Windows Defender doesn't update

[Guest]

After my first install Windows Defender did update, but after I uninstalled
and then re-installed Windows Defender, Windows Defender didn't update. It
says updates not found and is up to date, but I know this can't be true,
because Windows Defender's signatures are now 21 days old and the first time
I installed Windows Defender, Windows Defender did update. Please solution to
this problem!

 

[Guest]

Hi Michael, I had exactly the same situation. When I check the Review Update
History on either the Microsoft or Windows Update sites my history shows the
signature update as sucessful from the original install so the update
function after the reinstall finds no update file. I haven't been able to
find a way to tell the Microsoft Update history that I need the file again.
The uninstall of defender obviously leaves records behind referencing the
update, or it is on my system as part of the operating system. Guess we wait
for the next signature release and run with files 21 or more days out-of-date.

Eric Woodward

 

[Guest]

the same problem with me

i see no solution

Hi Michael, I had exactly the same situation. When I check the Review Update
History on either the Microsoft or Windows Update sites my history shows the
signature update as sucessful from the original install so the update
function after the reinstall finds no update file. I haven't been able to
find a way to tell the Microsoft Update history that I need the file again.
The uninstall of defender obviously leaves records behind referencing the
update, or it is on my system as part of the operating system. Guess we wait
for the next signature release and run with files 21 or more days out-of-date.

Eric Woodward

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Eric - we have a solution/workaround for your issue, which I believe is
different from Michaels.

There will be a KB article on this very soon--915105, but it is not yet
available.

I'm trying to spot Steve Dodson's post with the recovery instructions, but
may not be able to do that soon. This will correct itself, I believe, when
the next set of definitions are issued.

--

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Here's what I was looking for, from Steve Dodson:
----

Can y'all try:

Open Windows Explorer

Go to C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\ folder

Right-click on AS_Sigs.MSI and choose Uninstall from the context menu


Or


Open the command prompt

Go to C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\ folder

Execute the following command: msiexec /x AS_Sigs.msi

Check for updates
--

 

[Guest]

Bill, thanks. Problem is now fixed. After you posted Steve Dodson's info I
found the thread and read some of the replys to his instructions. Since I am
a home user I decided to try the old "double click" to run option on the
AS_Sigs.msi file and then opened Defender and ran Check for Updates. It
worked like a charm.

Eric Woodward

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Great--I remembered that there were alternative opinions/solutions in the
thread, but thought I'd stick with the "party line" until I'm clear what
works.
--

 

[Guest]

I'm having the same problem. Defender just isn't finding any updates.

I tried both the KB915105 method and the AS_Sigs.msi methods (tried that
one both ways!) an d still no joy. My Def files now read 23 days old as of
this posting.

Just for reference, I am running XP Pro in an AD 2003 mixed-mode Domain
Environment as the Enterprise Admin.

Any other suggestions? I'm testing this for Enterprise roll-out to replace
the Beta1 which worked so well we published it out to the whole domain! I'd
hate to see us have to move to a 3rd party product when Beta1 support dries
up if this puppy isn't ready for proper deployment yet. Not complaining,
just nervous.

Help!

 

[Bill Sanderson]

The issues in an enterprise domain may be quite different from those for
individual home and small office users.

Do you allow autoupdate or Windowsupdate?

Do you use WSUS to deliver security patches?

If you have WSUS in place, the administrator needs to enable the new class
of updates that is available for the Windows Defender updates--It's been
awhile since I saw the precise language on this one--but basically, theres a
new class of update that you need to enable.

If you don't have WSUS in place and block AutoUpdate and WindowsUpdate, I'm
not sure what the right answer is.

--

 

[Guest]

We use SMS to deliver Updates to Servers only. We use GP forced automatic
updates for all client PCs.

It's a small shop. Just me and 30 users spread over 2 offices.

no WSUS.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

So the GP forces automatic updates to be maintained on--and auto-update is
working on the client PC's?

Then they should get updates via automatic updates.

So--your current test machine isn't getting updates, and you've tried the
methods which have helped most folks already. On an office with about 20
machines behind an ISA Server 2000 proxy, I found that about 4 machines
needed touching the "automatically detect" setting in IE's connection
settings. What was odd was that turning that on for 3 machines seemed to do
the trick, whereas on a 4th, turning it off did. Not sure what is happening
with that setting.

Is Windows Installer 3.1 in place on the test machine?

--

 

[Guest]

Try using the fix provided at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/915105/en-us.
I found it looking for a solution to my problem...

 

[Guest]

GP not only forces automatic updates, but also forces ISA 2003 proxy server
settings on IE for all machines, client or server. The strange thing about
it is that I'm not getting connectivity errors. It's just saying that it's
not finding updates.

 

[Guest]

Oh, and I do have Windows Installer 3.1 on the test machine.

 

[Guest]

Bill THANKS for the AS-Sigs.MSI solution tried that and it worked..Icon is
now gone and updates were successful.But, I DID NOT delete the file I
repaired it. But it did work and definitons are up to date.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Glad it worked!
--

Bill THANKS for the AS-Sigs.MSI solution tried that and it worked..Icon is
now gone and updates were successful.But, I DID NOT delete the file I
repaired it. But it did work and definitons are up to date.

 

[Guest]

Hi michael, i was reading through some of the information that was given by
Bill sanderson adn some of the other people that written in to your thread
regarding Windows defender. I have read the instructions and i am completely
los, i was wondering if you could send me some instructions in english so
that i can get my Windows defender to update as i installed it on the 9th Feb
and i cannot for the life of me to get it updated, everytime i try to update
it takes me to windows update page and then i am here for about half an hour
waiting for what ever they have for me to download and nothing is working.

I be eternelly greatfull if you could help me out with anything to solve
this problem, as i have just finally got my pc up and running after a bad
virus crashed it all.

Thanks very much

Susan

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

Sorry we haven't been able to post something that works for you so far.

Going to Windows Update, and clicking on "Express" and installing everything
offered would be my first recommendation in your situation.

When you say that isn't working for you--what happens? Does it seem to scan
for a long time and then give you an error message? Is there a number
associated with the error message?

--