the Defender forums it says you only see the systray icon when Defender is doing something, like warning you of spyware or perhaps running an update, which is why you may be seeing it. There must be a hundred posts of people asking why no tray icon. I didn't get a tray icon either.

 

[techs]

Edit for my previous post.
You DO still have a Start Up progam control under Advanced but the Browser restore is not there, nor the other things like downloaded Active X.
Hint:
If you want to get more control and really see if it is running go to Advanced and check both boxes to notify you when both unknown and known changes are made.
Then change your IE homepage and you will see the info in systray.

 

[BigPoppa]

Don't do an XP SP2 install a a well used SP1 machine. Do a fresh SP1 install, update. Install SP2, update. Apply AV/AS. Problems be gone.

 

[BW86]

lol @ the people calling sp2 crap :laugh:

 

[AdamSnow]

Originally posted by: rogerwilco

sounds like you fell into the anti-MS marketing. SP2 is PERFECTLY fine on every level. Disable the unneeded Firewall and there is no difference.

please don't make me a brainwashed microsoft hater...

I have no problem with most of their applications but I recall installing SP2 a year ago,
and having to deal with many problems (after working hard to configure NIS to perfection) I don't need a built in pop up blocker ( 'cause I use firefox anyway), don't need their firewall, don't need annoying reminders.

I just don't need SP2...

Plese stop talking like this.