defender and antivirus program

[Mr. Newt]

Hi y'all,

I just installed Vista Beta 2 and have problems with Windows Defender. I
have to okay my antivirus program each time I start the computer (to load
and run in the system tray). The antivirus (free for a year for Vista
users) is from Computer Associates (EZ Antivirus). Any way, I've checked in
Windows Defender help (and another NG), and I can't get this irritating
problem to go away short of turning of UAC. I don't want to do that. I
think it's a good idea. Defender's help section says there is a way (use
action menu?) to allow it to be okayed always, but I can't find a way to
make it so. Any help?

Thanks.

Robert

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

Robert--I think there are apples and oranges here. I have ez-trust on Visa
beta2 as well. I believe the dialogs you (and I) see are from UAC, and not
from Windows Defender. So--I think you are correct that turning off UAC
will fix this, and also that this isn't a good idea.

The area in Defender you are looking for is tools, options, scroll down to
advanced options and find a large empty box with an add button beside
it--however, I think that's a blind alley--this dialog box isn't from
Windows Defender.

 

[Mr. Newt]

Bill,

Thanks for your response. I have to believe Defender and UAC are tied
together, because UAC complains each time the computer starts and Defender
lists the offending antivirus programs with a "not yet classified" status.
I can evidently remove or disable the program, but am not allowed to say
"Yes, this program is okay." I don't mind all the automated stuff, it makes
my life easier. I hate it when there is no way to override the default,
because it always leads to problems like this. Hopefully, MS will address
this problem. Till then UAC is a nice electronic paperweight. =)

Robert

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

With Defender, the way to get a vote registered is to join spynet at the
advanced level. I'll take a look again in Vista. I believe you can disable
Windows Defender--should be way down at the end of the options list.

--

 

[Mr. Newt]

Bill,

I appreciate your reply and would like to hear if it's possible to disable
it for future use. However, I don't want to vote on anything. I want to
able to choose what programs I can run on my computer and when. Should this
wrinkle never be ironed out, I will disable Defender and get software from a
competitor.

Thanks again.

Robert

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

Windows Defender is not designed to allow you to arbitrarily choose what
software to not allow to run. In a managed environment, group policy can do
that. In a home user environment, not installing, or uninstalling, the
offending software is the usual remedy.

In beta2 of Vista, Tools, Options, scroll all the way down to Administrator
options. First is "Use Windows Defender."

Uncheck that, then when the Security Center complains, tell it that you have
an antispyware solution that you will monitor yourself--and perhaps in the
Vista timeframe, there will be other options with the proper hooks to talk
to the security center.

That should do what you are looking for.

 

[Mr. Newt]

Bill,

Thanks, but that didn't do what I wanted. I guess the problem is UAC, even
though the offending programs are listed in Defender. I guess I have no
choice but to turn off UAC.

Thank you any way.

Robert

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

Sorry--I forgot the context. Indeed, those dialog boxes are clearly
labelled UAC, and that's the culpret. I tend to suspect that this is the
kind of thing that CA and Microsoft will iron out by the end of the beta,
myself.

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