If you didn't install Microsoft Security Essentials Do you have this

bigg123 · 12 Dec 2010

If you didn't install Microsoft Security Essentials Do you have this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender

Cause I have this as a leftover after I uninstalled MSE and don't know if it was there before.

Brady A · 12 Dec 2010

Windows defender comes with any Windows operating system.

bigg123 · 12 Dec 2010

Brady A said:

Windows defender comes with any Windows operating system.

So every W7 machine has the Windows Defender Key regardless of MSE installed?

Brink · 12 Dec 2010

Hello Big123,

Yes, that is correct.

When you install MSE, it only turns off Windows Defender and sets MSE to be the default program instead.

whs · 12 Dec 2010

The MSE and Defender processes are the same (MsMpEng.exe - if I remember right). When you uninstall MSE, it defaults to Defender. Nothing to worry about.

Hmm, Shawn beat me to it - LOL.

bigg123 · 12 Dec 2010

whs said:

The MSE and Defender processes are the same (MsMpEng.exe - if I remember right). When you uninstall MSE, it defaults to Defender. Nothing to worry about.

Hmm, Shawn beat me to it - LOL.

Your right about it reverting back to Defender. But no it doesn't use the memory hogging process, (MsMpEng.exe).

bigg123 · 12 Dec 2010

Brady A said:

Windows defender comes with any Windows operating system.

Thanks for reminding me of that! I forgot about that!

whs · 12 Dec 2010

bigg123 said:

whs said:

The MSE and Defender processes are the same (MsMpEng.exe - if I remember right). When you uninstall MSE, it defaults to Defender. Nothing to worry about.

Hmm, Shawn beat me to it - LOL.

Your right about it reverting back to Defender. But no it doesn't use the memory hogging process, (MsMpEng.exe).

The msmpeng.exe process is used by the Microsoft Windows Defender to perform spyware scanning procedure

Source: http://www.processlibrary.com/directory/files/msmpeng/