Windows Defender has stopped loading at startup

For some unknown reason Windows Defender has stopped loading at startup recently, even though it apparently should since it shows up as a startup program in msconfig and on WD's own 'Software Explorer' list of startup programs.

Granted, I don't think all that much of the program, but it's worth the price (free).

It is set to 'Auto Start' in the Options.

I didn't see the topic here on Wilders, and there does not appear to be a WD forum either.

If worst comes to worst, I could uninstall it and download a new copy, but perhaps someone knows of an easier solution.

Thanks.

 

Actually WD is not even worth it as a freebie. It's slightly better than Ad-Aware IMHO, and the detection rates are mediocre at best.

Are you using XP, Vista, or Server 2003? If it's XP 32-bit or Server 2003 make sure you have the latest version. Uninstall your old one and reboot before installing the new one.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...E7-DA2B-4A6A-AFA4-F7F14E605A0D&displaylang=en

XP 64-bit can be found linked on that page as well.

 

I have mixed feelings about Defender. I believe it's strength to be in it's real-time protection where it does do a decent job. As for the manual definition-based scans, I'm not so sure about them. We do run it at work on most of the XP PCs there.

dcdc: The current version of Defender is 1593 and was released in March. (There was an earlier 1593 build with a different installer that was out in Jan or Feb.) If yours is 1592, you should as Elite Killer suggested, uninstall it, reboot and replace it with 1593.

I don't run Defender here at home but I know there are 2 processes running when it's active. So if you are only seeing one, that could be the problem. (I'll check on this at work tomorrow.)

There are a few newsgroups over at MS on Defender. You might look around over there and see if your issues have happened to someone else.
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/newsgroups/default.mspx

Good Luck!

 

Hi dcdc, Check under tools--options and make sure 'use real-time protection' is checked and scroll down and make sure that under 'administrative options' that both options are checked too. I hope this helps.

 

The 2 processes are MSASCui.exe (started from the registry Machine Run keys for all users) and a service called MsMpEng.exe (that also starts for all accounts.)

You need both for Defender to run properly.

 

Thanks to all for their posts on this thread.

To EliteKiller: I am running XP 32 bit. I do have the current version of WD, 1593.

To innerpeace: Those items you mentioned were checked.

To HAN: Thanks for the link; I'll check it out. Both processes were running. I guess the MSASCui stands for 'Microsoft AntiSpyware (something) user interface'. I remember when MS first made this application available that it was named something like GAS.exe, for 'Giant AntiSpyware', which they had recently acquired; they didn't bother to change the name.

Oddly enough, yesterday WD came up normally at startup, with an icon in the system tray. Today the program apparently launched OK at startup, but no icon. Weird. I tend to think of a computer as a more or less deterministic machine, if not necessarily a reliable one, so when things seem to work apparently somewhat at random, it is a little hard to figure, not to mention disconcerting at times.

I would be more concerned if WD were my primary AS app. It is not. I just don't think it is good enough to be my first line of defense, nor will it ever be I would guess.

I'll check HAN's link over the weekend as time allows, and will post any additional information that I can find.

Thanks to all for their input.

 

Hi ddc! by defalt WD icon doesn,t appear n the task bar though it is still working in background.
U need to change option in the settings( it,s at the bottom) and then tray icon will apear all the time.
I agree that even as free it,s not worth if u have other good application. Better replace it with BOClean that is free.

 

Thanks for this additional tip. I looked under 'Real-time protection options', and the WD icon was set to always appear in the notification area, so that setting alone does not appear to be the problem.

It's hard to figure; I wonder if the hard drive on my Dell (the second one on this machine) or some other hardware issue is to blame somehow, but as I said, WD is not the kingpin of my AS protection, just an adjunct, so if it doesn't work entirely as it should, I am still just about as well protected without it entirely.