Problems with Windows Defender

[Guest]

Is it me or is Windows Defender a huge step back from MS Anti-Spyware?

I have a standard installation of Windows Defender on Windows XP Tablet Ed
SP2 - all hotfixes applied and I have set WD to allow me as an Advanced
member of SpyNet.

Windows Defender will not run a scheduled scan, it acts as though no scan is
scheduled even though it is, but warns me that I have not run a scan in x
number of days ... (becoming annoying).

Windows Defender will not record the actions against 'detected' items - I
have DameWare MRC on my PC. This is a requirement for my job and is detected
every single time I run a scan and it asks what it should do ... believe me,
the action is the same as the last time and the time before that and ...
ignore it. (incredibly annoying ... would be more so if it actually ran the
scan every day, like it is supposed to).

Everytime I log into my PC, Windows Defender detects a "change" to the
startup items ... actually, there is no change and it just keeps on asking
what it should do with exactly the same items as it has seen since I
installed Windows Defender. (incredibly annoying). I need these items to
start automatically.

I know this is beta software, but the previous beta was so much better at
this than the new one.

I have uninstalled and reinstalled Windows Defender on a couple of
occasions, with no difference in functionality. Windows Defender is fully
uptodate. I have also noticed this behaviour on Windows XP Home with SP2.

If anyone from Microsofts team is reading this, please fix these problems as
it is getting to the point where I am considering paying someone else for
this technology.

 

[Guest]

The problem I have left as in the quote belowe is easy to fix just use the
always allow function

 

[Mike Chan [MSFT]]

I think that the new UI will just take some getting used to.

Remember, "ignore" really means "ignore for this session" or "ask me
later" - to never be prompted again, you have to select "Always ignore"

If you do not want to be notified of "unclassified" changes, you will want
to go into Tool->General Settings and uncheck the "Warn on items not yet
classified" (you may have to scroll down). BTW - by default, if you are an
advanced memeber, you will get alerts from "unknowns" while if you are a
basic memeber, you will not. You can override this configuration by going
into the General Settings and checking (or unchecking) your preference.

On this pane, you can also add directories to not scan (if you have things
like VNC that you use, but know is good)

Software Explorer and browser hijacks are also still in the product,
contrary to popular belief =)

Select "Tools"->"Software Explorer" and you should see an improved product
here.

Mike

I agree with you. I can't understand why Microsoft took this step
backwards.
I really miss the system explorer options of the previous MS Anti-Spyware.
I
find this version, for lack of a better term, "vague" or maybe even
"lacking".

I wish we were given the option to choose between the two programs. I
would
pick
MS Anti-Spyware over Windows Defender in a heartbeat.

--
Mike Chan [MSFT]
Technical Product Manager
Windows Defender

This posting provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
--

 

[Guest]

Hey Wayne ... believe me, it "ain't" you, it is Windows Defender. I'm at the
point I'd pay to get MS Anti-Spyware back. What's going on with MS
anyway?--Back to the Future??!! Now, I can't seem to run Defender on my
desktop PC and at the same time, my wife access the shared desktop files from
her notebook PC via wireless home network. If there's something I'm supposed
to turn off with Defender, I don't know what it is. I have made sure the
Windows Firewall is off on both machines (we have the wireless router to do
the firewall thing). Bottom line is ... when Defender is turned off, the
wireless network works; when it's on, the network doesn't work (going from
notebook to desktop). Anyone out there have a suggestion or solution?
Thanks.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

I don't know what would cause this--it isn't expected behavior--and I
haven't seen it.

I'd suggest checking for updated drivers from your wireless vendor.

You might also want to post in the appcompat group, giving details of what
wireless vendor and software versions are involved.

--

 

[Guest]

"Ignore?" "Always Ignore?" I remember these from beta 1 but in beta 2 you
only have "Allow" or "Block." I run Avant Browser & the google toolbar and
these are found everytime I run. It should not take drilling down through 14
menus to ignore these. It didn't take that in beta 1. being a somewhat
cynical person I almost get the impression that this program was setup so
that the pop up alarms would annoy a person enough and making the ignore
process convoluted that the user (a normal user) will not want to bother with
it and only run what doesn't constantly kick back alarms. Like, M$ products?
Like I said, I'm a little cynical. More to the point, I do like the
software but the choice of "Always Allow" or "Always Block" needs to be
there. Heck, if the software can detect the program running it can surely
make an allowance to ignore it without the user having to drill through a
bunch of settings to do it. Otherwise, this piece of software become
worthless and users will move on to something else and everybody's time and
effort is wasted and I hate waste; especially on a product with such
potential.

Alright, I'm off the soapbox now ;-}

I think that the new UI will just take some getting used to.

Remember, "ignore" really means "ignore for this session" or "ask me
later" - to never be prompted again, you have to select "Always ignore"

If you do not want to be notified of "unclassified" changes, you will want
to go into Tool->General Settings and uncheck the "Warn on items not yet
classified" (you may have to scroll down). BTW - by default, if you are an
advanced memeber, you will get alerts from "unknowns" while if you are a
basic memeber, you will not. You can override this configuration by going
into the General Settings and checking (or unchecking) your preference.

On this pane, you can also add directories to not scan (if you have things
like VNC that you use, but know is good)

Software Explorer and browser hijacks are also still in the product,
contrary to popular belief =)

Select "Tools"->"Software Explorer" and you should see an improved product
here.

Mike

I agree with you. I can't understand why Microsoft took this step
backwards.
I really miss the system explorer options of the previous MS Anti-Spyware.
I
find this version, for lack of a better term, "vague" or maybe even
"lacking".

I wish we were given the option to choose between the two programs. I
would
pick
MS Anti-Spyware over Windows Defender in a heartbeat.

--
Mike Chan [MSFT]
Technical Product Manager
Windows Defender

This posting provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.