How to disable Windows Defender from starting when Vista boots

by Ross McKillop on February 15, 2007

Windows

Perhaps you prefer to use Ad-Aware and/or Spybot to keep your PC spyware-free. Perhaps you want to free up some system resources. Perhaps you just want to know how..

  1. Click the Start button (orb?), select All Programs, then Accessories and finally Run
  2. Type in msconfig and click OK
  3. Click Continue when Vista’s security warning appears
  4. Select the Startup tab and remove the check from the box labeled Windows Defender. Click OK.

  5. click to enlarge

  6. Restart your PC when prompted
  7. And from now on when Vista boots, Windows Defender will no longer run (use the Task Manager to check)

  8. click to enlarge

Related Posts:
  • How to disable Windows Defender in Windows 7
  • Improving Windows Vista with TweakVI
  • How to disable some of the unnecessary features and services in Windows Vista
  • How to disable the system sounds in Windows XP
  • How to disable the system sounds in Windows Vista
  • Get Simple Help tutorials just like this one in your email inbox every day - for free! Just enter your email address below:

     

    You can always opt out of this email subscription at any time.

    { 21 comments… read them below or add one }

    1 help 02.23.07 at 4:42 pm

    But how do you disable Windows Defender if you are running Windows XP?

    Please show the steps.

    2 Reply to help 03.28.07 at 10:07 am

    Follow the same steps in XP, or uninstall it.

    3 Xan 04.08.07 at 6:36 am

    do you mind if I post this on some anti-spyware sites as they will need to disable windows defender for HijackThis fixes?
    Great guide by the way!

    4 Lonnie 08.22.07 at 11:53 am

    Hi
    Just wanted to know when I type misconfig, I get a error saying no such word.
    What do I do now.
    Lonnie
    lrw1206@yahoo.com

    5 pete 08.25.07 at 6:21 pm

    misconfig is the incorrect spelling and key combination. instead you must type msconfig

    6 Ross McKillop 08.25.07 at 6:39 pm

    Thanks pete!

    I emailed Lonnie w/ the same info and never heard back - I’m assuming he got it fixed. Cheers!

    Ross

    7 Scotti 11.15.07 at 1:51 am

    Anyone any idea how to remove Defender completely in Vista? Would like to get rid of a few of the pre-installed vista software but none of them are listed in the ‘add/remove programs’

    Thanks

    Scotti

    8 Dan 02.29.08 at 5:24 pm

    I have done that before [unchecking the “Windows Defender” but still runs at startup!

    9 peter 03.18.08 at 1:46 pm

    likewise as dan i have disabled but it still starts up on reboot!can anyone email me if they know how to get rid of this problem or git rid of defender all together it conflicts with my other programs and blocks things i didnt say to block (then i have to right click and manually start them under the run blocked programs selection everytime i reboot.

    10 Julio 03.20.08 at 5:32 am

    These instructions are crap. It still runs and sometimes even gives an error that Defender could not initialize… Dam… How do you get rid of it COMPLETELY!

    11 Arun 03.20.08 at 2:02 pm

    Make sure you also disable the Windows Defender service in services.msc. Type services.msc in the search bar.

    12 Kalaboso 04.02.08 at 6:01 pm

    If you wanna disable windows defender in any windows version. FORMAT

    13 Jedidiah 07.22.08 at 7:59 am

    Ok. I FORMATTED, and it’s not DISABLED. Thanks for the tip!!!

    14 Jed 10.17.08 at 3:25 am

    This method causes Vista to bleat like a newborn lamb. The best method is from Windows Defender / Tools / Options / Administrator Options - untick “Use Windows Defender”

    15 Martin 01.10.09 at 10:48 am

    1) Disable Defender from the control panel (uncheck “use defender” in Defender >Tools).

    2) Use msconfig as directed above (or just export and then delete the registry key HKLM/whatever)

    3) Run services.msc and set the service from “Automatic” to “Disabled”

    16 craig 01.30.09 at 2:16 pm

    thanks to arun i have sorted my problem,ive been lookin so hard to solve the problem,so again thanks arun :)

    17 Owen 03.24.09 at 3:57 pm

    i have tried everything, i unchecked it in startup and services, and checked its stopped in aruns services.msc, but it is still sending me alerts, i would like to know how to get onto admin options which jed has talked about

    18 mike 04.13.09 at 11:24 am

    THIS IS GREAT!!! i am finally able to keep windows defender from starting up. there is a conflict between Mcafee security suite and Defender in vista windows. i have been trying for days to find a way to keep defender from starting up. your info did it! THANK YOU!!!

    19 nazar muhammad 04.19.09 at 8:32 pm

    thanks for instruction…………………

    20 Doug 05.16.09 at 10:26 pm

    Thanks so much. What an annoying problem!! How did it get on my computer and why is it so annoying? Who would buy a program that constanly harrasses you!. Anyway, thank so very much!

    21 Ric 06.10.09 at 6:58 pm

    typed in msconfig - unchecked defender - did a restart - there’s the defender pop-up again!

    defender will not initialise on my vista but i already have antivirus/anti-malware so i don’t need it, but i can’t get rid of it! :-o

    Leave a Comment

    You can use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>