Solved

Turn Windows Defender On or Off


Hello from Merrifield, Minnesota - Mission Township. I am so excited to start learning how to use and optimize WEBROOT SecureAnywhere after successful installation!
 
For starters, can anyone tell me if it is best to turn Windows Defender off while Webroot SecureAnywhere AND is there any reason why I would want to have both turned on OR direct me to the right community forum to ask this question?
 
The message in my Action Center under Spyware and unwanted software protection says, "Running two or more antispyware programs at at the same time can cause your computer to run slowly."
 
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise.
 
Indomite 
icon

Best answer by ProTruckDriver 21 May 2013, 06:37

View original

21 replies

Userlevel 7
Hello Indomite, Welcome to the Webroot Community Forum. :D
You can run WSA with or without Windows Defender.
http://community.webroot.com/t5/Webroot-SecureAnywhere-Antivirus/How-to-Run-WSA-alongside-Windows-Defender/ta-p/23058#.UZrnzNhWqCk
I appreciate receiving your response so fast! I know that I can have both Windows Defender and Webroot SecureAnywhere on at the same time. What I want to know is it advantageous to have both on at the same time since running two or more antispyware programs at the same time can cause my computer to run slowly OR is it disadvantageous? If disadvantageous, please explain reasons. Thank you.
Userlevel 7
I like running WSA Complete by itself because it makes my old computers run faster. If you want a layer security you can run both. I trust WSA for keeping my computer safe. This video explains how WSA works:
https://community.webroot.com/t5/Webroot-Education/What-Happens-if-Webroot-quot-Misses-quot-a-Virus/ta-p/10202#.UZr2_thWqCk
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
I appreciate receiving your response so fast! I know that I can have both Windows Defender and Webroot SecureAnywhere on at the same time. What I want to know is it advantageous to have both on at the same time since running two or more antispyware programs at the same time can cause my computer to run slowly OR is it disadvantageous? If disadvantageous, please explain reasons. Thank you.
Hello Indomite and welcome to the Webroot Community!
 
You can run WSA alone without Defender. While layered approach is generally recommended you don't need to do that with WSA. WSA is really a "all in one" security solution. Running Defender helps you to nothing. If you want to run any other antimalware applications, everyone free out there is better than Defender. I run WSA Complete alone with Vista Firewall enabled and never had an issue (infection or performance).
Userlevel 7
Hello Indomite and welcome to the Webroot Community!
 
I do not have a lot to add here, as the ability to use Webroot and Windows Defender together has already been well documented above.  I will note though that many in the computer field regard Windows Defender as "better than nothing.. but barely".  Webroot will work fine alongside any other AV/Malware solution, even though many solutions claim otherwise.  If you ever have any problem configuring your system to use Webroot along with another solution, just give us a post here or submit a trouble ticket.
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
Hello Indomite and Welcome to the Webroot Community Forums! Pull up a chair and stay awhile! 😉 I also agree WD in the off mode and just use WSA.
 
TH
Userlevel 1
Good Evening!  Indomite...warm greetings to the Brother and Sisterhood of Webroot. I concur with my fellow Rooters...remove Windows Defender...because WSA Security Plus has Stellar Detection...and Removal...if you feel the need to introduce an additional Anti-Malware App...I would look at Hitman Pro...to compliment Webroot...but on an On Demand Useage only! Sincerely...Securon
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
@ wrote:
Good Evening!  Indomite...warm greetings to the Brother and Sisterhood of Webroot. I concur with my fellow Rooters...remove Windows Defender...because WSA Security Plus has Stellar Detection...and Removal...if you feel the need to introduce an additional Anti-Malware App...I would look at Hitman Pro...to compliment Webroot...but on an On Demand Useage only! Sincerely...Securon
Hi securon nice to see you here from Wilders and Welcome to the Webroot Community Forums even though you joined over a year ago. ;)
 
Cheers,
 
Daniel
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
Good Evening!  Indomite...warm greetings to the Brother and Sisterhood of Webroot. I concur with my fellow Rooters...remove Windows Defender...because WSA Security Plus has Stellar Detection...and Removal...if you feel the need to introduce an additional Anti-Malware App...I would look at Hitman Pro...to compliment Webroot...but on an On Demand Useage only! Sincerely...Securon
Hello Securon and welcome to the Webroot Community!  It looks like TH already knows you, so I hope you visit here more often and get to know the rest of us over here!
sorry to resurrect an old discussion but I had a follow up..  I just installed webroon on a pc with windows 8.1 Pro and it appears that Windows Defender was automatically deactivated by it (or so I assume). 
 
Just for reference's sake, where do I turn Defender back on if I wanted to?  I tried Action Center and I saw nothing for it?
 
 
Userlevel 7
Hi sjsamaha
Welcome to the Community Forums...http://www.calendarofupdates.com/updates/public/style_emoticons/default/dancing.gif
 
You should not need or run Windows Defender on your PC whilst WSA or any other 3rd party security app is installed...due to the possibility of conflicts.  However, if you unfortunately decide to uninstall/not use WSA http://www.calendarofupdates.com/updates/public/style_emoticons/default/surprise.gif then unfortunately Microsoft does not automatically re-enable Windows Defender (in the same way that it automatically disables it in the first place)...hence why you need to re-enable it.
 
I usually point people asking at this article which covers all the steps required.
 
Hope that helps?  And hope that you do not need to follow the article.http://www.calendarofupdates.com/updates/public/style_emoticons/default/JUMP.gif
 
Regards
 
 
Baldrick
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
To Quote JoeJ   VP Endpoint Solutions Engineering!
 
"Because of how Windows 8 detects AV products, disabling Windows Defender, we've added back the ability to disable WSA's Action Center integration. This isn't visible in the UI, but you can now create a REG_DWORD value under HKLMSoftwareWRData (or HKLMSoftwareWow6432NodeWRData on 64bit OSs) named "HideActionCenter" and set the value equal to '1'.

On a reboot, WSA will now avoid integrating into the Action Center and you should be able to use Windows Defender alongside it without a problem."
 
So you can run both if you want but you have to make changes in the registry? But as everyone said in this thread it's not necessary as WSA is more than enough please see this short video below.
 

 
 
Cheers,
 
TH
The screen shot in your solution does not match mine. Perhaps an earlier version of SecureAnywhere? Can't seem to find an equivalent solution in my console. I tried turning on Defender from the action center and am redirected to the system32 folder in windows (real helpful) or get a 577 error if I try the MS support solution. You solution seems promising, but I wonder if it will work in my version of Webroot.  Running 8.1 on a new laptop and Webroot SecureAnyware for P.C.s...most recent upgrade.
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
Welcome randllb to our Webroot Community.:D That error code 577 means "Windows cannot verify the digital signature for this file." according to my research. Did you got to @ s video and did you look back at @  previous post to see how to get Windows Defender to work? WSA will work with Windows Defender..
 
 
Check back with us if you can't resolve and someone here will gladly help out again with more information about your issues.
 
Best Regards:D
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
Hello randllb and Welcome to the Webroot Community Forums!


 
Yes I would follow the instructions in my post above as that came from JoeJ  VP Endpoint Solutions Engineering!
 
"Because of how Windows 8 detects AV products, disabling Windows Defender, we've added back the ability to disable WSA's Action Center integration. This isn't visible in the UI, but you can now create a REG_DWORD value under HKLMSoftwareWRData (or HKLMSoftwareWow6432NodeWRData on 64bit OSs) named "HideActionCenter" and set the value equal to '1'.

On a reboot, WSA will now avoid integrating into the Action Center and you should be able to use Windows Defender alongside it without a problem."
 
But why would want to run Windows Defender with WSA as most of find no need because of the Video above shows how WSA does monitor and if infected will rollback back to the pre-infection state even if it was CryptoLocker!
 
Daniel 😉
Userlevel 6
Great to have you aboard randllb and welcome. And there is securon....did our Canadian Filter shutdown? :D  Just kidding! This is the best community around!
Just a comment on running WSA with something else: I had both WSA and McAfee running at the same time (by accident - a trial of McAfee came on computer, and I thought I had turned it off). During the week I had both, my computer picked up an enormous number of infections, to the point that my brand new computer was running slower than my 5-year-old laptop.
 
Perhaps it was a coincidence, but the support tech at Avast (I have a support subscription with them) said it was because I had two antivirus programs running at the same time, and they would momentarily block each other, each seeing the other as a threat at times.
 
 
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
Hello ?,
 
Welcome to the Wwbroot Community,
 
I beg to differ with Avast but I do know Webroot pretty good and am by no means an expert.
 
The fact is Webroot SecureAnywhere can either replace or work alongside your
existing antivirus software.Webroot was built to work with other AVs without a problem and will take the back seat and only intercede if the other aV misses a virus.

Webroot SecureAnywhere is fully compatible with other mainstream antivirus products

You will not be asked to uninstall your existing antivirus when installing Webroot
SecureAnywhere.
 
In my Opinion remove McAfee as WSA will protect you much better here and isn't a resource hog iMO.

 
Hope this was Helpful?
 
 
Kind Regards,
Userlevel 7
Hello gpseymour, welcome to the Community!
 
Avast was wrong.  WSA actually runs just fine with almost any other AV.  That is something that many other software vendors support just plain do not know or understand, so that is actually a pretty frequent answer.  Really, that answer would be correct with pretty much any AV other than Webroot.  :)
 
What was most likely the issue was not real virus or malware, but what we refer to as PUA's.  The following is a bit more information about what a PUA is.
 
What you are seeing and describing is what we on the Community refer to as a PUA. (Potentially Unwanted Application)These are very annoying at best in that they cause pop-us, redirect your browser home page, and other behavior that may slow down the computer and direct ads your way, but they are not actually doing anything bad like damaging files or stealing information. Often they are installed intentionally by you the user as browser add-ons for various tasks such as quick search tools.. but they also come with the result of added annoying pop-ups and ads. Other times they 'piggy back' with other software that you installed, or try to 'sneak' onto your system entirely.
 
WSA does detect and remove many PUA's, and more are being added, but WSA does not detect all of them. A simple browser add-on with PUA behavior that is easy to identify and easy to remove is not likely to be detected and removed by WSA. Those that are intentionally difficult to locate and remove are. Please see THIS LINK for more information regarding Webroot's stance on these annoying programs.
 
The best thing to do is to submit a Trouble Ticket and ask Webroot Support to take a look and remove these for you.  There is NO CHARGE for this for valid WSA license holder.
 
Also, we have had a lot of discussion regarding these recently, and I have posted an Idea for Webroot to consider asking them to increase PUA detection.  The more  users that need help removing a particular PUA the more likely and faster that PUA will be added to detection.
 
 
I run window 10 and get the following message multiple times every day:
"Windown defender and webroot secure anywhere are both turned off. Tap or click to see installed intivirus apps"
 
There doesn't seem to be anything wrong however. Can you tell me what the problem is and how to stop this message from constantly appearing?
In advance many thanks. 
Userlevel 7
Hi Pascal
 
Welcome to the Community Forums.
 
May I flippantly ask if you have read the previous posts in this thread as if you have then you should have the answer to your questions.
 
But just to help out you could have a look at this alternative thread on the very same subject that should resond to them.
 
Regards, Baldrick
 

Reply