Windows Defender

Microsoft is once again trying to limit users to using only their products.
Windows Defender may be a good antispyware program but Microsoft ought to
give the computer's owner the option to uninstall it if they so desire. I've
been using Spybot for a number of years and although it is a bit finicky at
times, it is the best I've seen lately but it must be properly configured
through the advance mode for it to perform efficiently.

Rick Kirchoff wrote:

> Microsoft is once again trying to limit users to using only their
> products. Windows Defender may be a good antispyware program but
> Microsoft ought to give the computer's owner the option to uninstall
> it if they so desire. I've been using Spybot for a number of years


There's no problem using both of them. In fact, no single anti-spyware
product is good enough to protect you completely, and you need at least two.
Note what Eric Howes, who has done extensive testing on Anti-Spyware
products, states:

"No single anti-spyware scanner removes everything. Even the best-performing
anti-spyware scanner in these tests missed fully one quarter of the
"critical" files and Registry entries" See
http://spywarewarrior.com/asw-test-guide.htm

I personally run Windows Defender, Spybot Search and Destroy, Adaware, and
Spyware Blaster.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup



> and although it is a bit finicky at times, it is the best I've seen
> lately but it must be properly configured through the advance mode
> for it to perform efficiently.

"Rick Kirchoff" <RickKirchoff@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:26881B22-DA0D-473B-BADF-7C10AA58B446@microsoft.com...
> Microsoft is once again trying to limit users to using only their
> products.
> Windows Defender may be a good antispyware program but Microsoft ought to
> give the computer's owner the option to uninstall it if they so desire.
> I've
> been using Spybot for a number of years and although it is a bit finicky
> at
> times, it is the best I've seen lately but it must be properly configured
> through the advance mode for it to perform efficiently.


Just turn Defender off. That's what I did. I use SpySweeper and AGV
anti-virus instead.

"Rick Kirchoff" <RickKirchoff@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
> Microsoft is once again trying to limit users to using only their
> products.
> Windows Defender may be a good antispyware program but Microsoft ought to
> give the computer's owner the option to uninstall it if they so desire.
> I've
> been using Spybot for a number of years and although it is a bit finicky
> at
> times, it is the best I've seen lately but it must be properly configured
> through the advance mode for it to perform efficiently.

It doesn't have to be either or. Also although Defender can't be
uninstalled, it can be turned off.

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

I was able to turn off Windows Defender but that still does not make it
right. To me, it is now a program that is hogging up valuable hard drive
space. I wonder what would happen to Vista's stability if I were to manually
remove Windows Vista through Safe Mode and the Registry.

"Rock" wrote:

> "Rick Kirchoff" <RickKirchoff@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
> > Microsoft is once again trying to limit users to using only their
> > products.
> > Windows Defender may be a good antispyware program but Microsoft ought to
> > give the computer's owner the option to uninstall it if they so desire.
> > I've
> > been using Spybot for a number of years and although it is a bit finicky
> > at
> > times, it is the best I've seen lately but it must be properly configured
> > through the advance mode for it to perform efficiently.
>
> It doesn't have to be either or. Also although Defender can't be
> uninstalled, it can be turned off.
>
> --
> Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]
>
>

"Rick Kirchoff" <RickKirchoff@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
>I was able to turn off Windows Defender but that still does not make it
> right. To me, it is now a program that is hogging up valuable hard drive
> space. I wonder what would happen to Vista's stability if I were to
> manually
> remove Windows Vista through Safe Mode and the Registry.

> "Rock" wrote:
>
>> "Rick Kirchoff" <RickKirchoff@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
>> > Microsoft is once again trying to limit users to using only their
>> > products.
>> > Windows Defender may be a good antispyware program but Microsoft ought
>> > to
>> > give the computer's owner the option to uninstall it if they so desire.
>> > I've
>> > been using Spybot for a number of years and although it is a bit
>> > finicky
>> > at
>> > times, it is the best I've seen lately but it must be properly
>> > configured
>> > through the advance mode for it to perform efficiently.
>>
>> It doesn't have to be either or. Also although Defender can't be
>> uninstalled, it can be turned off.

You're worried about the disk space? Go ahead, remove "Windows Vista
through Safe Mode and the Registry". Vista might not run if Vista is
removed, eh?

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]