Does Windows Defender Have A Purpose?

from the Microsoft website -

Windows Defender is a free program that helps protect your computer against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware and other unwanted software. It features Real-Time Protection, a monitoring system that recommends actions against spyware when it’s detected and minimizes interruptions and helps you stay productive. Now with 2 free support incidents for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.

It was purchased by MS from a company called Giant Software, and used to be decent at doing what it was designed to do. It no longer does, as MS took money from companies and sites that used to be on the old (when it was Giant’s product) software black list, and removed the entries in the software. Not a good practice, and really bad from a company that is trying to rebuild its reputation as a good citizen. (If you have a hex viewer you might still be able to see the string ‘Giant Software’ still, although Microsoft might have removed it by now - it was there in the first 2 releases from MS.

Also, you say it couldn’t find spyware - perhaps, but neither did AVG Free, it found virus infections - not nearly the same thing.

This shit’s pretty cool.
Can you like come over to my house and do it for me..I’ll pay you like a dollar??
E-mail me for my street address
;]

No wonder AVG found a bunch of viruses on your Mom’s computer since she was using an anti-spyware program (Windows Defender) as her anti-virus protection.

When used for its stated purpose - i.e. anti-spyware - Microsoft’s Windows Defender program does a darn good job. It often finds spyware that Ad-Aware or SpyBot -Search and Detroy may have missed.

It is definitely a good thing to have one’s computer protected in real-time from spyware with Windows Defender. Just make sure you keep it up-to-date with the latest spyware signature files. If you have a broadband connection you should have Update set to automatic.

Well, I have run many spy-ware programs and removed hundreds of spy-ware, but Windows Defender has never and i mean never removed or told me i had spy-ware or anything for that matter, it only says “YOUR COMPUTER IS RUNNING NORMALLY” what a F-N joke…Windows Defender justs sits there and laughs at you…all it does is Nothing…as a pc tech and a Networking Administrator for 10 years with a Degree, I see nothing useful about Defender, what a joke MS lol you suck.

I used Windows Defender for about a year and just as Jake it never found a single thing. I also used windows malicious software removal tool and i believe its the same thing as Windows Defender just its the scanner version. A Malware remover. The Malicious software removal tool did however find something, i don’t remember what it was. I do remember it saying “potential threats/malicious software was found and partially removed from your computer.” I rescanned again with the Malicious software removal tool after i rebooted. And after i scanned with AVAST!, Esets Nod32 online scanner and bitdefenders free online scanner. o did i mention it also told me to scan my computer with an antivirus software to fully remover the threats! Adware se is great and all but it rarely
finds anything but trackin cookies. Counterspy however has found tons bad trojans and rouge programs. My point is that
Windows Defender is garbage, good start-up control though,
But who wants a processes in the back just for that? And yeah. The only reason it found anything was because it was along time ago when i was stupid and used torrents!

So just install it once every couple months, scan and uninstall it Because u cant stop the processes in the back! And like i said, who wants processes in the back when u most likely wont find anything and when u do u cant even remove them lol.

Oops forgot this info: AVs found nothing and the microsoft scanner kept saying found threats but cant remove them lol sorry for my f-kups.