Windows Defender

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bill Ridgeway
  • Start date Start date
B

Bill Ridgeway

Windows Defender is showing a red flag and the message "Windows Defender
definitions haven't been updated in 14 days". When I click on "Check for
updates" it shows "Windows Defender is up-to-date with definitions and
engine upgrades". Indeed it does show the latest signature version as being
"1.13.1282.6 built on 23/02/2006 at 11:01".

Both these statements could be true if there haven't been any upgrades for
over 14 days. The apparently conflicting statements is worrying. It is
also worrying that there haven't been any upgrades for this length of time.
Is this because there haven't been any new spyware in that time or that
Microsoft is updating sporadically? If the latter is true this product
should not be depended upon.

Any comments please?

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
 
Bill Ridgeway said:
Windows Defender is showing a red flag and the message "Windows Defender
definitions haven't been updated in 14 days". When I click on "Check for
updates" it shows "Windows Defender is up-to-date with definitions and
engine upgrades". Indeed it does show the latest signature version as
being "1.13.1282.6 built on 23/02/2006 at 11:01".

Both these statements could be true if there haven't been any upgrades for
over 14 days. The apparently conflicting statements is worrying. It is
also worrying that there haven't been any upgrades for this length of
time. Is this because there haven't been any new spyware in that time or
that Microsoft is updating sporadically? If the latter is true this
product should not be depended upon.

Any comments please?

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
Click to expand...

Hmmm. My signature version is "1.14.1315.1 built on 3/8/2006 at 4:06AM".

Not sure what you do to fix -- might reload; also IIRC M$ has a news group
or a FAG tab on their download page that probably addresses the problem.

Robert
 
Have you updated XP lately. I believe Defender gets updated by XP update. It
is updated every Tuesday by Microsoft.
 
Thanks Woody and others.

Yes, I updated XP on 14/02 (patch Tuesday). However, I took your advice
and went into Microsoft Update and found an update to Windows Defender under
the 'Custom' / 'Optional' section. I would have thought that something as
important as Anti-Spyware would have been found in the 'Express' / 'High
Priority' section. Anyway having found and (supposedly) installed it and
re-booted it still insists that the previous version is the latest (a
blatant lie) and is over 15 days old (at least that is correct).

The plot thickens. I could, of course, re-install WD but I'm loosing
patience and confidence in it. This sort of software is, more than most,
something which needs to be trusted to work properly.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
 
The plot thickens. I could, of course, re-install WD but I'm loosing
patience and confidence in it. This sort of software is, more than most,
something which needs to be trusted to work properly.
Click to expand...

Another fine Microsoft product.

smackedass
 
Hi Dennis
What are they saying about it in the community/discussion group about these
annoying little problems
Antioch
 
Bill Ridgeway said:
Windows Defender is showing a red flag and the message "Windows
Defender definitions haven't been updated in 14 days". When I click
on "Check for updates" it shows "Windows Defender is up-to-date with
definitions and engine upgrades". Indeed it does show the latest
signature version as being "1.13.1282.6 built on 23/02/2006 at 11:01".

Both these statements could be true if there haven't been any
upgrades for over 14 days. The apparently conflicting statements is
worrying. It is also worrying that there haven't been any upgrades
for this length of time. Is this because there haven't been any new
spyware in that time or that Microsoft is updating sporadically? If
the latter is true this product should not be depended upon.

Any comments please?

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
Click to expand...

At this time, support for the beta version of Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware
is being provided through the following Microsoft newsgroups. You'll find
the Windows Defender experts there.

- microsoft.private.security.spyware.announcements
- microsoft.private.security.spyware.appcompat
- microsoft.private.security.spyware.general
- microsoft.private.security.spyware.install
- microsoft.private.security.spyware.networking
- microsoft.private.security.spyware.signatures
- microsoft.private.security.spyware.onlinecommunity

These newsgroups can be accessed via NNTP or HTTP.

To access these newsgroups using HTTP, please go to the following location:

http://communities.microsoft.com/newsgroups/default.asp?ICP=spyware&sLCID=us

To access these newsgroups using NNTP, please use the following information
for your NNTP client (such as Microsoft Outlook Express):

- NNTP Server: privatenews.microsoft.com
- Account name: privatenews\spyware
- Password: spyware

NOTE: No password will be required via the HTTP link

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE
Please respond in Newsgroup. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/
 
I have now uninstalled and re-installed Windows Defender. I have also,
supposedly updated it through Microsoft Update. The result? It is now
showing that WD is up-to-date and also, worse still, that it is version 1
and 44 days old. I have also made sure that my Firewall is not blocking
Windows Defender.

I have visited
http://communities.microsoft.com/newsgroups/default.asp?ICP=spyware&sLCID=us
as suggested by Frank but, unfortunately, there are no words of wisdom to be
found there.

I am now in a worse position than before and will probably look for
something else to give me spyware protection. That's not a good advert for
Windows Defender especially as its predecessor MSAS seemed to work OK. But
before I do that any words of wisdom on how to continue to use and update
Windows defender would be very much appreciated.

Thanks.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
 
Bill said:
I have now uninstalled and re-installed Windows Defender. I have also,
supposedly updated it through Microsoft Update. The result? It is now
showing that WD is up-to-date and also, worse still, that it is version 1
and 44 days old. I have also made sure that my Firewall is not blocking
Windows Defender.
Click to expand...
(Snipped)

I had exactly the problem you describe.
Although I wasn't getting any error message, I tried the fix detailed in:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;915105

"1. Remove the current signature file. To do this, click Start, click
Run, type Msiexec /x {A5CC2A09-E9D3-49EC-923D-03874BBD4C2C}, and then
click OK.
2. Open Windows Defender. To do this, click Start, click Programs, and
then click Windows Defender.
3. Check for new definitions. To do this, click the Help options arrow
next to the Windows Defender Help icon, click About Windows Defender,
and then click Check for Updates."

This worked for me, so its probably worthwhile trying.
 
It probably isn't a Windows Defender problem. There is probably some other
program on your system interfering with it. Probably DLL problems. Have you
researched MS knowledgebase? Completely remove it and try turning everything
off in MSCONFIG and install the latest beta from Microsoft. Someone put a
list here on removing it. Try it. I know a lot of systems that have it
running without problems, two are my own systems. Is it the only spyware
program you are running? There are many out there for free and otherwise.
 
Harold,

Thanks. That worked. What a palaver!. I hope I don't have to do that too
often. Is this one for the boffins at Microsoft to iron out?

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
 
PA said:
As suggested earlier in this thread:
Click to expand...

Indeed you did PA Bear and I didn't notice it, nor apparently did Bill.
I think the explanation is that you posted it as a seperate message in
the thread, rather than a reply to Bill's query. So instead of appearing
in sequence it is forever the very last post in the thread. Its even
below the one I'm replying to. At least it is in my T/Bird set-up, and I
suspect its the same in OE6.
 
PA Bear wrote:
(Amongst other things)
3. Microsoft has established separate newsgroups for Windows Defender
Beta2 support and comments. This is not one of them.
Click to expand...

No but I, for one, was once ridiculed on a Microsoft newsgroup by MSVPs
who were wrong and should have known better. No way I'd go back to
them.
Newsgroups like this one and GRC are far more user-friendly.
JMHO
 
Harold said:
Indeed you did PA Bear and I didn't notice it, nor apparently did Bill.
I think the explanation is that you posted it as a seperate message in
the thread, rather than a reply to Bill's query. So instead of appearing
in sequence it is forever the very last post in the thread. Its even
below the one I'm replying to. At least it is in my T/Bird set-up, and I
suspect its the same in OE6.
Click to expand...

I posted a reply to Bill's post, not in a "separate message in the thread":

1. Try the Resolution in this KB article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=915105

2. To update Defender manually, visit Windows Update.

3. Microsoft has established separate newsgroups for Windows Defender
Beta2 support and comments. This is not one of them.

See
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/newsgroups/default.mspx
Click to expand...
</paste>
 
Harold said:
PA Bear wrote:
(Amongst other things)


No but I, for one, was once ridiculed on a Microsoft newsgroup by
MSVPs who were wrong and should have known better. No way I'd go back
to them.
Newsgroups like this one and GRC are far more user-friendly.
JMHO
Click to expand...

Then why didn't you remove microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers from your
posts?

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
Please respond in Newsgroup. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/
 
Back
Top