RSSMicrosoft Awkwardly Refreshes Windows Defender
By Nate Mook and Scott M. Fulton, III | Published March 15, 2007, 2:28 PM
4:50 pm March 16, 2007 - For largely unexplained reasons, an edition of Microsoft's Windows Defender anti-malware package numbered 7.0 - way out of sequence - was made available for a brief period late Thursday, and continues to make the rounds through cached databases, including our own FileForum. Late this afternoon, BetaNews located an active link to it on Microsoft's downloads section.
While "version 7.0" appeared to be a legitimate version of Windows Defender, in fact, it's just a refreshed build. Many press sources, including BetaNews, were informed it was a significant update, and we reported it as such. But knowledgeable readers after having downloaded it from us and elsewhere spotted something fishy, and once again, they were right: The "new" Defender is really just a new build, version 1.1.1593.
In the meantime, one blog presented a list of features of "version 7.0" apparently provided to it by someone at Microsoft, including "a redesigned and simplified user interface." And a prominent British site even published a review of version 7, since it was, after all, a real piece of software - if only for less than a day.
The company later explained the version jump was a mistake.
Windows Defender supports 64-bit operating systems, but no longer runs on Windows 2000, because Microsoft says the aging operating system has left mainstream support. WGA checking will also be enforced, meaning that Windows Defender will only remove "Severe" threats from computers that do not pass validation. Windows Defender 1.1.1593 can be downloaded from FileForum.
What gets me is that you people are actually USING this pos.
Ah, well. Party on, Garth
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|What would you recommend in its place? I'm using a mix of several including SpyBot, SpySweeper, and AdAware. Each finds something the others don't, so to me they all seem like a part of the solution, but none seem like a complete solution.
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|Yes because having done lots of tech support I can say this. Windows Defender works, very well.
I hate MS and at home I use both Macs (by preference) and PCs, I use Windows Defender.
I also do Tech support and at this point recommend Defender over either Adaware or spybot. Its been that good in my testing.
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|The version I downloaded TODAY at 10:30 AM ET says version 7.0 on the download page itself. This is after I validated with WGA and proceeded to the download button. The file itself doesn't say that, it says version 1.1.1593.14.
Regardless: Who cares? Solaris jumped from 2 to 5 or 7. WinAmp jumped from 3 to 5. Java runtime jumped from 1.x to 5. Who cares. Is it *really* that important? If you stare at the version number that intently, they'll pick your pockets and rob your house. :)
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|Version 1.1.1593 is released since months!!!
If you still have the old 1.1.1592 you were sleeping... because 1.1.1593 has been released on November 2006 (http://www.softpedia.com...ndows-AntiSpyware.shtml) :-)
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|This week's release is actually 1.1.1593.14 (not just 1.1.1593).
Size of the current release is 5,154,816 bytes, digitally signed March 8, 2007.
The 1.1.1593 release was 5,186,048 bytes, digitally signed November 3, 2006.
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|OK. Thanks
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|I'm going to have to agree with everyone else. The copy I got from MS site doesn't say anything about version 7 when installed - it says 1.1.1593
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|They are probably going to use the version 7 for marketing, or they haven't gotten around to changing it in the program yet. It definately says Version 7.0 right on their site though.
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|Aah boy, damn I hate Microsoft...thank god for my brand new Mac Pro! Spyware?? Who gives a s***! I'm glad I'm done with all their garbage.
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|lol. relax grasshopper
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|wtf? per the instructions, i uninstalled 1.1.1592 from my system and installed the file from fileforum and got version 1.1.1593. i then installed the one from MS website and still have version 1.1.1593 even though the MS website says i'm downloading version 7? what's going on here????
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|Windows Defender Version: 1.1.1505.0
Engine Version: 1.1.2306.0
Definition Version: 1.16.2344.6
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|after uninstalling defender and installing this new version, i notice nothing differnt. it does not say anywhere version 7. why couldnt we just upgrade? what the hell was the point of this?
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|The page says 7... What I thought was interesting is that Vista is not listed as a supported OS. My new machine with Vista Ultimate seems to have 1.1.1505.0
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|Windows Defender is integrated into Vista, the standalone versions are for Windows XP and 2003 only. I imagine there will be a separate update for Vista.
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|The version of Defender in Vista is equivalent to the newest available for
XP - there's no need to update it.
The version numbers are different, which is confusing.
You have the latest Defender code for Vista, and it does what the XP code
does, and more, because of additional capabilities in the underlying OS.
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|That's idiotic. Why would they (knowingly) apply different version numbers to the same product, with "equivalent" code, but for different hosts? They don't mark Office 2007 different versions for XP and Vista. Maybe I missed that day of class at college.
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|If you read the FileForum Page it says:
Note: If you have version 1.1.1592.0, you must first manually uninstall Windows Defender before you can install this newer version. To configure or remove the existing version, use Add/Remove programs in the Control Panel.
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|I'm guessing they have the wrong version here - I went over to Microsoft's site and they have the correct version there. Here's the URL:
http://www.microsoft.com...lang=en&mg_id=10134
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|Right under quick details:
"Version: 7.0"
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|wtf? It is version 1.1.1593 (yes I downloaded it). Beta News got the wrong file or bought into MSN hype again. The auto update takes it from 1.1.1592 to 1.1.1593 just fine.
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|Mine says 1.1.1592.0. I guess I need to update.
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|If you still have the old 1.1.1592 you were sleeping this months... because 1.1.1593 has been released on November 2006
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|It reports,
Windows Defender Version: 1.1.1593.0
What crack are you on?
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|It's the same version I've been running since the beginning of January...1.1.1593. The install file size is a tad bit smaller, but other than that, no discernable changes at all.
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|I did not notice any "Version 7" identification either, maybe that's reserved for the 64-bit version? Looks like the same ol' Defender to me.
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|i assume it has something to do with internet explorer 7,
at some point they will integrate them both no doubt, again to attack other browsers, as they don't like that other browsers from gaining protection from there software,
typical strategy from MS
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|I thought it was a big jump too but worthy of front page beta news? I think not.
Anyhoo....Mine's still 1.1.1593 (up from 1.1.1592), is there anywhere within the program itself that I can see a version 7? Because if not then it's really kinda silly isn't it?
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|well..thats just gay. i can't find no where in uninstall program, to uninstall the older version of it. Why doesn't vista upgrade to the version 7 from microsoft? i try to install it and it told me "it already has vista version of windows defender on it". Then it quit installation. No way to uninstall & no way to install it in vista. Microsoft needs to do something better than this foolishness...:/
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|The Vista version will probably be part of Service Pack 1 by the end of 2007 or sometime in 2008.
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