Windows Defender

Noreen · Apr 11, 2008, 10:11:46

I'm using it at the moment on new machine but am under the impression that it's not very good. I'm also using free SUPERAntiSpyware and SpywareBlaster but neither of those are actually "running". I didn't like Defender on my previous laptop and turned it off and only kept the above two programs. I dislike the fact that it makes a new Restore Point every time it downloads new definitions and I can see no way to stop it doing that. It would also make a new Restore Point before actually cleaning up a problem, that seems sensible however you can turn the making of that Point off but not that for the downloading of definitions. It can fill up System Restore with these.

What to do?

Rik · Apr 11, 2008, 10:13:15

I really don't know, Noreen, but hopefully someone who does will be along shortly. You may want to read this, though:

http://forums.vnunet.com/message.jspa?messageID=649675

Simon · Apr 11, 2008, 10:58:58

Hi Noreen,

I have WD on my laptop, and have set it to download definitions at a particular time, once daily, so I would assume it only sets one SR point each day. I think there are better anti-spyware programs, but it's free, light on resources, and better than nothing. OTOH, if you have a decent anti-virus programs, which also incorporates anti-spyware, along with Spyware Blaster, and SAS for on demand scans, you may decide you don't need WD at all.

Noreen · Apr 11, 2008, 11:34:00

I've got NOD32 latest version. I did uninstall Defender with my previous XP machine and apparently didn't get any problems, I don't think that I can uninstall Defender with Vista but I can turn it off. The only problems that I ever got were tracking cookies and I always clear then out anyway. Also previously I found Defender took forever to do a complete scan, SUPERAntiApyware was much faster.

Rik · Apr 11, 2008, 11:41:57

TBH, Noreen, all I've ever seen on my machine has been tracking cookies. I think that people who are careful in their surfing habits, who don't click on links without thinking and who don't install free software from dubious sources are not very likely to have a problem, and I'd turn off WD myself.

Noreen · Apr 11, 2008, 12:03:14

Yes, I think that I'll do that, Rik. I can always turn it on again if necessary. I'm more concerned about unnecessary System Restore Points than anything else, that's why I removed it before. I don't really see that it's necessary to make one just to install new anti-spyware definitions.

Rik · Apr 11, 2008, 12:10:50

If NOD did that, we'd soon be out of HD space.

Noreen · Apr 11, 2008, 12:21:52

Quote from: Rik on Apr 11, 2008, 12:10:50
If NOD did that, we'd soon be out of HD space.

Exactly. I don't know of any similar type program that does this. Obviously the automatic making of Restore Points when installing Windows Updates, for instance, is sensible.

Rik · Apr 11, 2008, 12:29:48

And, occasionally, essential.

Sebby · Apr 11, 2008, 13:46:00

Personally, Noreen, I'd leave Windows Defender on and not bother with any other antispyware applications. I would say that it's more than adequate given your knowledge of the internet.

Noreen · Apr 11, 2008, 14:05:51

I would, Sebby, but I don't want System Restore full of Defender def download Restore Points.

Sebby · Apr 11, 2008, 18:22:28

Ah, fair point.

Noreen · Apr 11, 2008, 19:10:32

Can anyone recommend a GOOD free real-time anti-spyware program?

LesD · Apr 11, 2008, 19:37:34

I have PREX2 that is described as providing Malware protection. The one on the machine I am using now is not free it is about £14.50 a year but the one I run on my other machine is the Beta version known as PREVX Research and this one is free. I don't know if invitations to join the Research program are still available or for how long the program will continue but for me PREVX is like IDNet it does what is says on the can!

For the record I also run Windows Defender on this machine but I don't know why I still bother. A couple of years ago, not long after this machine was my nice new one, by my own stupidity (that we won't go into) I caught a really nasty bug that took a couple of weeks to root right out but the very first thing it did was disable Windows Defender -it would not let it scan. At the same time it took out the Microsoft Firewall. Yes took it out by deleting its entries from the registry. Very nasty but "I like a challenge"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regards,

Les.

P.S. I should have added that if you download and install PREVX2 it protects you up to your first inection. After that you have to pay up it or just scans and warns you! Well that's the way it was for me.

Simon · Apr 11, 2008, 21:43:30

Quote from: Noreen on Apr 11, 2008, 19:10:32
Can anyone recommend a GOOD free real-time anti-spyware program?

The only other free one I know of, is Spyware Terminator, Noreen. If you decide to try it, I would advise that you DON'T install the ClamAV component (I think the option is given during installation), as this may interfere with your existing AV software.

Noreen · Apr 11, 2008, 22:32:18

I think that I'll leave it as it is for now, it worked OK like that on the previous machine and SUPERAntiSpyware only ever picked up an occasional cookie. I suppose that in a way SpywareBlaster is real-time.