Question about Windows Defender and Windows Live One Care Windows Defender Discuss Question about Windows Defender and Windows Live One Care in the Vista Features forums; I use Windows Live One Care. I get conflicting opinions about WD and One Care. Is Windows Defender incorporated in Windows Live One Care? My Windows Defender turns itself off ...

[sky173]

I use Windows Live One Care. I get conflicting opinions about WD and One Care.

Is Windows Defender incorporated in Windows Live One Care? My Windows Defender turns itself off etc. A MS rep said that I do not need WD with One care. Should I uninstall it or what?

[Vistanoob]

I just came from an article which I will give the link to. From what I read, windows Defender is pretty tightly integrated with Vista and can't be uninstalled. It's normal for One Care to disable it as it is apparrently not needed. This is the link: http://www.windowsonecare.spaces.live.com/

[felix8406]

According to this thread, Windows Defender can be uninstall; I have not try it though. If you are using Live OneCare, Windows Defender is disabled indeed. However, if you remove OneCare, you may have to reinstall Vista (upgrade) to get defender back in your PC.

[Vistanoob]

Hi again
I got my info in the sixth paragraph down from the heading,
"Explaining the One Care and Defender Relationship" (Quite a ways down on the page)
it said and I quote,
"A number of folks have asked why One Care disables Windows Defender rather than simply removing it? First, Windows Defender is part of the Windows Vista operating system and cannot be uninstalled, it can only be disabled."
That is what I saw and it may well be wrong. I didn't check to see who wrote it. but that's where I got my info. (just for the record, not to argue)Just got back from checking and saw it was written Jan 12.

[felix8406]

Sorry I didn't post the link. This is the link I was referring to: http://www.vistababble.com/forums/ot...questions.html.
According to Effalump, he was able to use third party software to remove it, but I have not attempt it myself. In my opinion, it doesn't hurt to leave it install. It really doesn't take much room and it'll always be available just in case.

[Vistanoob]

Thanks for the link
I agree with keeping it just in case.

[felix8406]

You're very welcome.

Another reason I'd rather not remove it is because of the possibilities of deleting something that may be needed by another Vista application. An embedded application like Windows Defender may share some files with other applications. Removing it, may remove those shares files as well, causing OS instabilities.

[Blackmatter]

Even I have read somewhere that WD cannot and should not be uninstalled in Vista as it is integrated in the OS. Uninstalling it, has been known to cause problems. Also when you install One-Care, it disables WD, since it is not required, as OneCare is a super-set of WD.