Microsoft® is the only company I know that releases a beta version of
software (by definition it means the second version intended for
representative utilization by people who will be the ultimate users for
purpose of discovering bugs, ease of use, and other problems prior to the
distribution of the release version) and has no clear way to receive those
reports, i.e., bug reports. Somehow posting to an anonymous newsgroup seems
inept.

Since this seems to be the only method, here goes. After a scheduled scan
(for example unattended in the evening) and after another scan or process
runs over it leaving a window open, right clicking on the Defender Button in
the taskbar doesn’t open it up, i.e., the button was not operational. I
really didn’t investigate it too much further (nor for than matter of fact
remember the exact details, I’ll try to do that tomorrow when it happens
again.)

I also don’t understand why with the custom scan it goes through all sorts
of folders other than the one that is selected. (For instance, if I select a
folder on the E hard disk it will go through folders on the C drive, windows,
programs folders, etc.)

I miss a full history log. It turns out that one of the things Spyware Beta
had picked up and claimed as spyware wasn’t. One could see that it picked it
up for three days until they changed the signature when it stopped doing
that. Since Defender only gives you the history if it finds or does something
it becomes less useful. Sometimes I think programmers (more probably their
bosses) get the idea they need to dumb down interfaces to the point they are
useless. I want programs that are designed for me and forgive the slur, not
for my wife. She might not be threatened by having a dumb interface but then
again she won’t touch the computer. She says "that’s what I have you for."

Inline:

> Since this seems to be the only method, here goes. After a scheduled scan
> (for example unattended in the evening) and after another scan or process
> runs over it leaving a window open, right clicking on the Defender Button
> in
> the taskbar doesn't open it up, i.e., the button was not operational. I
> really didn't investigate it too much further (nor for than matter of fact
> remember the exact details, I'll try to do that tomorrow when it happens
> again.)

no thoughts.

>
> I also don't understand why with the custom scan it goes through all sorts
> of folders other than the one that is selected. (For instance, if I select
> a
> folder on the E hard disk it will go through folders on the C drive,
> windows,
> programs folders, etc.)
>
discussed at length in other messages. I think it does a full quickscan
before doing the intended target of the custom scan. I haven't seen a
Microsoft post about this behavior--personally, I think it is trying to get
some assurance that the ground under it is firm before stepping out to do
the intended scan--i.e. trying to be sure there isn't spyware in place and
running that could mask the content of the intended object.

> I miss a full history log. It turns out that one of the things Spyware
> Beta
> had picked up and claimed as spyware wasn't. One could see that it picked
> it
> up for three days until they changed the signature when it stopped doing
> that. Since Defender only gives you the history if it finds or does
> something
> it becomes less useful. Sometimes I think programmers (more probably their
> bosses) get the idea they need to dumb down interfaces to the point they
> are
> useless. I want programs that are designed for me and forgive the slur,
> not
> for my wife. She might not be threatened by having a dumb interface but
> then
> again she won't touch the computer. She says "that's what I have you for."

Have you opened the system event log and filtered on source "WinDefend"?

There's also a log in %windowsroot%\temp\mpcmdrun.log