"Defender" Windows 8: how to turn on and when it might be needed?

Not having time to get out, Windows 8 from Microsoft has become the subject of real network battles. Participants in the forums watered each other with all possible types of substances, trying to prove their point of view.

Someone compared the "Eight" with the failed Windows Vista, while others claimed that the new operating system was almost the best work of Microsoft. Whatever it was, but today it is becoming more and more confident on the computers of users around the world.

One of the reasons for the popularity was the "defender" of Windows 8. How to enable it on a newly installed system and whether it should be done in principle? Let's find out.

A bit of history

Back in the year of 2001, simultaneously with the official release of Windows XP, the walls of Microsoft began to create a new system. Users were promised a real paradise on earth: a new file system, a complete abandonment of the tree structure of directories, and a built-in antivirus with a firewall.

Vista came out (by the way, she has almost nothing to do with these developments), after which it suddenly turned out that the promises were not fulfilled. There was a function UAC (which in Vista was terrible), as well as Windows Defender, the functionality of which was questioned by all authoritative computer publications.

With the release of Windows 7 "defender" a little patched up, but still he was extremely unpopular. Then in Redmond they made a "feint with ears", releasing Microsoft Security Essentials. It was already almost a full-fledged antivirus, when installed, the standard Defender was automatically turned off.

Why did we tell you all this? The fact is that Essentials is just the standard "defender" of Windows 8. How to enable it?

Understand the issue

In general, when you install a clean system, you do not need to turn on anything. The fact is, by default everything is already activated initially. Thus, if you did not install any third-party anti-virus software, then there is nothing to worry about.

Thus, to include the "Defender" will only be required after the removal of antivirus software from other vendors.

How it's done

So, if you still have third-party anti-virus protection on your computer, then the "defender" of Windows 8 will not start. How can I enable it in this case? It will be necessary to remove this program, if possible using a special utility to uninstall it from its manufacturer. This is due to the fact that the slightest of its remnants in the registry or on the hard drive will lead to a message about the impossibility of launching the "Defender".

In the lower left corner, click the right mouse button, and then select the item "Control Panel" in the left context menu.

The dialog box with the same name will open, in the upper right corner of which there is a search field. Enter the phrase "Defender Windows" there, then press the "Enter" key. That's all. Click on the link that appears, after which the program will be enabled.

All is well, but ... And how to enable the "defender" of Windows 8, even if after that he refuses to start?

Another variant

Again, go to the "Control Panel". We are looking for the item "System and Security". In the opened dialog box there is a "Support Center" item. Having opened it, it is necessary to open the drop-down list "Security". In the "Virus Protection" field, click on the "Enable Now" button. As a rule, the "defender" of Windows 8 is activated right away. How can I enable it, even if this measure does not help?

The last measure

In rare cases, it happens that the startup is prevented by the disabled service, without which this important program simply can not work normally.

To eliminate this problem, again click the right mouse button in the lower left corner. When the context menu opens , select the "Run" item. In the appeared field we drive the services.msc command.

A long list of all services available on the computer opens, in which you need to find the item "Defender's service." Then double-click on it with the left mouse button, then in the "Launch type" set "Automatically". After that, in the same list, you find the item "Security Center".

Similarly, click on it with the left mouse button, assigning the attribute "Automatically". That's all, the program is running.

How to disable Defender?

And how to disable the "defender" of Windows 8? After all, there are directly opposite situations when some third-party antivirus refuses to continue the installation because of the running service of this program. It is not difficult to do this.

Launch the "Defender", select the "Settings" tab in the main working window, and then uncheck the box "Enable real-time protection". Save the settings, exit the program.

Application Characteristics

By the way, how did the "defender" of Windows 8 show up? The recall of any computer publication indicates that the basic security functions of the application work flawlessly. Simply put, if you live in social networks, occasionally browse news sites and listen to music on your computer, you will have plenty of it.

So if you bought a new computer with the "Eight", then it does not always make sense to rush to install an antivirus. After all, it is already in the base supply of the system!