windows defender
its free (sort of) and microsoft released the final already. its been in beta for sooo long. to download defender you’d be ask to download a validation tool to validate your copy of windows. i think i was asked this because i was using firefox 2.0. the validation tool is a 1.35 meg download. do not ask me why its so big. as microsoft. the other validation alternative is to install a plug-in for mozilla/netscape browsers. i opted for the download.
when you run the validation tool it will spew out a validation code which you will type in the genuine windows validation page.
lots of validation as you can see. my girlfriend would call it “affirmation issues”. if the microsoft website says your windows copy is valid then you’re ushered to a page where you can download the 4.94mb windows defender.
during installtion i opted not to join microsoft’s spynet so defender just downloaded updates to its definition files. the bad thing with downloading the updates is that the program doesn’t show you what its doing — no progress bar or any moving eyecandy. there’s just this disabled button. i didn’t know if the program went south on me.
after the installation was finished it started a quick scan and found one questionable item.
i use realvnc to remotely control a workstation at a client’s site. i find it strange that defender would be suspicious of it — potentially unwanted behavior. well, it is a remote control software but in my line of work i do not consider its behavior unwanted.
i have to say that i also opted not to use defender’s real time protection. there are too many resident programs running as it is. maybe i should just get more memory.
what i found interesting about the program is this little tool that came with it. it shows you the programs that runs during start up, the programs that are currently running, network connected programs and winsock service providers.
its shows more detailed stuff than task manager which is a good thing.
time will tell if this is a good one from microsoft or not.
