Windows Defender plus Malwarebytes or 3rd party Anti-virus Software

Hello @Coach81,

Coach81 said:

I've been using Avast Free Antivirus for years now with little to no issues.

This might be a case of "if it aint broke dont fix it" scenario but should I rather just use windows default AV/Malwarebytes combo or just not do anything?

Well, this is obviously down to personal choice.

If you have had NO or very little issues with Avast, although you have probably seen many posts on this Forum where people have NOT been so lucky, then stick with what you are used to and familiar with.

Windows Security [ Defender ] has come a long way over the last few years and is now more than capable. Unlike other AV software, it does NOT throttle your Internet connection, or give FALSE Positives like other AV's may.

From what I have read, Defender works quite nicely with Malwarebytes.

I hope this helps.

I’ve been using Malwarebytes with Windows Defender for a while now with zero issues. You do need to set Malwarebytes to not register with Windows Defender so Defender will continue to provide protection together with MB. Otherwise Defender will turn itself off thinking that MB wants to be your primary AV.

Hello @Coach81,

Coach81 said:

I have been considering the option for a while now and if the free version of Malwarebytes suffices then i will probably do it.

Just with uninstalling 3rd party AV - is it a case of just uninstalling or do you need to do anything extra to completely remove (ie: registry entries etc.)

Some Software include their own uninstaller, but NOT ALL. Avast however, DOES . . .

> Uninstall Utility - Uninstall our Software using AvastClear

For Software that does NOT have their own uninstaller, there is an excellent uninstaller called Revo Uninstaller . . .

 Revo Uninstaller - FREE

About Revo Uninstaller - FREE:

The Uninstaller module is Revo Uninstaller ‘s primary feature for situations when a program won’t uninstall normally or when you have some doubts that a program has not been uninstalled completely.

Also when a program is uninstalled, often times there are multiple files, folders, and/or Registry entries left on your system, which can cause various issues if not removed. This happens more frequently than you might think.

Revo Uninstaller acts as both a replacement and a supplement to the built-in functionality in Windows by first running the built-in uninstaller for the program, and then scanning for leftover data afterwards, making it your best choice when it comes to completely remove stubborn programs, temporary files, and other unnecessary program data that is left behind after the standard uninstall process.

I find that when uninstalling Software, Revo Uninstaller [ FREE ] is excellent. It has an option to Scan for leftover items after the initial uninstall [ using the software own uninstall process if one exists ] using an Advanced Scan option.

> Website & Download => Revo Uninstaller [ FREE ]

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I hope this helps.

Coach81 said:

Any other options that i should look at in Windows Defender and Malwarebytes that are important?

Paul Black said:

.... Unlike other AV software, it does NOT … give FALSE Positives like other AV's may.

My experience has been different from Paul's. I have seen several WD false positives: vbs files, xlsm files, lnk files.

So you might have to add 'exclusions' to tell WD to ignore things you know are safe. I suggest you look at the relevant tutorial now so you can see what you might have to do in the future.
Add or Remove Windows Defender Exclusions - TenForumsTutorials


All the best,
Denis

Hello @Coach81,

Try3 said:

My experience has been different from Paul's. I have seen several WD false positives: vbs files, xlsm files, lnk files.

Just to add to what Denis has said above, I might on occasion have had to tweak it a little bit.