Removal of Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta 1/possible problem

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Guest

To date no one has answered my question. I assume no one has an answer. In
addition Defender was causing constant unauthorized access to Symantec
program SYMUNDO.EXE causing multiple error records.
I contacted Microsoft Customer Service, RTCProd=011-866-544, to make them
aware of the problem. I have since removed Defender from my system until a
later version comes out. Thanks for listening.
 
If the beta causes problems on your system, removing it is the correct
remedy. Microsoft is aware of these log records, and I'm not aware of any
workaround except turning off the Symantec feature that results in these log
entries.
 
Please tell me how to get completly rid of Windows Defender from my system. I
thought I was installing a routine update to the Beta of MS Anti-Spyware and
instead now I've got this resource hog on my machine that I can't control and
can't figure out how to be rid of. The use of my machine has been
significantly impaired by Windows Defender and I really, really want to be
rid of it.

Thank you,
 
Please disable any antivirus software, or other software which might
intefere with a program installation or uninstallation, and go to add or
remove programs, scroll to Windows Defender, and choose remove.

--
 
I tired all that before I posted. Here are more details.

The beta of Anti-Spyware had been on my computer for months without problem.
I had control over updates, hard-drive scans, etc. It seemed to be doing its
job without interferring with anything else. A few days ago I got a message
from Microsoft there was an "update" which I trustingly installed.

The "update" was in effect a replacement program called "Windows Defender."
From the moment of installation I've had lesser performance from my machine.
The first thing I noticed after installing was the lack of a desktop icon for
Windows Defender. The update had removed the old desktop icon for
Anti-Spyware. I tried clicking on START and going to the programs list, but
I couldn't find Windows Defender. This was all within minutes of
installation. I know that Windows Defender was installed because I watched
the screen while it installed.

I play online games (Everquest). After installing the Windows Defender
"update" I began noticing unusual activity while playing. There would
suddenly become lots of traffic and activity on my machine that couldn't be
explained by anything I was doing. This happened several consecutive nights
all at about the same time. The ONLY change I had made to my machine was
Microsoft updates/Windows Defender, and this started right after I had
installed Windows Defender. (There was an update to Windows at about the same
time as the Windows Defender update.)

Before attempting to remove Windows Defender, I disabled my anti-virus
program and Zone Alarm's firewall. I then went to the Control Panel,
selected add/remove, but couldn't find Windows Defender to remove. During
this attepted removal, I inadvertantly removed several optional windows
components that I'd rather have kept, thinking that one of them might be the
key to removing Windows Defender.

I routinely keep my virus definitions and other protection software up to
date and regularly run full hard-drive scans. My Windows updates are current.
It's unlikely I have a virus or malware on this computer. If there is one,
it got past a lot of defenses.

I'm pretty much an ordinary user without any special knowledge of computers.
I am though, reasonably diligent with keeping my computer's protection
software current. Nonetheless, when the only changes to a machine are updates
from Microsoft and the machine starts behaving curiously after those updates,
the logical place to look first for the problem is in the changes those
updates made.

Would this possibly work? Going to the Windows Defender website,
downloading a new copy of the program, and see if that fixes the problems?
Something would seem to have gone wrong with the installation via the
"update." Would a new installation at least get me back to the point where
Windows Defender shows up on my programs list? If Windows Defender can be
made to work with the other programs I use, then it sounds like it might be
potentionally useful. Otherwise, I'd like to be rid of it.

Thanks,
 
Thanks--that's much clearer. You've got several issues, one of which is an
incomplete installation.

And, I agree with your thoughts about a first attempt at improving on this
situation--do a new download from the download center (you can find it
easily at www.microsoft.com)--and attempt an install over what you now have
in place.

If this fails with an error message, write back--there are ways to get this
repaired.

I think some of your other observations are likely due to the new
architecture of the system, and perhaps settings choices--but let's see if
we can get it installed well first--and yes, getting it properly installed
would be the first step towards removing it cleanly, if that turns out to be
your desired direction.

--
 
I went to Windows main site and downloaded a new copy of Windows Defender and
saved it to my hard drive. When I tried to install, I couldn't, because it
said there was another copy already on my machine. It said to use Add/Remove
to remove the old copy, which as I mentioned earlier I can't do because
Windows Defender doesn't show up on my programs list.

Meanwhile, I received an auto-update notification of new Windows Defender
definitions, which I installed without problem. Hoped that might fix the
programs list problem, but it didn't.

Please advise next steps to take to complete installation of Windows
Defender, or, preferably how to uninstall the partial version that's on my
computer now. (see earlier messages for details.) Thanks.
 
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