In Win10 1709, Windows Defender continues to pull down definition updates even if Windows Update is stopped

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This from Noel Carboni: I’ve just verified that Windows Defender in Win 10 v1709 build still goes to the web on its own to retrieve definitions et. al
[See the full post at: In Win10 1709, Windows Defender continues to pull down definition updates even if Windows Update is stopped]

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I’ve observed this behavior in win7 pro.  Not surprised it has persisted through next 2 iterations of windows.

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As @ebrke, Win 7 does this (on my 3 pro machines), so did Vista before it (on my 2 ultimate machines)

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I wonder if the day will ever dawn when all Windows 10 users will be running the same version? I must say as a humble Windows 7 user that I find the constant articles about different builds, Creators Updates, versions and what have you utterly bewildering!

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The idea, as was described to us at the time, was to put everyone on the same Windows 10 boat in order to make Windows Updates patching simpler and more reliable. Hahahahahahaha…..

I’ll take the “complexity” of the Windows 7 editions over the “simplicity” of Windows 10 versioning any day of the week. Wouldn’t mind one bit if they cut the c*** and went back to the earlier system.

Keep Running Windows 7 Safely for Years to Come  
Make Windows 10 look and work like Windows 7

4 users thanked author for this post.

GoneToPlaid, Seff, Rock, windows7wasthebest

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I must say as a humble Windows 7 user that I find the constant articles about different builds, Creators Updates, versions and what have you utterly bewildering!

Same here. Remember the days when win 10 was the windows to end all windows? A one size fits all kinda thing. As a non-win 10 user (thankfully) i can’t hope to keep up with all the versioning. What a nightmare. How long has it been out now? Still seems like it’s in beta and it’ll always be in beta, you lucky users…

-T

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Hello, we have seen something -similar- with win10 1703 pro, set to ask (notify) before downloading Windows Updates, the Windows Defender updated automatically which we liked. It seems that Windows Defender being an anti-virus gets it own updates, and the Windows Update is for the OS and there is a difference.

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Hello, we have also seen that in windows 8.1, turning off WU did stop getting the Windows Defender updates. Win 8.1 appears to be an exception to the rule.

If I remember right, with Windows 7, Microsoft Security Essentials could not be turned off from getting its updates even if you wanted to. We had some machines that would reimage themselves after every boot, and MSSE would constantly update even though we didn’t want it.

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For whatever it’s worth, I had Windows Update in my old Vista machine set to never check for updates – I’m not sure if that’s technically the same as stopping and/or disabling Windows Update – and yet MS Security Essentials still went out on it’s own and got definition updates; I had Security Essentials set to do automatic scans and to check for definition updates before the scans. The definition updates showed up in Windows Update (with the never check for updates option) So, Windows Update and MS Security Essentials were entwined in some fashion, and yet at the same time independent of each other in some fashion, at least in Vista.

@seff – I agree! And that’s one of many reasons there will be no more MS for me after Win 7 end of support.

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Why would I want my antivirus program stop updating itself when I am on the net?

 

 

 

 

 

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anonymous wrote:

Why would I want my antivirus program stop updating itself when I am on the net?

Good question.

If the end-user opts for a 3rd party AV and Windows Defender is NOT being used, it’s better to keep Windows Defender up-to-date SHOULD the 3rd party AV fail in any way. That way, there is a security system failsafe in place without user intervention, makes logical sense IMHO

I would NOT recommend using 2 Antivirus programs at the same time.

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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Hello Microfix. On a similar item, we have seen AVAST turn off the Limited Periodic Scanning of Windows defender in win 10 1703. One has to go back into defender and turn it on again.

Occasionally scan your PC with Windows Defender, even if you have another antivirus
https://www.digitalcitizen.life/occasionally-scan-your-pc-windows-defender-even-if-you-have-another-antivirus

 

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anonymous wrote:

Why would I want my antivirus program stop updating itself when I am on the net?

You would not.

That’s what I have verified here. Disabling the Windows Update service is one way some people might want to take control of when updates are applied. I’ve shown that even when the primary method for downloading Windows Defender updates is disabled, it falls back to a secondary method that works.

-Noel

1 user thanked author for this post.

AlexEiffel

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Don’t you have to enable/disable auto-update inside Defender?

I don’t use Defender on my W7, but MSE behaves exactly like you’ve described, not controlled by WU…

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@woody, I think this is by design and not new. Windows Defender automatically downloads definition updates every 24 hours since your last update if you are online, regardless of whether Windows Update is turned off or on. The same behavior is seen in Microsoft Security Essentials after Microsoft updated its engine version (any engine version after 2015).

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On a side note, anyone else notice that Defender is not updating properly on W8.1?

Defender issue

Defender interface report

Installation Failure: Windows failed to install the following update with error 0x80070643: Definition Update for Windows Defender – KB2267602 (Definition 1.253.1085.0)

Connection to internet is fine! ?

EDIT: Tried 2nd PC with W8.1, same result.

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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Hi Microfix,  Just updated windows defender manually (by having defender look) on win 8.1 and was successful.

 

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Microfix

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Thanks anon #140513, sorted now.

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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Hi Microfix, thank you for responding back. By chance, do you know what was wrong with your two 8.1 machines at that time?

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to #140698 anon.

I suspect it was a streaming issue for the def updates. Unfortunately, these cannot be undone but, waiting until a new offline definition update hours later (mpam-fe) and installing offline fixed the issue in both devices, both of which, are group B x64 W8.1.

Our W8.1 x64 group A device never had an issue at all, which makes me wonder whether group B is viable nowadays..as there are ‘quality’ differences in the OS between Group A and B

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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PKCano

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Hello Microfix, Yes, I discovered our win8.1 is a Group A, delayed updating (WU set to Never), don’t get optionals, manually updated Windows Defender (we have it go out and get them) computer.

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I’m on 1607 and have been on Metered since I bought the machine a year ago – updating as required from the catalog, but have always had to go into Defender to update the definitions manually. If I don’t, and the definitions get a few days out of date, I’ll get a notification in the Action Centre that it needs updating, but it’s never done it automatically.

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I am on 1607, with Windows Update service disabled, but Defender keeps itself updated just fine. (BTW I also use the Catalog for updating).

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