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[Does Windows Defender conflict with Spybot and / or Ad-Aware 2008?]
This might have come up before but since I am a newish member to this site I would appreciate your comments.
If or before I download "Windows Defender" from M/S, would this program conflict with Spybot and / or Ad-Aware 2008 which I have installed and use weekly.
What are the members views on this product and do I need it.
Thank you
Last edited by Jacobowicz; 30th July 2008 at 09:31.
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I have seen no conflicts between Windows Defender and AdAware/Spybot - I run all 3 on my laptop and have done so for several years without issue.
Whereas Spybot gives a degree of permanent protection through Immunize and an on demand scanning facility and AdAware(free version) is basically an on demand scanner, Windows Defender gives real time protection in addition to scanning facilities.
Thank you so very much for your prompt response and your comments I have taken on board.
However I have read in some of the posts from 'members' under this heading "Windows Defender", that there have been problems with Defender although the dates shown are during 2006 / 2007.
Furthermore I have been directed by one of your member in Nottingham, something angle or other, who is a friend of mine, to a site called "The Register" where an article entitled "Windows Defender Spyware-blocking under fire (again)" written by John Leyden on 20 February 2007.
Based on this information, do you still stand by your most helpful comments.
Based on this information, do you still stand by your most helpful comments.
Yes in as far as I have had no issues as noted above and especially in the light of this quote from the article ....
Quote:
However since PC Tools hired Enex to conduct the tests they inevitably carry less authority than would be the case if they were done completely independently.
I should perhaps have added that I also have SpywareBlaster installed - an ideal companion to Spybot and do not remember the last time any of the programs found more than a single item, usually a harmless tracking cookie.
I use CounterSpy in conjunction with the other 3 programs on my desktop which is connected to the internet for most of the day and the only thing that CounterSpy's daily scan pulls up is the odd tracking cookie, generally the com.com cookie from CNet
CounterSpy is pay, WD is Freeware and included in Vista.
Very occasionally, but AdAware and Spybot rarely catch anything either - there is nothing to catch, my other defences see to that -SpywareBlaster, custom Hosts file, IESpyads.
I am happy with Spybot, Ad-Aware 2008, Avast etc..... so there is no problem with Defender.
Remember James it was the Americans who gave birth to Windows Defender so do not knock your own country. Can you ever get anything right, first time and every time. I doubt it.
Pete: I remember using Windows Defender when it was Giant Anti-spyware. Even then it seldom caught anything. At one time I was running WD, Spybot, Ad-aware and Counterspy (yeah... a bit paranoid I suppose) and finding that months would go by with hardly a catch other than a few inconsequential tracking cookies. When my wife and I purchased our new computers three weeks ago, they came with Spysweeper and McAfee and I decided then and there to run with only these two programs. To date McAfee has caught nothing and Spysweeper but a few cookies. We sit behind a hardware firewall so frankly, I can't see the point of activating WD (which came with the Vista OS).
Windows Defender
Windows Defender
Windows Defender
