Vista Issue: Windows Defender "reinstall"



  • 1. I was running Windows Defender Beta on Windows XP.

    2. I decided to upgrade to Vista.

    3. Defender stopped getting updates.

    4. I uninstalled Defender from Vista (which I could do because it was on the PC prior to the Vista upgrade),

    5. I tried reinstalling Defender and now I get the message "You do not need to install this software because Windows Defender is included in Windows Vista".

    Someone please help. I do not want to go through the 3-day ordeal of installing a clean copy of Vista again.

    And please, no suggestions about using AVG or some other open source software. 



  • This seems a little bit like "...and your problem is...?"

     

    The only unusual thing is that the Vista install didn't remove Defender itself.

    Not that I use, or have even seen, Vista!

     
    I would think that the inbuilt version of defender is now functional. Enjoy!


     



  • Installing Vista a 3-day ordeal? Vista itself is the fastest windows version to install yet and adding your software and settings shouldn't take more then 1 day unless you have something very special.

    And I agree the build-in copy of Defender should work fine (go to your Security Center to check it). 



  • The Real WTF(tm) is calling AVG (and similar virus scanners) "open source software" :D



  • What is the problem? Did the "standalone" Defender uninstall remove the one built into Vista? So you basically have no Defender? Can this be verified?



  • @newguy said:

    Someone please help. I do not want to go through the 3-day ordeal of installing a clean copy of Vista again.

    And please, no suggestions about using AVG or some other open source software. 

    Translation:  Please help, but don't tell me any fixes, workarounds or anything else that will help.



  • Hmmm, I've seen the same question posted on a few other forums and newsgroups, but I have yet to see any solution offered.  Perhaps it's time to contact MS tech support.



  • Maybe you could explore the idea of not using your computer in a way that invites viruses and spyware? Use Firefox, know what malicious emails look like, don't download random crap. It's really not that difficult. I've run Windows without A/V for 9 years now, and have not had any ill effect. And, yes, I would know if there was an infection because you can learn how to recognize the signs.



  • @newguy said:

     help. I do not want to go through the 3-day ordeal of installing a clean copy of Vista again.

     

    3-day ordeal? You do know that Vista isn't certified for 286 class machines, right?  Maybe you need to get the math coprocessor, and extra 4MB RAM and add a second 160MB disk. 



  • @Critter said:

    @newguy said:

    Someone please help. I do not want to go through the 3-day ordeal of installing a clean copy of Vista again.

    And please, no suggestions about using AVG or some other open source software. 

    Translation:  Please help, but don't tell me any fixes, workarounds or anything else that will help.

    Yeah, for that, you should reinstall Vista. :) 

    fdisk, format, reinstall, doo dah, doo dah... 



  • @djork said:

    Maybe you could explore the idea of not using your computer in a way that invites viruses and spyware? Use Firefox, know what malicious emails look like, don't download random crap. It's really not that difficult. I've run Windows without A/V for 9 years now, and have not had any ill effect. And, yes, I would know if there was an infection because you _can_ learn how to recognize the signs.

    Debatable. You can recognize the signs of poorly written malicious code, but good malware can be completely silent and undetected.  



  • @MyWillysWonka said:

    @newguy said:

     help. I do not want to go through the 3-day ordeal of installing a clean copy of Vista again.

     3-day ordeal? You do know that Vista isn't certified for 286 class machines, right?  Maybe you need to get the math coprocessor, and extra 4MB RAM and add a second 160MB disk. 

    Well he's got the upgrade version. From what I hear, it requires that you actually completely install XP first, then install the upgrade on top of it.  So if you want to do a fresh format/install deal, I'm willing to bet that it can feel like 3 days by the time you finish doing all of that crap and then getting all of your apps reinstalled, etc.  What you get for trying to save a buck I guess.

     
    I  bought the OEM version when I built my system, which also costs considerably less (and is legal) but you don't get any tech support or anything. Since it appears that the OP has the upgrade version (which is retail and not OEM), he's entitled to tech support.  That's why I recommend using that resource before reinstalling.

     



  • @shadowman said:

    Well he's got the upgrade version. From what I hear, it requires that you actually completely install XP first, then install the upgrade on top of it.  So if you want to do a fresh format/install deal, I'm willing to bet that it can feel like 3 days by the time you finish doing all of that crap and then getting all of your apps reinstalled, etc.  What you get for trying to save a buck I guess.

    I  bought the OEM version when I built my system, which also costs considerably less (and is legal) but you don't get any tech support or anything. Since it appears that the OP has the upgrade version (which is retail and not OEM), he's entitled to tech support.  That's why I recommend using that resource before reinstalling.

    Actually, you don't have to install XP at all. I've not done it myself, but apparently you can install Vista as a trial, then immediately "upgrade" from itself to itself, kind of cheating the upgrade process, but it works.

    Of course the right thing to do, as you've done, is get the OEM version. Cheaper, and none of the upgrading nonsense. 



  • @Benanov said:

    fdisk, format, reinstall, doo dah, doo dah... 

     

    This made me laugh out loud.

    It's catchy, too. Try humming a few bars. ;-)



  • To see if you do have a functional Anti-Virus, go to this page:

    http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm

    Try downloading and saving one of the test files; "eicar.com", "eicar.com.txt", "eicar_com.zip", "eicarcom2.zip"

    Any and all of those should give you a Virus Alert if it is being scanned.

    Note that these are not real virus files!  These simply contain a test signature that the virus scanner makers have agreed upon to produce an alert.  This makes for a safe test to ensure that your virus scanner is functioning properly.
     



  • @marvin_rabbit said:

    To see if you do have a functional Anti-Virus, go to this page:

    http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm

    Try downloading and saving one of the test files; "eicar.com", "eicar.com.txt", "eicar_com.zip", "eicarcom2.zip"

    Any and all of those should give you a Virus Alert if it is being scanned.

    Note that these are not real virus files!  These simply contain a test signature that the virus scanner makers have agreed upon to produce an alert.  This makes for a safe test to ensure that your virus scanner is functioning properly.

    Windows defender is anti-spyware software, not an anti-virus program. Having said that, it may still detect the EICAR file, but I'm not certain.   There is a similar one called "Spycar" which is aimed at spyware solutions.



  • @shadowman said:

    @marvin_rabbit said:

    To see if you do have a functional Anti-Virus, go to this page:

    Windows defender is anti-spyware software, not an anti-virus program. Having said that, it may still detect the EICAR file, but I'm not certain.   There is a similar one called "Spycar" which is aimed at spyware solutions.

    Oops, thanks for straightening me out!

    I wasn't really familiar with 'Defender' (obviously!).  Someone in the thread mentioned a/v, and I had basically only used the AVG Anti-Virus, not anti-spyware.

    So with my three shortcomings, I jumped to the wrong conclusion.

    Oh well... I've made worse errors.
     


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