Uhps, this is quite a story.
I am wondering why this could have happened? When I click on Windows
Defender in my Start menu I do not "start" it. It just gives me a GUI saying
that no malware detected. Your computer is running normally it says.
I am wondering if you perhaps downloaded some malware unwittingly and it
stops the WD.
I suggest you download and install the Mcirosoft Windows Baseline Security
Analyuzer and run it. It will give you a lot of information that might be
helpful.
I am also pasting a sort of a compendium I've made for myslef on security in
Vista. It is up to you to absorb it. Except for Spybot Search and destroy it
is all MS related. Some stuf fis redundant but I have no interest in
editing.
My policy is not to use any 3-rd party anti-malware except Spybot S&D.
Windows Vista offers sufficient protection against malicious software
writers some of them I am sure watch this forum very carefully. SB S&D may
be also rendering some anti-virus protection.
Download Microsoft Windows Baseline Security Analyzer. It is Beta 2.1 for
Vista and I think it is safe to download. Run it.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...AF-9DBE-4DCE-889E-ECF997EB18E9&displaylang=en
It will give you all your vulnerabilities, especially in your firewall
settings. You should read the report and if it suggests any changes, you
should consider them.
Your Windows firewall setting will be analyzed.
Download Microsoft® Windows® Malicious Software Removal Tool (KB890830). It
will want to run upon install. Choose the FULL scan although it may give you
a threatening message that it might take a few hours. It will scan your
entire computer in about half an hour or less if you do not have a lot of
stuff in it.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...e0-e72d-4f54-9ab3-75b8eb148356&displaylang=en
Some reassuring information: Malicious Software Removal Tool
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx
The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool helps remove specific,
prevalent malicious software from computers that are running Windows Vista,
Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, or Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=890830
You can also go to Protection Center (Microsoft)
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-US/center/howsafe.htm?s_cid=mscom_msrt
and click "Protection Scan." There will be a dropdown menu and a button:
"Launch Full Scan or Vista." You can do it if you wish.
Download and install Spybot Search & Destroy, a marvelous piece of software
which is free for individuals but corporations pay fees. You may be asked
for donations but it is up to you. It is very up to date and every week you
will have to download new updates, sometimes even more often. You should
check for updates every time you run it. It will give you all su*kers
leached into your registry and ask you if you wanted to remove them. Many of
them have masqueraded themselves under MS Windows names like
Windows.something. Do not hesitate to kill them all. You can trust SB S&D.
It also allows you to IMMUNIZE your system. It means that when you go to a
website and they try to download some kind of a Trojan to you SB S&D will
either kill it silently, or ask you if you want to do it or will kill it and
give you a notice. It is better to let it kill them all in silence.
Listen to Mark Russinovich's (MS) webcast: Advanced Malware Cleaning
http://www.microsoft.com/emea/spotlight/sessionh.aspx?videoid=359