How to remove Windows Defender from Vista
Thu Oct 16, 2008 2:10PM EDT
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Reader Harry writes: Chris, can you please tell me how to get Defender off my Vista PC. It's not in the remove programs area. Thanks.
Want to get rid of the mostly useless Windows Defender security tool from your Vista computer? Ha! Microsoft tricked you! You won't find Defender in the Programs and Features control panel because you can't uninstall the tool, at least not without serious (and unnecessary) headaches. Deleting the Defender executables can cause your computer to throw out error messages, so actually removing the code from your machine is not advised.
There's a way to get rid of it that's just as good as uninstalling it, though. Here's what to do:
> Make sure you are logged in with an Administrator-level account. Run Windows Defender by launching it through the Start > All Programs menu.
> Click Tools, then click Options.
> The tricky part: Scroll down on this page all the way to the bottom. Here you'll see a check box that reads "Use Windows Defender." First uncheck "Allow everyone to use Windows Defender" (optional if you are logged in with your regular account) then uncheck "Use Windows Defender." Click Save and you're done. (See screenshot above for what this looks like.)
> One last step: Reboot and you'll get a pop-up warning you that Defender is turned off. To disable this pop-up, launch the Security Center Control Panel. Click "Malware protection" to expand it. Under "Spyware and other malware protection"you'll see "Windows Defender is turned off." Click "Show me my available options" then click "I have an antispyware program that I'll monitor myself." (Better yet, install an actual antispyware program! You still need protection!)
Comments on How to remove Windows Defender from Vista
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2 Posted by rogueist on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:49PM EDT Report Abuse
Even if you "turn off" Windows Defender, it actually consists of several services along with the front end. When you "turn off" Windows Defender, only the front end is turned off, not the system services all associated with it. Those still load and run in the background. And they are essential system services too - they handle system logins and password managment and network services and more.
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3 Posted by cnull on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:27PM EDT Report Abuse
rogueist - if Defender is off, the Defender service turns off. The services you're looking at are not, as you note, devoted solely to Defender and are needed for some basic operations, so users should not mess with them.
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4 Posted by tim_laplaca on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:10PM EDT Report Abuse
I would have agreed Defender is useless, until a few days ago, when it managed to clear a Trojan from my PC that AVG, AdAware, and SpyBotS&D all failed to completely remove (although I think they all detected it). To be fair, though, it may have taken all of those tools to get rid of it, and Defender alone may not have done the trick. I'm sure it helped, though.
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5 Posted by shadowman_26 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:15PM EDT Report Abuse
linuxdad......is all that really necessary? I mean c'mon. If Linux was any good in the first place, wouldn't it have more than maybe a 1% market share? 1% since 1991.....yea, that's an OS I would just love to use. NOT!
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6 Posted by kfabz on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:50PM EDT Report Abuse
Thanks for this tip Chris. I've had to battle with Defender for ages without results, even using autorun didn't help. What with the nagging daily updates that are lame and ineffective, just eating up my computer memory. I use Spybot and Ad-Aware to deal spywares and they are effective. Thanks again.
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7 Posted by avistarn on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:59PM EDT Report Abuse
Internet security is vital, wheter it is AVG, defender/onecare, or whatever. None are 100% though. You still have to be a smart user. And linux is a GREAT.............tool...not much of an OS.
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8 Posted by smnblson on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:30PM EDT Report Abuse
My pc was also infected by a trojan virus and my up-to-date paid antivirus program was ineffective. Both the Windows removal tool and Defender cleaned up the virus. I'm usually skeptical about Windows free programs but in this case it proved to be the best solution -- even better than paid services. I use it to scan my disk frequently.
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9 Posted by yangashi1986 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:54PM EDT Report Abuse
i can't play games on linux,so no thanks,heck it takes me 1hour to do one thing in linux while in winxp i do it in 10 minutes
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10 Posted by robersonwareagle on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:45PM EDT Report Abuse
How do I remove it from Windows that is not VISTA?
1 Posted by linuxdad on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:53PM EDT Report Abuse
Shush everyone be quite, there is sound out there. Its just a low rumble but its getting nearer, moving a bit faster. I can hear it, just can't see it. I can feel it from the ground, its coming. I can just barely see it. It doesn't look like, like any thing that needs Defender. Wait its getting clearer, there isn't any anti-virus on it at all, none! Louder, speeder. Look how maneuverable it is and still coming. OH my its small yet robust and free The ground is shaking firmer now, its getting closer.There it is! It's Linux!