Windows Defender definition update question!

slowday444 · August 2, 2008, 4:05pm

Why do the freeware sites like MajorGeeks list updates days ahead of the auto updates that MS send out?

Jamin4u · August 2, 2008, 4:32pm

My monthly MS updates are days behind if I let auto updates handle it!

It must have something to do with the number of computers that MS updates.

Although, I've seen Majorgeeks list program version updates before they are posted on the softwares website.

They must have some source!

YoKenny · August 2, 2008, 5:18pm

Every morning I check Microsoft's Windows Defender update portal:

http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal

I exit Windows Defender then download the mpas-fe.exe file then Run it then start Windows Defender and see if it has been updated to the latest level.

Sometimes it takes half a day to get the latest level.

CeeCee · August 2, 2008, 5:29pm

Is Windows Defender worth to download and use?

Andavari · August 2, 2008, 5:46pm

Is Windows Defender worth to download and use?

It's better than nothing, and it does at least auto-protect and auto-scan a system. I suppose it's alright for those that don't want to manually initiate updating and scanning like what most alternative third party freeware requires.

Still though, I don't like it and luckily on XP there's a choice not to have it installed. I much prefer SUPERAntiSpyware Free Edition.

Corona · August 2, 2008, 6:42pm

You mean SUPERHappyFuntimeAntiSpyware? I never saw the 'wow' in that program. It never caught anything that Adaware or Spybot couldn't catch. And I don't even need them because I use CCleaner. :huh:

YoKenny · August 3, 2008, 12:23am

You mean SUPERHappyFuntimeAntiSpyware? I never saw the 'wow' in that program. It never caught anything that Adaware or Spybot couldn't catch.

I don't run them any more as all they find are cookies that I want to keep and even MBAM tells me I have 0 infections.

I do run Windows Defender that alerts me immediately if something is trying to add itself to any of the autorun registry entries and WinPatrol warns me in its own time as well.

Andavari · August 3, 2008, 6:45am

You mean SUPERHappyFuntimeAntiSpyware? I never saw the 'wow' in that program. It never caught anything that Adaware or Spybot couldn't catch. And I don't even need them because I use CCleaner.

I don't like the GUI in it at all and never have, the only reason I even have it installed is for the detection capabilities and the rather speedy full system scan time. I still use Spybot-S&D for its immunization feature, however I don't use Ad-Aware anymore.

CeeCee · August 3, 2008, 10:11am

however I don't use Ad-Aware anymore.

Ad-aware SE is basicly the only antispyware scanner, that i use (now a days). I like it. No false positives or any other crap. Nice and simple GUI. I tried 2007 version, when it came out, but didn't like it. I don't scan very often though, maybe once every month or every few months. I don't have any reason to scan more often, because i use safe browser (Opera) and don't install any crap. I don't wanna scan every week or EVERY DAY, just to find out, that there's 0 infections. It's just a waste of time and recourses, for me. But i'm not saying it's not good to scan often, for most people it's a good thing.