windows defender

[legend_018]

Anyone have an experience, opinions etc. about windows defender?

[rspassey]

I wrote about it here - http://www.pcmech.com/show/softwarereviews/916/ - Note that most of the bugs have been fixed and it's database expanded.

[jimmyrules712]

when it was first released as Microsoft Anti-spyware (right after MS bought it) it seemed to work better than spybot and ad-aware.

but ive used it recently on PCs and it hasn't seemed as effective. I'd scan with it, find nothing or maybe 1 thing, then scan with spybot and find 20 things.

maybe it's improved since then, ill have to look at it again.

[glc]

I don't bother with it any more because it has a pretty big background footprint.

[kev7555]

OK, I have a bit of a strange question about Defender (feel free to move this if it is in the wrong thread).

Is it possible to uninstall Windows Defender from Vista beta 2? It appears to be very integrated into the OS. I couldn't find a removal option anywhere and would much rather use the security programs to which I am accustomed.

Any tips?

-Kev

[mike12]

glc--your coment about the footprint was interesting. I currently use Adaware and SpyBot S&D, to remove spyware. I also have Defender running, but I thought its MAIN function was to STOP spyware before it got into the computer. Is having Defender running, overkill and not really needed ? Spyware Blaster is also running.

[glc]

I would not say it's overkill, but to me the tradeoff is not worth it. Spyware Blaster does not run in the background, all it does is add bad sites to the restricted list.