Windows Defender vs. AVG?

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  1. Posts : 160
    Win10 pro Winver 20H2 OS Build 19042.867
       #1

    Windows Defender vs. AVG?


    I have been using AVG for some time. It's OK, but I have always been aware of and wondered about Windows Defender.

    I play games. some like Kingdom Come Deliverance seem esp. vulnerable to certain Anti Virus programs AVG is OK) and also to flawed Windows updates.

    AVG is currently dinging me about renewing my subscription. I would like to let it go (it's also giving me weird messages (asked about this in anothe4r thread) but am unsure if I can fall back on Defender and not have problems with it or with Windows updates (so far so good).

    Thoughts? Is Defender good enough?
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  2. Posts : 372
    Windows 10 Home: 21H1 (OS Build 19043.1586)
       #2

    I have read positive reports here from advanced and experienced users that Windows Defender is all that is necessary without any proprietory AV software being installed, and I am still thinking about this at a similar stage to your own with AVG subscriptions soon due for renewal.

    I currently run a raft of AVG software including AVG Internet Security, AVG Anti-Track, AVG BreachGuard and AVG Driver Updater, all without issue and very reliable. I also have AVG Secure VPN installed though never use it becasue banks and a a lot of other sites I use refuse access to VPNs. So it's redundant.

    Combined, they are, of course, quite expensive. However, the overall cost is negligable to my mind when I consider the value of the expertise behind these respectable products. I take the view that, if I employed someone to write such security software from scratch, I'd need to be extremely wealthy. The fact is, in my several years experience of using AVG products, I've actually got a pretty good deal even given the prices, with only consistently good security.

    That said, the jury is out, and I've an open mind. I never mind paying for excellence though and, all too often, 'free' anything can be a double-edged sword.

    My gut feeling based on what I've read here, though I may well renew AVG subs, is that Windows Defender is probably a safe bet. Nothing is perfect anyway I guess.

    Of course, Windows Defender is anything but 'free' for those who have paid for their systems legitimately.

    Kind regards.
    Last edited by CMArbres; 29 Nov 2021 at 13:11. Reason: Various typos
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  3. Posts : 67
    Windows 10
       #3

    Defender is fine, the various online AV test sites have been scoring Defender just as good/same high levels of protection as the paid and free third party AV's. Pair it with the free ConfigureDefender tool, set it on the High level to add even more protection than Defender by itself.

    Defender will stay out of your way no matter what you are doing, games, music, Excel, whatever. Some say Defender is "heavy" on their system. I have not seen that myself. The only thing I don't like about Defender is the Controlled Folder Access anti-ransomware module. It blocks a lot of legitimate apps and is hard to configure exceptions. CFA can be turned off in Defender's settings. No AV will catch 100% of the bad stuff online but Defender itself works fine and is the least likely to cause any system conflicts.

    Jimmy
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  4. Posts : 372
    Windows 10 Home: 21H1 (OS Build 19043.1586)
       #4

    Jimmy9190 said:
    ... Defender ... is the least likely to cause any system conflicts.
    Whilst that, understandable, claim seems logical since one is tempted to make the assumption that there will be no unresolved conflicts between the Windows system and any of its components, are you aware of any reliable sources to verify it that I could look at please?
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  5. Posts : 160
    Win10 pro Winver 20H2 OS Build 19042.867
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Jimmy9190 said:
    Defender is fine, the various online AV test sites have been scoring Defender just as good/same high levels of protection as the paid and free third party AV's. Pair it with the free ConfigureDefender tool, set it on the High level to add even more protection than Defender by itself.

    Jimmy
    Thank you . Where would I get the configure defender tool?
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  6. Posts : 67
    Windows 10
       #6

    https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/mic...o365-worldwide

    I have not much "proof" of Windows Security/Defender's compatibility with Windows other than my own bad experiences with third party AV's, mainly Avast, AVG, Kaspersky and especially Bitdefender. I found them all to be way too overprotective and the upsell efforts just got way out of hand. Even the paid versions of Avast/AVG and Bitdefender still put on the pressure to pay extra for their bloat ware that I do not need. For me the third party AV's also caused slow start up times and slow web page loads.

    Post # 313 in this very long thread at the malwaretips site is from Andy Ful, he is a very highly respected expert on Windows Defender and is also the author of the Configuredefender tool. In that reply he references the compatibility aspect of Defender.

    https://malwaretips.com/threads/what....98043/page-16

    I have learned a lot from Andy and some other people on the Malwaretips site, there are some extremely intelligent and knowledgeable members there who know exactly what they are talking about. Another forum I use is the bleeping computer site, I learned a lot about AV's and Defender in particular from reading posts from their Global Moderator there, his name is Quietman7. There is also a very long thread on Wilders Security about Defender. Some people love it, some hate it but there is a lot of good info on how Defender has been improved since the bad days of Microsoft Security Essentials.

    Windows Defender Is Becoming the Powerful Antivirus That Windows 10 Needs | Wilders Security Forums


    Other than that I just know I had my fair share of trouble with third party AV's causing problems with both of my laptops. Other colleagues on various sites have reported the same. I don't have any problems with Defender.

    Jimmy

    - - - Updated - - -

    You can get Configuredefender at Github:
    GitHub - AndyFul/ConfigureDefender: Utility for configuring Windows 10 built-in Defender antivirus settings.
    Download and run the exe as an Admin. Then you can set it for High or Max and reboot Windows for the changes to take effect. Most people use the High setting.

    Jimmy
    Last edited by Jimmy9190; 29 Nov 2021 at 16:42. Reason: content
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  7. Posts : 22,929
    Win 10 Home ♦♦♦19045.4170 (x64) [22H2]
       #7

    @DWFII

    The only real problems with Defender is that sometimes Microsoft uses it's AV to try to influence the market.
    Like the CCleaner debacle.
    The Windows Defender firewall, always obeys Microsoft, but doesn't always obey... you.

    Other than that, Defender is a very good AV/firewall.
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  8. Posts : 6,741
    22H2 64 Bit Pro
       #8

    In the past I always used to remove Defender and use a third part AV instead but these days it works well. I add configure defender. Currently I add extra real time protection via WiseVector StopX and it does block some stuff that Defender misses but also has a higher rate of false positives but it's easy to add exclusions.

    Then add some extra protection via browser hardening addons, host file modification and block named problem processes via iFEO. Then i run occasional scans with dedicated on demand third party scanners which never find anything.
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  9. Posts : 160
    Win10 pro Winver 20H2 OS Build 19042.867
    Thread Starter
       #9

    I am not familiar with Git Hub. When I follow the link I see a list of files that are presumably integral to configure defender. Mus t I download then one at a time or is there a link that give me the whole package at once.

    Once I am ready, is there a fairly straight-forward procedure to disable AVG (uninstall it?) and activate Defender?
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 372
    Windows 10 Home: 21H1 (OS Build 19043.1586)
       #10

    Jimmy9190 said:
    https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/mic...o365-worldwide

    I have not much "proof" of Windows Security/Defender's compatibility with Windows other than my own bad experiences with third party AV's, mainly Avast, AVG, Kaspersky and especially Bitdefender. I found them all to be way too overprotective and the upsell efforts just got way out of hand. Even the paid versions of Avast/AVG and Bitdefender still put on the pressure to pay extra for their bloat ware that I do not need. For me the third party AV's also caused slow start up times and slow web page loads.

    Post # 313 in this very long thread at the malwaretips site is from Andy Ful, he is a very highly respected expert on Windows Defender and is also the author of the Configuredefender tool. In that reply he references the compatibility aspect of Defender.

    https://malwaretips.com/threads/what....98043/page-16

    I have learned a lot from Andy and some other people on the Malwaretips site, there are some extremely intelligent and knowledgeable members there who know exactly what they are talking about. Another forum I use is the bleeping computer site, I learned a lot about AV's and Defender in particular from reading posts from their Global Moderator there, his name is Quietman7. There is also a very long thread on Wilders Security about Defender. Some people love it, some hate it but there is a lot of good info on how Defender has been improved since the bad days of Microsoft Security Essentials.

    Windows Defender Is Becoming the Powerful Antivirus That Windows 10 Needs | Wilders Security Forums


    Other than that I just know I had my fair share of trouble with third party AV's causing problems with both of my laptops. Other colleagues on various sites have reported the same. I don't have any problems with Defender.

    Jimmy

    - - - Updated - - -

    You can get Configuredefender at Github:
    GitHub - AndyFul/ConfigureDefender: Utility for configuring Windows 10 built-in Defender antivirus settings.
    Download and run the exe as an Admin. Then you can set it for High or Max and reboot Windows for the changes to take effect. Most people use the High setting.

    Jimmy
    Great answer to my question for which thanks muchly Jimmy. Food for thought and some new perspectives for me to consider.

    - - - Updated - - -

    DWFII said:
    I am not familiar with Git Hub. When I follow the link I see a list of files that are presumably integral to configure defender. Mus t I download then one at a time or is there a link that give me the whole package at once.

    Once I am ready, is there a fairly straight-forward procedure to disable AVG (uninstall it?) and activate Defender?
    Just uninstall AVG products from Settings>>Apps and then enable Defender in Settings>>Update & Security>>Windows Security>>(Button) Open Windows Security (Opens in a new window)>>Settings (link at bottom left of page)>>Security Providers / Manage providers>>(Turn on) Microsoft Defender Antivirus and Windows Firewall. That's it.

    Alas, I cannot comment on the GitHub repository for Defender.

    Here's a useful link to understanding Web protection in Defender

    Reboot after uninstalling AVG.

    All the best.
      My Computers


 

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