Windows 7: Windows Defender: Links won't open - Need associations?

When checking out Windows Defender (in the Control Panel), I note that I am getting error messages when selecting the links to go to Window Defender's Website and to Microsoft's Malware Protection Center. Essentially saying: No program associated with it for performing these actions...Install a program or create an association within the Default Programs Control Panel. Don't know why all-of-a-sudden I have this problem and don't know how to fix it. Help please.

Do you have an anti-virus suite installed on your computer? If yes, Windows Defender may have been disabled by that antivirus suite to prevent two real-time secuity products from running at the same time.(Please note that the Windows Defender that comes with Windows 7 is an antispyware only and is NOT to be confused with the Windows Defender that comes with Windows 8. That Windows Defender is a full antivirus suite and pretty much identical to Microsoft Security Essentials.)

Windows Defender and Microsoft Security Essentials on Windows 7, - Microsoft Community

Running Norton 360. How can I tell if Norton is turning off access to these links? Never tried to get to these links before, so I don't know if this is a new event or not.

Hmm ... I think I'd open Control Panel > Windows Defender. Then follow the steps in Option One.

Windows Defender - Turn On or Off

If the Use this program box in Step 5 is already unchecked, then Windows Defender has been disabled. In all probability access to the links would be disabled as well since, for all practical purposes, Windows Defender is no longer operational on the computer.

The box is checked and i can run scans with WD.

Since Norton 360 is a full suite of anti-malware tools, it's your choice if you want to disable Windows Defender. You may see a slight increase in overall performance by not having two real-time security programs running at the same time.

As to why you're getting error messages when selecting the links to go to Window Defender's Website and to Microsoft's Malware Protection Center, it's possible that the links are dead because of having Norton 360 (total speculation on my part and nothing definite to back that statement up.) Are you able to access the websites by going to them directly rather than using the links? Personally, I wouldn't worry about Windows Defender since your computer does have alternate protection.

I'm going to disable WD. Thanks for your help.

I see hat you have Malwarebytes installed as well. If this is the free version then you are better off downloading it anew from the Malwarebytes website whenever you feel the need to run it. Then you will get the latest definitions. if you use the copy installed on your PC you need to update it every time you use it so it is quicker to load a new copy each time. This is also likely to clash with Norton 360, mine did that's why I took the above action.

I don't believe that one has to dl Malwarebyes each time it is used in order to have the latest updates. I just ran mine from the computer and was before it scanned it told me that there were updates. It appears that I get automatically prompted for updates when they are available...

True but my point was it is quicker to download the latest copy than to update the one you have installed. Plus it caused problems with my Norton 360!