Is Windows Defender Good Enough on Windows 7 Until Jan 2020??

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My Kaspersky antivirus is good for another 3 weeks or so on my Windows 7 laptop. I will not be renewing it as I have purchased another laptop running Windows 10. Is Windows Defender on Win 7 the same as Windows Defender on Win 10?  Just asking so I know whether to retire the Win 7 laptop in 3 weeks or in January 2020.

Thanks.

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Windows Defender is not an anti-virus solution on WIn7 like it is on Win10. You could download the free Microsoft Security Essentials or use one of the third-party free AV programs.

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Windows 7 Windows Defender is not the same as Windows 10 Windows Defender.

Windows 7 Windows Defender is anti-malware only.

Windows 10 Windows Defender is anti-virus.

Microsoft Security Essentials is anti-virus, free, and runs on Windows 7.

Here is more information:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17150/windows-7-what-is-microsoft-security-essentials

On permanent hiatus {with backup and coffee}
offline▸ Win10Pro 2004.19041.572 x64 i3-3220 RAM8GB HDD Firefox83.0b3 WindowsDefender
offline▸ Acer TravelMate P215-52 RAM8GB Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1265 x64 i5-10210U SSD Firefox106.0 MicrosoftDefender
online▸ Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1992 x64 i5-9400 RAM16GB HDD Firefox116.0b3 MicrosoftDefender

2 users thanked author for this post.

wEarwOlf505cole, TaskForce141

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[EP]

geekdom & PKCano are correct

windows defender in Win7 is weak and provides basic malware protection.
Microsoft security essentials, on the other hand, is a serious upgrade over win7’s defender app and provides more broader protection than just malware protection.

OP should get a free copy of Malwarebytes or Super Antispyware for his Win7 machine

• This reply was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by EP.

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EP wrote:

OP should get a free copy of Malwarebytes or Super Antispyware for his Win7 machine

Or Kaspersky Free : https://support.kaspersky.com/12962

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Real-time protection is required as part of your new, free anti-virus package.

Make sure that the free version of the package you choose has this real-time protection. Such information is presented on the manufacturer’s site, which is the safest place to get your software download.

On permanent hiatus {with backup and coffee}
offline▸ Win10Pro 2004.19041.572 x64 i3-3220 RAM8GB HDD Firefox83.0b3 WindowsDefender
offline▸ Acer TravelMate P215-52 RAM8GB Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1265 x64 i5-10210U SSD Firefox106.0 MicrosoftDefender
online▸ Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1992 x64 i5-9400 RAM16GB HDD Firefox116.0b3 MicrosoftDefender

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Thank you all…

I will be using Microsoft Security Essentials once my Kaspersky antivirus ends. I just got Malwarebytes Premium for both Win 7 & Win 10 laptops.

And to Alex5723 – I did not know about Kaspersky Free. Learned something new.

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Was using McAfee with Win7 for many years on 3 PCs and around 2016 from time to time would get major upgrades from McAfee which started crashing Win7 and sometimes reboot would fail ending with black screens with a flashing curser so I had to look at other options. Nonetheless, I am very grateful that PKCano suggested that I try Microsoft Security Essentials.  We have never had any problems with viruses or any malware, in my opinion it protects your PC as well as any 3rd party antivirus.  It has no bloatware in it which mostly duplicates what Windows already does and it works seamlessly with Windows 7 and it never bothers you with popups that you have to close all the time.  It is very similar to Windows Defender in Win10.  Defender in Win10 never bothers you with popups either.   Don’t use Defender in Win7 it is not a full securtiy suite.   I think that you will like Security Essentials for Windows 7 until EOL, its easy to use and up to now about 4 years for us it has been very reliable.  I have to admit Microsoft really got this one RIGHT.  Microsoft will stop supporting  Security Essentials when they stop supporting Windows 7, so its likely that you will have look for 3rd party security suites if there are any or take the nightmarish Win10 plunge.    GOOD LUCK.

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Update – over the weekend, I installed MSE on my Win 7 laptop. Things went smoothly and there did not seem to be any conflict with Malwarebytes Premium. One important note, MSE automatically reset my Update setting to Install Updates Automatically (recommended). Had it not been the time where I check on Updates, I might have missed this.

1 user thanked author for this post.

SueW

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