windows defender no longer free?

[bearsboi]

my pc had to reboot after losing power do to a storm and i had previously manually disabled windows update on startup so it never should have happened in the first place, but upon turning my pc back on windows forced an update which apparently now makes windows defender a paid service and not usable unless you pay a subscription fee. did anyone else get this?

if microsoft continues down this road this is especially concerning because most games on steam only work on windows, so this OS monopoly they have, paired with predatory practices like this might make me quit gaming entirely

[76561199521118219]

i want to add also that when you got malware installed it often leads to escalation of malware on your os as you got no idea if malware comes on the same source, so its kinda your pc is taken hostage by various malware and it often leads to escalation since i think viruses and other software fight over what virus is going to control os, and usually user is somehow to blame, ie you sign eula that any damage is your own fault when you install os so it is kinda like brain implant where you get no control over it.

[Goblin Joey]

There are other free defenders you could use if Windows Defender is giving you issues, such as Malawarebytes, Avast, AVG, etc.

[Karumati]

Escrito originalmente por SlowMango:

Windows defender is free.

[Lystent]

Escrito originalmente por Wolfpig:

Have you might encountered this window?

https://www.pcmag.com/news/wtf-do-i-have-to-pay-for-microsofts-defender-antivirus-now

One of the commenters says they can not get defender to do a scan, saying it just links them to get a sub.

I'm gonna check for myself...

Edit: I just updated my win 11 machine until there are no more updates to be had, but never got the confusing advert. I am also able to run scans of the computer and inserted "disks" no prob.

[Cryptic]

Windows defender is part of Windows 10 and 11 and free. Win 7 also had this and it was free but nowhere near as effective. With win 10 and 11, it pretty much invalidated extra antivirus programs and made them unnecessary

[NakiBest]

@Cryptic -- you are mistaken. Windows 7 did not have this - Windows 8 and 8.1 did.
And yes, it was cripple-ware i.e. not a full-fledged antivirus, unlike new Windows Defender, which is and is commonly in the top spot(s) in antivirus tests, even tested against paid antivirus programs.

[🦊Λℚ𝓤ΛƑΛᗯҜᔕ🦊]

Escrito originalmente por NakiBest:

@Cryptic -- you are mistaken. Windows 7 did not have this - Windows 8 and 8.1 did.
And yes, it was cripple-ware i.e. not a full-fledged antivirus, unlike new Windows Defender, which is and is commonly in the top spot(s) in antivirus tests.

Windows 7 does have Windows Defender in it. I know that is a fact. I could boot up one of my windows 7 machines and screenshot it for you.

[NakiBest]

Okay, it has been a while since I fired up my Windows 7 VMs. :) Could be.
I can check this in the next days.
I have both Windows 7 32-bit, as well as 64-bit VMs.

(Too much work in recent weeks/months.)

[Cryptic]

Escrito originalmente por NakiBest:

@Cryptic -- you are mistaken. Windows 7 did not have this - Windows 8 and 8.1 did.
And yes, it was cripple-ware i.e. not a full-fledged antivirus, unlike new Windows Defender, which is and is commonly in the top spot(s) in antivirus tests, even tested against paid antivirus programs.

win 7 did in fact have windows defender. i used it for like 10 years.

[Lystent]

I'd be astonished if I could update the definitions for defender on my win 7 today.

[Crashed]

Escrito originalmente por Cryptic:

Escrito originalmente por NakiBest:

@Cryptic -- you are mistaken. Windows 7 did not have this - Windows 8 and 8.1 did.
And yes, it was cripple-ware i.e. not a full-fledged antivirus, unlike new Windows Defender, which is and is commonly in the top spot(s) in antivirus tests, even tested against paid antivirus programs.

win 7 did in fact have windows defender. i used it for like 10 years.

Windows Defender was branded as an "anti-spyware" app in Vista and 7, and only scanned for known PUPs.
Windows Defender in 8 and above contain that plus antivirus.

[🦊Λℚ𝓤ΛƑΛᗯҜᔕ🦊]

Escrito originalmente por Lystent:

I'd be astonished if I could update the definitions for defender on my win 7 today.

You can not. All updates for Windows 7 (including windows defender definitions) ended in January 2023. It is officially gone forever. You will never be able to update that in Windows 7 ever again.

[Lystent]

Escrito originalmente por 🦊Λℚ𝓤ΛƑΛᗯҜᔕ🦊:

Escrito originalmente por Lystent:

I'd be astonished if I could update the definitions for defender on my win 7 today.

You can not. All updates for Windows 7 (including windows defender definitions) ended in January 2023. It is officially gone forever. You will never be able to update that in Windows 7 ever again.

Hence the astonishment that were to occur if I could. But my post was referring to the relevance of 7's built-in protection in regards to now.

[NakiBest]

Escrito originalmente por 🦊Λℚ𝓤ΛƑΛᗯҜᔕ🦊:

Escrito originalmente por Lystent:

I'd be astonished if I could update the definitions for defender on my win 7 today.

You can not. All updates for Windows 7 (including windows defender definitions) ended in January 2023. It is officially gone forever. You will never be able to update that in Windows 7 ever again.

What about MS Security Essentials?
Does it not get updates anymore?

[🦊Λℚ𝓤ΛƑΛᗯҜᔕ🦊]

Escrito originalmente por NakiBest:

What about MS Security Essentials?
Does it not get updates anymore?

Nope. It's gone too. All updates from Microsoft for Windows 7 are officially terminated forever now.