Windows Defender Auto Scan Dont Work

I have read several threads about windows defender beta 2 auto scan Dont work. Mine has never worked either. Every 2-3 days I have to do a manuel scan.Everthing is optioned correctly. Has microsoft fixed this bug. 1 thread
said microsoft has a hot fix , if you have a retail version. What is a retail
version ?

XP Home Edition SP2

 

JAY R--Windows Defender is no longer beta. Maybe the final version will work better for you.
Get the latest version free here
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
Uninstall the old version before installing the new.

WD auto scans can be very short (depending on how you set WD up) and often run in the background so you never see them. You can check the date and time of the last scan at the bottom of the WD window under Status.

 

Downloaded the lastest version of windows defender and auto scan still
does not work,,, I give up.

 

Check your settings under Tools, Options.
The definition update is done, if set so, prior to a scan.

Schedule a scan, and you schedule the definition update.

In the alternative, set Windows Update to update automaticly and install the updates.

 

Thanks Bill for the help

Are you saying, I should check the box asking if I want to do a definition
update before an auto scan ? Windows Xp is set to do auto updates , and
the update log shows some of the installed definitions updates were for defender.
Everything is up to date.

I am running Norton Internet Security/antispam/antivirus , I wonder if its blocking Defender
from doing auto scans ? I am going to turn Norton off and schedule a scan in a few minutes.
I will let you know what happens,,, Thanks again

 

Scheduled a 2 pm auto scan for Defender with Norton turned off.
Defender did not run.,,,,, I give up.

 

I have to plead somewhat ignorant here because I don't use defender. So, I have to ask, does windows defender use Window's task scheduler for it's scheduled scans? If so, I would think the scan would fail if you don't use a password when you logon to Windows. Without a tweak, XP's task scheduler won't run on an account that doesn't have a password. Also, if the task scheduler service was disabled it would fail to run the task regardless of whether you logon with password or not.

I really don't know if this is related to this problem or not but perhaps somebody that has defender knows whether it uses task scheduler or not. The thought occurred to me so I decided to mention it just in case.

 

JAY R--How do you know Windows Defender is not scanning? On the WD Home page at the bottom under Status you can see the last time a scan was run. As mentioned, WD scans run in the background (in my experience) and you may not notice they are happening. Of course your PC must be turned on at the time of the scan.
I assume you are setting up the schedule for WD scans by clicking Tools|Options in the WD Home window.
As you probably know, WD does not automatically notify you of updates to the program, only updates to the definitions (which notification comes from Windows Update). Do not know when/if MS will fix that. You can check for engine updates manually by clicking the little down arrow at the right of the WD Toolbar (next to the question mark) then "Check for Updates ". That will also get you any definition updates.

 

Thanks Armestier and zander for your help.

I do check at the bottom of the WD page , for the last scanned date.
the date only changes when I do a manuel scan. The computer is left
on all the time. And yes, Xp does automatically update the definitions, not
the program. I dont think windows task scheduler is involved in this.

Thanks

Jay R

 

Well, I just did a quick search and found this. I haven't looked any further but if this person is right, it would appear that it does use windows task scheduler. Try scheduling it to run and then have a look in scheduled tasks in the control panel to see if there's one there for it.

Found here.

 

Be careful, as Windows Defender Final does not act the same way as did Windows Anti-spyware Betas.

It does use the Task Scheduler for scans. (Handled "in-house" by its own service engine: "\Program Files\Windows Defender\MsMpEng.exe" You so have to set Task Scheduler, Advanced tab, to show hidden tasks to see the entry.

It does not use the Task Scheduler for definition updates. (Done by the Windows Update service, which does not use the Task Scheduler.)

Check your Event Logs under System, as this is where Defender reporting is made. You may find that the scan was stopped for an error. The defender status page only shows completed scans.

If you have your computer set to stand-by or hibernate, please advise. You should at least set the Scheduled task to wake the computer to run the task. In Scheduled Tasks, right click the MP task, Properties, and click the Settings tab. Checkmark at the bottom to wake the computer.

Remember that scheduled tasks cannot run if you do not have a password associated with your username.

Some AV programs will remove entries made to Scheduled Tasks by anyone other than as you, as logged in user. This includes Defender schedules; e.g. McAfee.

If you are running a registry cleaner like CCleaner and have the Windows Defender cleanup option checked, the effect is to clean out your Defender history of past scans, so Defender could be confused as to when the last scan was actually run.

The System Event Log should show any underlying issues with the scan.

 

JAY R
You haven't said whether you use a password or not but I'll add this just in case. If nothing else, perhaps somebody else can benefit from it.

If you don't have a password for your username account in Windows you can get still get task scheduler to work. Download and run the script on line 67, left side.

Run Scheduled Tasks w/o PW

For those that have XP Pro, you can click start>all programs>administrative tools>local security policy. In the window that opens go to local policies>security options and look in the right pane for an entry that says "accounts: limit local account use of blank passwords to console logon only ". Double click on it and then select disabled.

If you do either of the above, task scheduler will run as it should regardless of whether you use a password to logon to windows or not.

 

Windows Defender by default schedules tasks using NT Authority -- Local SYSTEM, and a password for the user should not matter.

I noted the above because the Defender Newsgroups show this as a sometimes issue, I suspect after a user edit of the schedule task object itself. It is easy enough to remove the local system authority as the author of the task inadvertantly.

Remember too that removing the requirement for a password, as you showed how above, introduces a fairly serious security breach in the NT security model. It opens the workstation to any anonymous access, including remote access. With Simple File Sharing enabled, the Group Guest has relatively limited things it can do because of Share restrictions. However, because most users do not tend to set passwords on user Administrator, for example, I would at least recommend that passwords then be set for Administrator as an added step if you are going to remove the restriction on the use of blank passwords to the local console logon only. This still exposes username 'Joe' or whatever due to the empty password.

 

I dont use a user password . Its a home computer , I am the only one that
uses it. 2/3 of the home computers in america, probably dont use one.
I dont have any task set up for task scheduler to run, this computer is
not set up to hibernate. task scheduler is enabled. I will look further into this
task scheduler event log and let you know, real soon.

Thanks

Jay R

 

I sincerely hope you are wrong in this estimate. It is easy enough to enable a password, and easy enough to create an Autologon. The password has broad security implications for your system. Use it. You obviously connect to the internet. It is from there that not having a password exposes you, not additional users in your own home.

Control Panel, Scheduled Tasks
Advanced tab, Show hidden tasks.

An MP entry should show. This is created by Defender.

Check that the Task Scheduler is running: Start, Run, Services.msc Look at the entry for "Task Scheduler" it must be running, and its startup desposition set to Automatic.

Edited to clarify the service object asked to be checked.

 

Problem Solved !!!!!
Task scheduler was disabled,,, I enabled it and Defender auto scanned at 3pm as scheduled. No where in defenders setup does it say Task scheduler has
to be enabled before Auto Scan will work. I guess microsoft left that out.
I have a DsL internet auto login with password. Task scheduler is working
without a windows xp administrator log in and password. Bill, Zane and others
thanks for all your help,,, what a relief, I had been doing manuel scans for a year.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308558


Thanks Again
Jay R

 

Glad to hear you got it sorted out finally.

 

Your DSL username and password are not relevent to the security of your machine. They just ensure you are a paid user of the DSL service.

As I mentioned above, the default for Windows Defender is to schedule tasks under NT Authortity -- the local system account. The reason I asked to check the setting is that many people have inadvertantly changed this setting. In doing so, a username with password would be required, or the Zander changes made.

 

My Windows Defender also does not auto scan. I went through everything on this thread.

Anyway I have had this problem for a long time, so if your bored and have nothing better to do, please read through the following thread

http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=54224

It should explain everything I have tryed so far.