Windows 7 defender will not scan and will not update

[Computeruser]

Windows 7 Windows Defender will no longer scan on its own (yes, the service
is started and running) and will not update. It tries to and just does
nothing. I can update it manually.

It used to work. I have a new (different) PC where Defender does scan and
update.

The same thing happened on this laptop when it was a Vista machine. It
worked for some months and then quit working.

How can I uninstall / reinstall Windows Defender on Windows 7.
Thank you.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

You can't uninstall/reinstall Windows Defender on Windows 7.

You can try this:

start, all programs, accessories
right-click Command Prompt, and choose "run as administrator"

This gives you an elevated command prompt--meaning a command prompt window
running as administrator.

type in sfc /scannow and hit enter

 

[Tim Clark]

Computeruser"

If you are using the Webview of this site you may not have seen the reply to
your post given by BillSanderson, on 06/15/2010 10:48 PM [cdt, usa] to I
repost it below:

Bill Sanderson wrote:
/begin quote

You can't uninstall/reinstall Windows Defender on Windows 7.

You can try this:

start, all programs, accessories
right-click Command Prompt, and choose "run as administrator"

This gives you an elevated command prompt--meaning a command prompt window
running as administrator.

type in sfc /scannow and hit enter

/end quote

 

[Computeruser]

I ran sfc /scannow and it may take a couple of days to know whether that
worked. Since it stopped working about a month ago, it sometimes scans and
sometimes does not, but never updates and Menu Bar -> Update Now never works.
I must download the most recent update and run that.

Windows Defender worked very well when it was new (first bought by
Microsoft) and sadly has gone straight down hill ever since. It is completely
unreliable.

BTW - Why do I not see replies? Curious comment below.

Thanks, ..... C

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Tim has reminded me that one of the (previously available) features of these
forums is (still) broken.

Years ago, Microsoft began providing consumer support via peer to peer
newsgroups, using NNTP--a mechanism that used email protocols to post to a
list that anyone in the world could read. More recently, they have shifted
from that mechanism to web-based forums. A good many "old-timers"--those who
provide the bulk of the answers--tend to stay with the NNTP mechanism which
can be much faster to work with. These particular groups have a
synchronization mechanism which is supposed to provide both an NNTP and a
web-based view of the same material. However, it is broken, and the NNTP
users can see the information entered by the web-based users, but the
web-based users cannot see answers provided by the NNTP-based users.
(so, of course, I'm using the web interface for this post...)

More than you wanted to know, I suspect.

Does Windows/Microsoft Update work correctly for you? If that were broken,
it would be a more significant issue than simply Windows Defender definitions.

I ran sfc /scannow and it may take a couple of days to know whether that
worked. Since it stopped working about a month ago, it sometimes scans and
sometimes does not, but never updates and Menu Bar -> Update Now never works.
I must download the most recent update and run that.

Windows Defender worked very well when it was new (first bought by
Microsoft) and sadly has gone straight down hill ever since. It is completely
unreliable.

BTW - Why do I not see replies? Curious comment below.

Thanks, ..... C

Computeruser"

If you are using the Webview of this site you may not have seen the reply to
your post given by BillSanderson, on 06/15/2010 10:48 PM [cdt, usa] to I
repost it below:

Bill Sanderson wrote:
/begin quote

You can't uninstall/reinstall Windows Defender on Windows 7.

You can try this:

start, all programs, accessories
right-click Command Prompt, and choose "run as administrator"

This gives you an elevated command prompt--meaning a command prompt window
running as administrator.

type in sfc /scannow and hit enter

/end quote

 

[Computeruser]

Yes, Windows Update works fine for me. This same issue affected Vista (gone
now) and Wiindows Update worked fine there as well.
.... C


:

Does Windows/Microsoft Update work correctly for you? If that were broken,
it would be a more significant issue than simply Windows Defender definitions.

<snip>