Windows Defender will not update after installation

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
Yes, I am having the same problem, and have tried all of the suggested items
I could find on this site.
Note, when follwing the http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=915105 procedure,
it asked if I wanted to uninstall my entire Defender. I naturally said No,
althought this was not mentioned in the notes.

I have two PCs, and it is only the second PC which did not successfully
update. The other one is fine. Can you tell me wher the Signatur file is
located, and then I can copy it across. From one PC to the other.

Many thanks for your help in advance.
 
Actually, I just tried saying Yes to the procedure, and it only uninstalled
(supposedly) the Signature information. However, I still have the same error
whenit tries to do the update, i.e. " Windows Defender was unable to complete
the update: 0x8024402c."
So, on this laptop PC, I am still stumped.
 
Can either of you go to Windows Update, do a custom scan, and see whether
Windows Defender definitions are offered?

Are these machines corporate ones--i.e. joined to a domain, and/or running
on a corporate network?

--
 
Thanks for your reply Bill

I have done the scan as suggested - Windows Defender definitions were
offered, and have been installed.

Do you think they will be able to be updated from W Def in future, or do I
have to do a scan?

My machine is joined to a corporate domain, but is not running on a
corperate network.

Very many thanks for your help
 
Within the program, definitions are received via AutoUpdate. In a corporate
setting, this may connect to an internal server which only dispenses patches
which have been fully tested in that environment. There are a number of
such mechanisms--the Microsoft product that can carry Windows Defender
definitions is called WSUS--but even if your company is running WSUS, the
administrators must still go through several configuration steps to allow
the Windows Defender definitions to be available to client machines.

If AutoUpdate works on your system, and connects directly to Microsoft,
updates within the program should work. If Autoupdate is restricted, or set
to connect to a corporate server (which it can't reach)--they won't.

--
 
I believe you are misinterpreting one prompt.

I just went through step one from that KB article on my machine.

It is true that the first prompt simply says "Do you want to uninstall this
product?" without specifying what product is involved. However, if you then
answer yes, the following dialogs all clearly reference Windows Defender
definitions/signatures.

So--please go back and try that set of steps again--they really are the
correct fix for this issue.

Again--what is being uninstalled is simply the current definition set, not
Windows Defender.

--
 
I have downloaded Windows Defender 2 some time ago, had no problem with it,
but now it tells me I have not updated it for 50 days: however on the Quick
Launch bar it is telling me it is up to date with a balloon notification.
Defender will also not do a fullscan for me. I uninstalled and re installed
but the same problem is still there - Is there a solution to this or will I
just uninstall the program and forget it all?
I went into Microsoft updates and it has updated the same update #KB915597
13 TIMES on Microsoft updates. I need help with this please?
 
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=915105

Use the resolution steps in this KB article. After going through those
steps, update once more--either within the program or via WindowsUpdate.

If you get an error message in the course of the steps in this KB article,
then:

Download the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility:

http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;290301

Install it, run it from start, all programs.

Remove "windows defender signatures"

Then update--as above.

-

--
 
Hi Bill, thanks for your help, I have uninstalled Defender 2, run Windows
Installer Cleanup, deleted Defender signatures you advised. I am sorry but
can't cope with programs that don't work for me. What miffs me is when I
first downloaded Defender 2 for weeks it gave me no problems at all, then
started 2 days ago to play up.
 
Can I point out that I didn't advise uninstalling Windows Defender?
Beta programs have bugs---some more annoying than others.

Running the cleanup program after uninstalling the program does not make
much sense to me--the purpose of that step is to resolve the update problem.
If you've uninstalled, you have no need to resolve the update issue.
--
 
I know you didn't advise uninstalling Windows Defender, but I did as I cannot
bother with programs that do not work for me. sorry...........I also realise
they have bugs, but spending hours trying to fix those are for gurus not me.
I ran the cleanup program to clear my system of any leftovers of Defender.
Is it possible to get rid of the 13 updates showing in Microsft update of
Defender 2 now it is no longer on my system..............I would appreciate
knowing that. Thanks Bill, I appreciate your time, but mine is valuable and
I have neither the time nor patience with Defender2
 
Uninstalling is fine--I'll never complain about doing that simply because
the time isn't available--definitely your privilege.

So--you've uninstalled, but Microsoft Update is still offering the
definition updates?

I'm not sure how to fix this. One thought is this, though:

http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;290301

In this KB article is a link to the installer cleanup tool.

Download, install, and run, via start, all programs. See whether any
Windows Defender related items (there would normally be two--both starting
with Windows Defender)--are listed. If they are, highlight and choose
Remove.

If the uninstall worked correctly, there shouldn't be installer items left
behind--but perhaps there are, and perhaps that is what is creating the
continued offer of definition updates.

I'd be interested to hear whether this helps. If it does not, I don't think
I have further suggestions that I can think of at the moment.

--
 
I think you have misunderstood me Bill OR I did not make myself clear to you.
Microsoft is not offering update definitions for Defender2, when I go into
Microsoft Update (although it is on "Automatic updates") there are 13
definition updates (KB915597) sitting there for Defender2, all the same
#/definition - and I would like to get rid of them on my "show updates
installed" within Microsoft Updates.
I have downloaded previously and used Windows installer Cleanup tool,
deleted the 2 leftovers and mentioned this to you in a previous post. You
commented you did not think it wise to run Windows installer cleanup tool if
I had uninstalled Defender 2. SO I am confused at the moment. However
running it did not delete the 13 definitions from Microsoft updates and
neither would I have expected it to - That was the point of my last post to
ask how I get rid of the 13? these all came about when I was trying to fix
Defender2 and it kept saying I was 51 days behind with my updating of the
program. That is when I lost patience and now I am lumbered with all these
definitions for Defender 2, in my Microsoft Updates............thanks
 
OK - let's see if I have this right now:

1) you'd like to not see the already installed (13!) updates which were
installed (or at least attempted) when you had Windows Defender
installed--in the history list under Microsft Update?

You can delete the entire history list, but I don't know of a way to delete
individual items from that list.

2) It seems to me that if AutoUpdate is still offering you updates for
Windows Defender, something is still amiss. I didn't mean to suggest that
the installer cleanup tool wasn't appropriate in that circumstance--if you
run it, and it shows Windows Defender related objects--by all means remove
them. If it does not, I think the fix would be to install Windows Defender,
perform the steps in this KB article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=915105

which should get definitions flowing properly again, and then remove it, via
add or remove programs.



--
 
Yes Bill you have it almost right!

Yes - to getting rid of the loathsome 13, but no to uninstalling all updates
in Microsoft Updates.

No - to Defender still offering updates.

No - to installing Defender 2 again. If you read many other forums, people
are having that much trouble with it, I wouldn't touch it at the moment. The
main trouble they are having is it is slowing down their computers.

That's about it Bill I appreciate your time and effort in answering my
queries, but there are so many spyware/malware/virus programs out there that
do work it is not worth my time to have one that does not..thanks sincerely.
 
You're welcome--and sorry that the product isn't in a state to meet your
needs at the moment.
--
 
Another item to try is to visit windowsupdate.com and verify updates can be
downloaded and installed there. I have seen a case where you need a
pre-requisite file, and as soon as that is installed, everything works as
planned.

--
-steve

Steve Dodson [MSFT]
Windows Defender Beta Lead
MCSE, CISSP
http://blogs.technet.com/stevedod
--

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

Note: For the benefit of the community-at-large, all responses to this
message are best directed to the newsgroup/thread from which they
originated.
 
I've seen that (in these groups) myself--Windows Update is my first
advice--the rest should only apply to "stuck" definition type situations.

--

Steve Dodson said:
Another item to try is to visit windowsupdate.com and verify updates can
be downloaded and installed there. I have seen a case where you need a
pre-requisite file, and as soon as that is installed, everything works as
planned.

--
-steve

Steve Dodson [MSFT]
Windows Defender Beta Lead
MCSE, CISSP
http://blogs.technet.com/stevedod
--

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

Note: For the benefit of the community-at-large, all responses to this
message are best directed to the newsgroup/thread from which they
originated.
Bill Sanderson said:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=915105

Use the resolution steps in this KB article. After going through those
steps, update once more--either within the program or via WindowsUpdate.

If you get an error message in the course of the steps in this KB
article, then:

Download the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility:

http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;290301

Install it, run it from start, all programs.

Remove "windows defender signatures"

Then update--as above.

-
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Agreed, this is probably a WSUS issue and the admins allow the computer
users to visit WU as well.

--
-steve

Steve Dodson [MSFT]
Windows Defender Beta Lead
MCSE, CISSP
http://blogs.technet.com/stevedod
--

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

Note: For the benefit of the community-at-large, all responses to this
message are best directed to the newsgroup/thread from which they
originated.
 
Back
Top