Windows Defender no longer works in Win 2000

[Guest]

Windows Defender no longer supports Windows 2000 as mainstream support ended
in June 2005.

Per Microsoft.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...7f14e605a0d&DisplayLang=en#QuickInfoContainer

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

This is correct. The released version(s) of Windows Defender do not support
Windows 2000.

Note: If you relate to a corporate network with large numbers of Windows
2000 installations, Microsoft Forefront Client Security, now in public beta,
does support Windows 2000.

This is not a free product. It is targetted at managed networks rather than
home users.
http://www.microsoft.com/forefront/clientsecurity/default.mspx

 

[Guest]

But wait! If I look at the "Phases of the Support Lifecycle", 'Security
updates' is the one type of support that runs thru the "Extended support
phase". Would seem to me that Windows Defender would be related to
security... No?

Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Nice Try,
But it's not going to work.
MS is not going to support 2000 unless it HAS too.
'Security updates' refers to flaws in the OS that have to be patched.
WD is not a patch. It is an Added Feature. Now that it is out of Beta (and
into Gamma) it is not being offered to the 2000 series.

Time to get XP before you get stuck with Vista.

Good try though
?
Tim

 

[ANONYMOUS]

I guess it is high time to move on to XP or wait for a few days and go
straight to VISTA - a window of opportunity!!

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

Microsoft staff read the responses here, and our feedback is taken into
account. However, I don't think this one is likely to change. I don't know
all of the reasoning behind it, but one item was probably the relatively
small number of home users of Windows 2000. My mother-in-law is one of
them, though--so I feel the pain. She's 89, and I just don't think I could
get away with updating her machine to XP. She's pretty sensitive to any
change or new dialog box--and her vision is fading fast. There are good
alternative antispyware choices for individual users, I believe, so I don't
think that the home users of Windows 2000 are likely to be at substantially
elevated risk.

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[Bill Sanderson MVP]

I think that most folks whose hardware was bought for Windows 2000 (or
before)--should be ready to consider an upgrade. I'd go straight to Vista,
myself. The video in the machine I'm working from was new when Windows 98SE
was, so I'm looking at this myself.

--

 

[Guest]

I was actually stoked about Vista got the trial, built a new $3.4K desktop -
stuffed Vista on it and whaaaa my brand new $650 bleedin-edge video card had
no functional drivers for it. So I went to XP64. Wow that was one fast
silky-smooth ride.. Right up until I tried my favorite game.. "No valid
operating system detected installation aborted". Oh well.

On my present w2k system I have:
127 Applications
129,175 files in 8,213 folders
It runs VERY well. Fast with no noticable lags, etc. So I am loath to
upgrade it to XP. I like XP and have it on several computers but I can just
imagine some of the headaches that would unfold.

Guess I should look for a virus scanner.. Non-WD Suggestions?

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

Windows Defender isn't an antivirus--you need one of those, too! For good
run-of-the-mill protection, I like AVG's free product, for individuals.
Their antispyware is descended from one well-liked by many here--Ewido.
Their antivirus isn't always going to catch the latest bug first, but it
isn't resource hungry, and is competent.

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