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Windows Defender Beta 2 Refreshed

By Nate Mook, BetaNews

April 13, 2006, 3:29 PM

Microsoft on Thursday released an updated version of Windows Defender Beta 2, the company's anti-spyware and malware application that will be integrated into Windows Vista. The release fixes bugs in signature updating, polishes the user interface and improves the software's SpyNet reporting capabilities.

Responding to feedback from users, Windows Defender can now remain active in the system tray at all times. The SpyNet feature enables users to send reports back to Microsoft and help the company keep ahead of malware authors. "With these upcoming changes to our reporting network and our core technology, we will improve our detection and removal capabilities even more in the upcoming months," said Microsoft's Anti-Malware Engineering Team.

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By rjbbc

edited Nov 26, 2007 - 12:16 AM

Sure would like to download
Windows Defender (Beta) but I am cut off each time. Please stop advertizing Defender unless you can produce it as a free download.

Score: 0

By izzy93

edited Feb 7, 2007 - 1:23 PM

Please help, here is my problem I'm using WinXP Pro. and Windows Defender message comes up after my personal settings load telling me that windows defender is corrupted and not started. I click OK and it goes away but my PC freezes I can't open up anything not even Task Manager to see what's running. I boot up in Safe Mode and tried uninstalling windows defender but I can't cause I'm in Safe Mode. WHAT CAN I DO...........?

Score: 0

By yelrish

posted Jun 14, 2006 - 9:27 PM

another definition update, dated June 12..

1.14.1501.7

program working very well now.

Score: 0

By yelrish

posted Jun 9, 2006 - 11:14 PM

this may be my last comment...as things are going very well..today there was a new definition when I opened Defender..1.14.1496.17 dated 6/7
So Microsoft must have done something to get it
working so well. Hope you others that have had
problems are having no problems, either...

Score: 0

By yelrish

posted Jun 6, 2006 - 7:03 PM

June 6th...again, a new update was magically installed, dated 6/5, Version 1.14.1475.5
It seems to be working well ever since I nagged and nagged it that one day! Hope others are having such good luck

Score: 0

By yelrish

posted May 26, 2006 - 9:59 PM

I can't believe it. Today I went to check to see
that the program scanned...and I noticed a new
definition update had been added: 1.14.1468.9 dated May 25th! wonder of wonders!!!! Maybe if
you nag enough, it gets the message!! Or maybe
Microsoft actually fixed it!

Score: 0

By yelrish

edited Jun 1, 2006 - 10:58 PM

another wonderful update...noticed the Defender
AGAIN updated the definitions without even letting me know..the lasted is 1.14.1471.6 dated 5/30/06.

Hopefully others are having such good luck!

Score: 0

By Rickyreid

edited May 23, 2006 - 1:01 PM

Sorry it just palin don't work. Despite following all the info on Microsoft's Help page, and despite cleaning it off and downloading the suposedly up-to-date version umpteen times, I am still left with the message "You haven't updated for 117 days". I have no idea whether or not I am protected so am dumping it and reverting to Spybot until Mr Gates gets his act together

Score: 0

By yelrish

posted May 25, 2006 - 11:31 AM

I thought all was well, but again THAT message
came up! So two days ago I told it to check for
updates, nothing happened, I did that several
times during the day. Then I had to shut the
computer down as I was leaving the house for awhile, when I booted up, the latest version
1.14.1464.7 dated 5/15 was listed on the
opening screen....at last!!! so maybe you just
have to be persistent. Lousy that they don't fix this!!!!! It has been this way tooooo long.

Score: 0

By yelrish

posted May 10, 2006 - 10:01 PM

An update: I am having Defender check automatically for updates, and it seems to be
working. The other day May 1st was the last update, and I noticed Monday's day was listed
today as the lastest update. I went to Explorer and opened the folder and found indeed it was updated as the file name (those long long numbers) had been upated and the date, also.
So it is working "automatically". I just hope in two weeks it does not give me that message again that I need to update!!!

Score: 0

By soulstone

edited May 10, 2006 - 4:53 AM

i've tried windows defender a couple of times,
when it first came out& the new version.
both times it lead to a very unstable system.
odd things going wrong,some crashes, doesn't like siteadvisor, doesn't warn of new progs. that antispyware would see.
also i prefer the more friendly interface of antispyware ---- seems easier to browse through the various fields + more info available & it's stable. i'm sticking with antispyware till defender gets better .
anyone else having problems

Score: 0

By yelrish

posted May 10, 2006 - 12:24 PM

just wanted to say that I ran Defender, then
SpyBot the other day and Defender said all was
well, while Spybot found three intrusions, all
having to do with IE...I use firefox. Seems
Microsoft lets things get by with IE!!!! Coincidence??? Defender has never found anything! so I do have little faith in it....
I will use both programs from now on and
see what happens.

Score: 0

By yelrish

edited May 4, 2006 - 5:52 PM

does the latest update on Beta2 fix the bug
regarding the update message? It states you need
updates, you update, and the message always
appears after that. Anyone else have this problem? I have to uninstall and reinstall the
program to fix it, then in two weeks the message again comes up "it has been 14 days, etc etc since you updated!". what a nuisance!

Score: 0

By Sagacious Himself

edited Apr 29, 2006 - 12:13 AM

Malware meets DCC/Razor2. Email spam, blog spam, OS-spam? ;)

What level of trust should be extended to the average XP user?

Score: 0

By tmosdell

posted Apr 15, 2006 - 5:48 PM

Finally, Microsoft released an update to the 2 month old Windows Defender BETA. This is a good product. I can't wait for the final version to ship, so I can tell all my friends about this.

Score: 0

By TomA102210

posted Apr 17, 2006 - 11:04 AM

I can't wait for the final version to ship, so I can tell all my friends about this.
-----------------------------------------
Why not tell them now? You could tell them about BetaNews too. Defender is an open beta that anyone can try.

Score: 0

By zlabra

edited Apr 14, 2006 - 11:24 AM

very powerful sofware for deleting
unwanted programs,
viruses,there is just one problem
the pirate users of windows can't
install him.

go SERBIA go BELGRADE

Score: 0

By exbrum

posted Apr 14, 2006 - 2:57 AM

Just need a bit of advice from any of you who have just updated, I am running Beta 2, do I just update from the link here or do I have to do a complete uninstall of my current one first?

Score: 0

By cranbers

posted Apr 13, 2006 - 9:12 PM

yeah well, as much as I love seeing MS trying to fix its own os by using third party products, well its theirs now isn't it, it's nice having money. Buy a company for less then a drop in the bucket.

Competition is a good thing. See now that MS has got this malware, malware killer out. It is going to force the guys who write spyware, adware to learn countermeasures against ms's software. So now when it is released on vista, it will be easilly defeated, and you are going to have this useless thing running on your computer, using up resources etc. Then there will be 10 others that are commercial products that will do a better job. Thats how it goes with ms, we have all profit of the industry and will not inovate but rather buy everyone else the profit somemore. The big monster needs to die so all the little monsters can grow bigger, because these guys are killing the entire industry.

Score: 0

By spef

posted Apr 14, 2006 - 5:27 AM

As long as MS doesn't automatically the prog on every Windows PC it's fair competition. Also setting the startpage on blank instead of MS services would be a bit more fair.

There are many other strong competitors in the market so there shouldn't be a problem. And again; if MS plays it fair that is.

Score: 0

By cranbers

posted Apr 14, 2006 - 3:46 PM

Come on now, has ms any time in their history played fair? I think not, they will steal technology, wait for them to sue then pay them off after the case is a no win situation for them. Then both companies are happy, then the company dies. Ms wins, thats all their is to it. Half of their products that are any good at all were bought in some way or another, they haven't really invented anything what so ever. Sad isn't it?

Score: 0

By gawd21

edited Apr 15, 2006 - 2:31 AM

MS doesn't steal it they buy it and run it into the ground! Get your s*** right, Troll. I am no MS fanboy, but get real about it. MS has pushed me too far, but I am not going to make up lies about them.

Score: 0

By Fidelio

posted Apr 14, 2006 - 12:46 AM

It's simple... if you don't like it, don't use it... and don't complain :)

Score: 0

By cranbers

edited Apr 14, 2006 - 3:51 AM

Very true, however sometimes things are shoved down your throat, if you want it or not. If you use vista or even xp for that matter, can you not use windows defender, or ie, or msn messenger. You can use an alternative, but you are still using it. It boots with the os, you hit the wrong button and it will pop up in your face. Try installing outlook, then what pops up, msn mesenger and I even told the os to hide it! Doh! Want to install updates to the os? Oh yeah I have to use ie for that, guess I have to unhide it! doh doh! they have a plan to side step the antitrust for everything they told them to do. Just proof that ms is above the law, they can do whatever they want and no one, can do a thing about it not even you! So what can I do now, um format c and install linux, well I like to game and well my favorite games are not supported on linux Doh! Let's find the xp install disc again! Thanks to microsoft the computer industry sucks, granted it may not ben where it is today but I can guarentee we would be close. If it wasn't ms it would of been ibm with os/2, unix, linux or maybe even solaris.

Score: 0

By gawd21

posted Apr 15, 2006 - 2:33 AM

You are 100% retarded. Your IQ of 5 doesn't cut it here.

Score: 0

By Peregrine1970

edited Apr 14, 2006 - 2:49 PM

Actually, it is not only possible, but quite easy to totally remove windows/windows live/msn messenger from an XP install. And if you want, then sure thing on defender. Fact of the matter in that case, unless you install it on XP, you are *not* going to have it. As for IE, while I personally prefer IE from way back in the 1.x days, that is a failing in not being able to remove it in XP, but in vista, that is fixed. Although if you have a default install of XP and nothing else, the average user would have no way to go get an alternate short of going to some other machine and downloading that alternate. Go get informed and stop your uninformed bs, so you can stop being a poseur anti-microsoft fanboi.

Score: 0

By cranbers

edited Apr 14, 2006 - 3:59 PM

I bet I know more then you do about MS's crap I have been reading intently about everything they do for the past 10 years. It's all the same, they get sued left and right for everything you can think of. Most of the time its legit. You know what happends? MS pays them off!! Now why would you pay someone off if you are in the right? Ok then point proved. In regards to getting stuff off the computer that is bolted on, is it really necessary for me to have to dig around the os read some 10 page paper on how to do it? Or better yet why can't I just go to the add/remove programs and hit REMOVE! Oh wait ms needs it bolted on in order to give you no choice, because well I am not capable of choosing that? Every country in the world seems to be figuring this out, why are their antitrust court cases all over the world regarding it, lets see europe, s korea, the U.S. im sure other countries will follow. We gave them a slap on the wrist, no punishment whatsoever. They made them undo some simple things, like add a hide programs from you. No you have to make apps seperate which is what needed to be done, I dont give a damn if they bundle, but why can't they let me get rid of it at my own free will? Because it's unfair competition, they need the os to carry their crap products that mom and pop businesses could better write. You know im right so just admit it!

So tell me peregrineborn in 70, why do you defend them? Are you on the payroll, are you sleeping with gates? Either that or you are as uninformed as you say I am. Because I found anyone who really knows the industry, hates ms. Or there is a good reason why they do like them, they own stock thats it! Go ms I own your stock wooo! Better SEll sell sell.

Score: 0

By Peregrine1970

edited Apr 14, 2006 - 6:04 PM

Well, I bet you at least think you do. of course if you did know more than me, then why did you NOT know about how to remove msn messenger? WHy did you say that your stuck with Defender when it's something you have to ACTIVELY install. Also, do not make my correcting your inaccuracies out to be defense of MS. I like some MS software, but I also am a big supporter of Firefox and quite the Linux fan as well. I've worked for Intel, and Tektronix (pre-xerox buyout) and grew up using Apple Dos. I've ran pretty much everything including CP/M, Apple Dos, Apple ProDos, PC Dos, Linux, OS/2, Windows, MacOS, and Unix. For that fact, about the ONLY OS I haven't used is OSX and that is because my Mac don't run it, and I'm not paying for overpriced hardware to run it. I'm happy spending half the money, buying my hardware, and running free software (for the most part, excepting some software I got granted to me for free from my recent days going back to college for my BS). So you go back to your reading for the past 10 years and if you want to read back further, I can dig up some of my old issues of computer shopper dating back to 1988, and if you want to go back further, I can also send you some back issues of byte which go back a bit further. In short, go away troll.

As for an FYI, If you don't want to seem an obvious troll, try a little thing called grammer. Also try to not be so blatent of a fool.

Score: 0

By pauljmanning

posted Aug 17, 2006 - 5:39 PM

Do you really have Computer Shopper back to 1988. Would you be interested in selling all issues from 2000-2004?

paul.manning@infotechfl.com

Score: 0

By pauljmanning

edited Aug 17, 2006 - 5:17 PM

Do you really have Computer Shopper back to 1988. Would you be interested in selling all issues from 2000-2004?

Score: 0

By BurnDaddy

edited Apr 18, 2006 - 12:11 PM

"my Mac don't run it". Great "Grammer" there, BirdBrain!

Score: 0

By TomA102210

posted Apr 15, 2006 - 11:54 AM

As for an FYI, If you don't want to seem an obvious troll, try a little thing called grammer. Also try to not be so blatent of a fool.
-----------------------------------------
Uh, last I checked, "grammer" was spelled "grammar". But, in your flame, you made your point even if you didn't try a little thing called spelling.

Score: 0

By DKSlayer

edited Apr 14, 2006 - 4:24 PM

I am kind of curious I am a Computer Technician and have done so for many years. I have not always agreed with what Microsoft does but in turn I am usually quite happy with their products. I have used every version of their OS even upto vista and all versions of Server. I would have to say that I know the industry and many people who work in it. Most of them don't hate microsft. They may not like some of the things that windows does, but you seem to make it sound like all IT Professionals hate MS. That is quite untrue.
Now one big reason that IE isn't just a click to remove is the fact that it is a huge part of the OS. It doesn't just browse the internet as you make it out to sound. It is used in many other aspects of Windows. Yes they could make it two seperate things, but I am sure when Microsoft was developing windows and trying to make it as functional as possible they didn't think people would complain about it and then want it removed. Luckily you can install mozilla and even make it your default browser. Many people do it. So what's the problem then. Is the little bit of storage or code that is inside of it that you can't get rid of???
Sorry I have also used the Defender and wouldn't see why you would complain to have a tool that comes built in to help fix problems.

Anyways, Kudos to microsoft for seeing a problem that is growing and trying to add tools to their OS to combat that problem.

Score: 0

By klingon379

posted Apr 14, 2006 - 4:32 AM

You don't have to use IE for Windows updates. Just go to Microsoft's website and manually download the updates with your alternative browser. As for MSN Messenger, just because it's sitting in your system tray idle doesn't mean it will slow your computer down or make your computer insecure.

Score: 0

By Adrian79

posted Apr 13, 2006 - 6:21 PM

good stuff...love Giant!

Score: 0

By gawd21

posted Apr 15, 2006 - 2:40 AM

It is not Giant anymore, but MS crap that use to work when it was made by Giant.

Score: 0

By cranbers

posted Apr 13, 2006 - 9:14 PM

shouldn't it be loved giant?

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Apr 13, 2006 - 5:11 PM

Finally...my updates will work even if the defender service isn't started.

Small deal to 99.9% of the rest of the world, but a big deal for me and other smart gamers.

Score: 0

By yokozuna

posted Apr 13, 2006 - 4:01 PM

"The release fixes bugs in signature updating, polishes the user interface and improves the software's SpyNet reporting capabilities.". It should be added: it also disables the possibility of making any updates. I will wait for beta 3.

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Apr 13, 2006 - 5:10 PM

What is that supposed to mean???

Score: 0

By rijp

posted Apr 13, 2006 - 3:39 PM

Is this like beta, beta 2?

Score: 0

By nate

posted Apr 13, 2006 - 3:44 PM

Beta 2, Part Deux

Score: 0

By GoodThings2Life

posted Apr 13, 2006 - 6:19 PM

LOL...

Score: 0

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