Is Windows Defender worth keeping?

Question

I have several antispyware programs installed which include the following:
Ad-aware (Free)
Spybot Search and Destroy
Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite (includes antispyware)
and Windows Defender

I've had Windows Defender for a few days now and so far it hasn't detected any spyware despite other antispyware programs doing so. Is it worth keeping and also would Windows Defender affect the other antispyware programs?

PROS: It's free.

CONS: It's slow
It's very IE-centric
It doesn't seem to find anything

Answer 1

Windows Defender finds nothing. Just uses up your resources. Even the experts will tell you that Windows Defender free is garbage. Get rid of it. If you have the resources download http://www.grisoft.com AVG free antispyware version for home use. Scans 271,000 objects in my system. I actually have the purchased version, but I prefer the free version as the free uses little or no resources.

The purchased version has the guard with auto updates. An I have yet to see any guard with antispyware stop spyware in it's tracks. So the guard in my opinon no matter what antispyware program used is worthless.

Minddoctor, France.

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

I think Windows Defender hasn't detected any spyware because it does not consider the spywares that the other anti spyware programs detected as threats. Eg. The 'questionmarket' cookie is considered low risk according to the Norton Anti Spyware Scan provided by Yahoo but considered medium risk by AVG Anti Spyware program. And Windows Defender consider it as no risk... But W D is very good at detecting changes to your computer settings made by other programs or applications during installations. I have use WD for a few months already and it has helped me in deciding whether to install certain programs or not. If a program make too many changes to my settings I will remove that program.

Answer 4

I've also had Windows Defender for several days, and decided to uninstall it as SpyBot and Ad-Aware are doing a better job of catching spyware. The newest version of SpyBot has something called Tea Timer, which catches spyware before it gets into the registry and gives you the choice of letting it into the registry, or stopping it. Since I don't want my registry invaded for any reason, I have stopped them.

Answer 5

Windows Defender is ok i guess you have good security on there if you think Windows Defender not all that good then delete it
anitspyware blocker & A-squared .are free to use and there verry good i my self remove Windows Defender . it does not affect the other antispyware programs

Answer 6

i don't know why every physique might inform you homestead windows defender is high quality. that's no longer in case you truly know what you're doing then it relatively is. however the shown fact which you ask skill you don't know sufficient. Kaspersky or Norton are super possibilities. extra suitable than any of the unfastened anti-virus accessible. yet once you at the instant are not a severe possibility person, between the unfastened possibilities are extra effective than stable sufficient. Avast unfastened, AVG unfastened, Bitdefender unfastened. Avast could be my first %.. Why might somebody propose homestead windows secure practices? because of fact they are not up on contemporary secure practices classes. in the event that they have been they might know that interior the final 6 months homestead windows has been failing in checks on the sorting out labs. that's why it relatively is a physically powerful thought to check your secure practices classes each and in line with annum.

Answer 7

There is no anti-spyware that will catch all threats. Unlike antivirus software you CAN run multiple antispyware products. Personally I'd keep them all.

Answer 8

I have it to and i'm thinking about deleting it. It's a pain in the butt. Auto downloads and takes forever to run a complete scan. I'm beginning to think it's not worth the hassles.