Windows Defender

[xortam]

Anybody using Microsoft Windows Defender beta (anti-spyware)? Is this the best blocker to use on W2K or would you recommend something else, like CounterSpy?

[schmosef]

It's predecessor, MS AntiSpyware, seemed like the best blocker to me. The best removal tool these days seems like Spy Sweeper, which is free for that purpose.

I'm not sure if Windows Defender is any better or worse than MS AntiSpyware.

I'm just surpised that my installs of MS AntiSpyware haven't ask to update themselves to Windows Defender. I've had to do it manually.

[lecter]

Using it and loving it...it's now a service and it's extremely unobtrusive, only coming up if you really are about to install some spyware...it also provides an excellent view of ALL the processes running on the system.

[Jessterw]

I like that it became a service and was rewritten in general (yep, it was once a Visual Basic-based application), so it seems to drag the system down just that little bit less (not that it really did to begin with). I don't like that it has become more nagging and more obtrusive. I really wish the Allow/Whatever else box was more in the style of a systray popup that would allow for a far easier setting, with the option to obtain more information that is available in the current window. The current window appears geared for times where you have multiple events occuring that need to be dealt with, and it works great for that, or at least I assume it does as I never get multiple items.

[dbdg]

Using it and loving it...it's now a service and it's extremely unobtrusive, only coming up if you really are about to install some spyware...it also provides an excellent view of ALL the processes running on the system.

Same here, running defender and onecare at the moment.

[VJ]

I just installed it (learned about it from this thread), and it looks fine.

(I had no active spyware protection, only an antivirus and a firewall)


Jörg

[cjolley]

Thumbs up for it from here too.
Been using it since it cam out.
Seems to work very well.

[Gurm]

What's the performance hit with it?

I've been using Spy Sweeper, but I was rather disappointed when Spy Sweeper 4 was MUCH more resource-hungry than Spy Sweeper 3 was, so I don't run the active shield any more...

[dbdg]

Not noticeable.

I'm running Defender and Onecare (after uninstalling AVG Pro) and I haven't noticed any performance decreases.

[lecter]

I'm running the same combo as dbdg, also very pleased with the resource usage

[cjolley]

I was using that combo with good results too.
Until I ghosted onto a new larger HD and OneCare got so gorked up it couldn't be fixed even after uninstalling and reinstalling* .
Now I am running Defender with AVG Free and am really impressed with the combo.


*Really the whole thing is so screwed up I'm going to format and reinstall when I get a chance.

[Gurm]

I'd be running it with NOD32, because AVG Free has become a pig.

Not a gigantic bloated hand-fed pig like Norton or McAfee, but a pig nonetheless!

[cjolley]

...NOD32...

That is just WAY too much money.

[Gurm]

That is just WAY too much money.

What is this "money" of which you speak?

[cjolley]

Oh...