Windows Vista: Configure Windows Defender

If you have Windows Vista then Windows Defender comes pre-installed and integrated into the operating system, but you should still configure it so that it will scan your computer for vulnerabilities. If you are working your way through this site because your Simmons Internet connectivity has been restricted, you can save the results of a Windows Defender scan and send them to the Help Desk in order to have full connectivity restored more quickly; the instructions to help you do that appear just after the instructions for configuring Defender.

Configure Windows Defender

  1. Open Windows Defender (Start > All Programs > Windows Defender).
  2. At the top of the Windows Defender window, click Tools.
  3. Click General Settings.
  4. Select how frequently you wish Defender to scan your computer for threats, what time you would like it to start the scan, and which type of scan you would like it to perform (the recommended settings are shown here). Click Save.


    You have now successfully installed and configured Windows Defender!

Additional Windows Defender Tips

  1. Within the Tools section there is an option called Software Explorer. In this section you can view the programs that are starting and running in the back ground every time your computer starts. If you notice you computer is slow to start up or seems sluggish while running, even after restarting, you may wish to look at the list of programs starting with your computer. Windows Defender will allow you to disable some of these programs from starting.
  2. When you installed Windows Defender you also configured it to update and scan your computer at a given time (if you followed the above instructions). You should still manually update and run a full system scan approximately once a week to ensure that your system remains free from spyware, adware, and other malware.

If your Simmons Internet connectivity has been restricted

  1. Open Windows Defender.
  2. Click the arrow to the right of Scan at the top of the window. Click Full Scan.
    3. screen shot
  3. When the scan has completed press Alt+Print Screen.
  4. Open Microsoft Paint. Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > Paint.
  5. Click Edit > Paste.
  6. Save the image with "your name"-Sophos Scan" as the file name and e-mail it to the Help Desk at helpdesk@simmons.edu.

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