who uses windows defender in vista?

_Jimlad_ · 1 Feb 2009 at 18:51

i have always used with with vista but often here people pulling it off and using 3rd party software or nothing at all...

what do you do?

reflux · 1 Feb 2009 at 18:52

For some reason, it never runs as default on any of my Vista installs, although I never take any action (that I can think of) to disable it. I don't think it's that good anyway.

theheyes · 1 Feb 2009 at 19:05

When it pops up to say it hasn't done a scan in a while I let it, it takes literally 2 minutes.

That said, I don't rely on it to keep my system safe (have AV) but it doesn't hurt nor annoy me enough to delete it.

Fanatic · 1 Feb 2009 at 19:25

I just left it at its default setting, sitting in the background doing its thing.

Meatball · 1 Feb 2009 at 21:43

It's the first thing I turn off on my Vista installs, I've never had the need for it.

fail at the internets · 1 Feb 2009 at 21:45

I always vlite it out or disable the service. It's rubbish imo.

NorthstaNder · 1 Feb 2009 at 21:49

I'm another who just lets it do it's thing. But I do use superantispyware as well.

jvowles · 1 Feb 2009 at 22:14

I always turn it off..better software out there, albeit some are not free.

Kennysevenfold · 1 Feb 2009 at 22:25

Fanatic said:
I just left it at its default setting, sitting in the background doing its thing.

+1

Amnesia · 2 Feb 2009 at 00:01

i disabled it on the machines at work....that and 1 or 2 other things.
they are much nippier now.

no they are not on the internet.

Keyser Soze · 2 Feb 2009 at 00:07

I've had vista re-installed for a couple of weeks and forgot all about it.

I've only noticed it on windows update. Will make sure it's not on though now.

MivkM · 2 Feb 2009 at 00:12

Always disable it myself

bobbydigital · 2 Feb 2009 at 00:17

Removed it from my vista installs with vlite

Hectic Glenn · 2 Feb 2009 at 00:25

I never run the thing, I don't see much point. I have my usual anti-virus and things like spybot & adware for the real stuff. Lets be honest, how many people have found something with windows defender?

gillywibble · 2 Feb 2009 at 08:14

Meatball said:
It's the first thing I turn off on my Vista installs

After UAC.

iviv · 2 Feb 2009 at 08:46

Mmm, I've got it running in the background, purely because I thought why not? Sure its not the best pick, but its still an extra line of security. But since I'm running with UAC turned off anyway, is there much point in keeping Defender running? (And what in the way of resources does it use anyway?)

Fire Wizard · 2 Feb 2009 at 09:03

I personally leave the security settings of Windows Vista on their default setting.

gillywibble said:
After UAC.

I'm still baffled as to why people still insist on disabling User Account Control.

iviv said:
But since I'm running with UAC turned off anyway, is there much point in keeping Defender running?

In that case, just switch all of the protection the system provides off and go commando.

Seriously though, I don't quite understand your reasoning for asking that. Care to explain please?

(And what in the way of resources does it use anyway?)

I would suspect very few. In material of that though, due to the I/O prioritization in Windows Vista, leaving Windows Defender running won't have any significant impact on the performance of your system.

Margaret · 2 Feb 2009 at 09:33

I turn it off, oh and on my laptop for some reason the 'real time scanning' was hogging resources like crazy.

platypus · 2 Feb 2009 at 09:37

I let it run at 2am or whenever. And use other antispyware and antivirus.

Meatball · 2 Feb 2009 at 10:31

gillywibble said:
After putting UAC in silent mode.

Corrected

.