Skip to main content
Start a Conversation

Unsolved

This post is more than 5 years old

donr53

14 Posts

75980

February 26th, 2007 23:00

Windows defender doesn't update definitions

Hi Got my new dell 521 a couple of weeks ago. Windows defender doesn't update the definition files. The definitions files are from may of 2006.  What can be done? Thanks in advance  Don

donr53

14 Posts

March 17th, 2007 14:00

I don't have anymore suggestions at this time.   Maybe just check to make sure that its getting throu the firewall, either windows firewall or whatever one your using.

jmwills

2 Intern

 • 

12K Posts

March 17th, 2007 15:00

Two things to do as a suggestion:
 
First:  Set a Restore Point before proceeding
 
Second:  Go to the program files folder and rename the Windows Defender Folder to Windows Defender1
 
Download Defender again and see of it will update.  If not, then restore.

KatieBeth

3 Posts

March 18th, 2007 12:00

This morning, I tried the solution of disabling Windows Update.
 
Click on Start and type in Windows Update in the Start Search.
 
Open Windows Update; then click on Change Settings on the left.
 
Clicked on never check for updates and unclick the other two options under that.
 
Then tried to update Windows Defender again and it worked.  Of course, I do have the exceptions already added in my Firewalls.
 
I guess whenever I want to update Windows Defender, I will go in and change the Windows Update Settings, update Windows Defender, then go back and change the Windows Update Settings again.
 
I hope this helps.
 
KatieBeth  :smileyhappy:
 

spudnik282

2 Posts

March 23rd, 2007 03:00

I'm just gonna throw in my .02 now. After dealing with the same problem all of you have I finally figured it out (kinda). First I moved my computer into the DMZ on my router and pretty much opened it up to the world. Then I ran windows update. Sometimes it would connect and say it was up to date other times it said it couldn't connect to the update server. Then I found the tip to disable windows update and that didn't work. I even added defender and windows update to the windows firewall as exceptions, still didn't work. Lastly I took my router out of the equation and hooked my vista pc directly to the modem and ran the windows update and defender at the same time and instantly it found 18 windows updates and the latest defender definitions.

Now all I have to do is figure out what is stopping the updates with the router (linksys wrt54g).

Also for the ones that keep saying uninstall defender, you can't uninstall it in vista its integrated just like IE is in xp, me, 98se, 98, 95 etc.

In case you just skipped to the end of the post, remove your router (if you have one) and run the updates.

penguinspenguin

362 Posts

April 5th, 2007 14:00

MS just posted a fix at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/934562/

b arnek02

14 Posts

May 19th, 2007 16:00

See the MS tech update : http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/934562 Seems to work for me, and easy to do

jmwills

2 Intern

 • 

12K Posts

June 5th, 2007 08:00

Did you uninstall the old version and install the newest one?

Tender Rage

7 Posts

June 5th, 2007 08:00

Ok I have been getting the thing where my Defender won't turn on because it says there are no updates.
I went threw all the stuff on the forum and it still is giving me the same thing, is there any other ideas?
 
Caitlin

Tender Rage

7 Posts

June 5th, 2007 22:00

I can't uninstall it because it came with Vista when I bought the computer.
There's not an uninstall option, and I'm afraid that if I uninstall it the Microsoft Wesite won't let me reinstall it because when I tried to up date it it says that it won't let me because I already have Vista and it comes with Vista.

jmwills

2 Intern

 • 

12K Posts

June 6th, 2007 03:00

I did not think that Defender was tied to the Operating System.

penguinspenguin

362 Posts

June 6th, 2007 04:00

In Vista, it's just another OS feature, much like IE7, Media Player, Media Center, and pretty much any feature of Windows. YOu can disable access and "hide" some of these apps, but none can actually be uninstalled.

jmwills

2 Intern

 • 

12K Posts

June 6th, 2007 05:00

Any of those components can be removed within XP so I fail to see why the same does not exist in Vista.

jmwills

2 Intern

 • 

12K Posts

June 6th, 2007 05:00

You can remove IE6 from XP, but back to the point, I think if the OP ran sfc /scannow if owuld repair the Defender part of the OS.

penguinspenguin

362 Posts

June 6th, 2007 05:00

You could remove IE7, Windows Defender, and WMP11 in XP because those were upgrades that you had to install after the OS.
 
In Vista, all these "new" programs are preinstalled and native to the OS, so they cannot be removed, much like Windows Firewall, IE6, and WMP10 were in XP.
 
You can disable access to them and "hide" them, but not actually uninstall them.

Tender Rage

7 Posts

June 6th, 2007 17:00

I did run a start up repair but it didn't help what's this "scan now" thing?

Was this post helpful?

View All

No Events found!

Top