Sarah’s confusion about Windows Defender is justified
I was reading the cloud eight issue #485 and it says that windows 8 has defender on it so you do not need any other virus software. my question is I have vista and I also have windows defender so does that mean I do not need anything else? right now I have McAfee but i did purchase your care keys so when it is ready to expire I will be getting in touch with you to remove it from my system.
Our answer
Hi Sarah. We can understand your confusion over Windows Defender. Microsoft’s original antivirus/antispyware was called Windows Defender (the one you have on Vista). It was pretty bad and widely panned and its protection wasn’t even marginally adequate. Microsoft abandoned Windows Defender and introduced Microsoft Security Essentials, which is much better and quite effective, and of course, we do recommend it. But for some odd reason that we don’t understand, when Microsoft introduced Windows 8, an antivirus and antispyware called Windows Defender was included. But the Defender in Windows 8 is a newer version of Microsoft Security Essentials, and not in anyway related to the Windows Defender of old. Essentially, Windows Defender in Windows 8 is the same as Microsoft Security Essentials.
Don’t use Windows Defender that comes with Windows Vista as your antivirus/antispyware. Install, if you haven’t already, Microsoft Security Essentials. Don’t trust your computer to the old Windows Defender.
I have used MSE for a couple of years now and whenever I log into my account Windows Defender shows up. I have to close it out to get rid of it but it won’t close out until it has been loaded. I don’t get it.
Mike, it sounds like you need to purchase a Cloudeight Direct computer repair key and let TC and EB fix your computer!
I have Windows Vista Home Premium w/ IE9. I have Windows Defender installed and found it to work good. I had read your claim to Windows Security Essentials being better, but when i uninstalled Defender and installed MSE, it slowed down my Windows terribly. I then read the new Defender was better than MSE, so i reinstalled it! I seem good again except for the latest supposed hacks on the Internet and Facebook, as well as poor Verizon wireless connections up here in rural MT.
thank you again for your expertise as i have learned a lot from you since ’96, as well as my own experiences.
Happy Trails, J
Michael, I have windows defender on my windows 7 comp and if you type in windows defender in the search bar on the start menu you can turn off the windows defender like I did that is how I got it to stop working you can try that.
Thanks for help.
That was easy Anne.