Updating Defender automatically without automatic downloads

[ErnieG]

I like the Windows Defender but I cannot seem to figure out using the task scheduler how to download updates daily and do a simple scan at night. Right now the only way that I have found to get automatic updates is to use the Windows Update option -- Install updates automatically. I prefer the second option of --Download the updates, but let me choose when and whether to install them.

Any thoughts?

Ernie

[mrjimphelps]

I had problems with Windows Defender (I assume you are in Windows 8). My thing was that it seemed to be all set up for updating and scanning in Task Scheduler, but I picked up some malware.

I then cleaned the computer using Comodo Cleaning Essentials, and I disabled 3rd Party browser objects. After doing that, I installed Vipre Internet Security (not the best, but I have a license to it, so I figured I'd use it). This was about a month ago, and I haven't had any problems since.

It truly amazes me why Microsoft felt that they should remove the schedule functionality from Windows Defender, and force you to set all that up via Task Scheduler. I kind of thought that they were trying to make Windows 8 easier than previous versions. I'm not sure if a casual user could figure it out.

[bbearren]

It truly amazes me why Microsoft felt that they should remove the schedule functionality from Windows Defender, and force you to set all that up via Task Scheduler. I kind of thought that they were trying to make Windows 8 easier than previous versions. I'm not sure if a casual user could figure it out.

The Microsoft default is for Windows Updates (which include Windows Defender definition updates) to be downloaded and installed automatically. This is seldom changed by the casual user.

[BruceR]

Windows Update Notifier has an option for "Install Windows Defender updates automatically"; which I use and it seems to work fine.

Bruce

[bbearren]

Windows Defender can be scheduled for daily signature updates using Task Scheduler. I put mine in the Microsoft/Windows/Windows Defender section of Task Scheduler.

Click on "Create Task", name it what you like (mine is Daily Signature Update), set the trigger as the time you want it to run every day.

For Action browse to Program Files\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe and select it. In "Add arguments" add -SignatureUpdate -MMPC

The "MMPC" performs the update directly from Microsoft Malware Protection Center. And it runs very quickly, so I didn't put a check by "Start the task only if the computer is idle for:"

[Medico]

Thanks bbearren. A step by step description may help others with this problem as well.

[bbearren]

Thanks bbearren. A step by step description may help others with this problem as well.

A shortcut to Task Scheduler can be found in Control Panel > Administrative Tools. Or, on the Start Screen, type "tasks", click on "Settings", then "Schedule tasks" to open Task Scheduler, which runs on the Desktop.

Task Scheduler must be "Run as administrator" in order to schedule this task successfully.

In the left pane of Task Scheduler, expand "Task Scheduler Library", expand "Microsoft", and expand "Windows". Scroll down the list of folders to "Windows Defender", and click on that folder. In the center pane is a listing of all the tasks scheduled by default for Windows Defender. (One of these is "Windows Defender Scheduled Scan", which is a daily quick scan that runs when the PC is left idle for 10 minutes, and is interrupted if the idle state is interrupted.) Leave these as they are, and in the right pane, click on "Create Task".

This will open a dialog box with tabs for "General", "Triggers", "Actions", "Conditions", and "History". In the "General" tab, give your task a name in the Name box. Mine is "Daily Signature Update". Note that "Location:" is already filled in as "\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Defender"; leave that as it is. A "Description" can be added, but isn't necessary.

Under "Security options", click on the button "Change User or Group...". In the "Select User of Group" dialog that pops up, type "system" in the box for "Enter the object name to select", then click the button "Check Names". This will reformat "system" into the Windows way of names, and will be changed to "SYSTEM". Click OK on that box, and "SYSTEM" is transformed once more to "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM".

Next, put a check by "Run with highest privileges", and using the dropbox by "Configure for:" select "Windows 8", then click on the "Triggers" tab.

At the bottom of the "Triggers" tab, click the "New..." button. In the "New Trigger" dialog box that pops up, put a tick in the radio button for "Daily". "Start" will be pre-filled the current date and time. Change the "Start" time to whatever you like. Bear in mind that ff you hibernate or sleep your PC rather than turn it off, this can be any time. If you turn your PC off, this should be a time when the machine will be running. "Enabled" will have a check by it, and everything else on the "New Trigger" tab can be left as is.

Click the "Actions" tab and the "New..." button at the bottom. In the "New Action" dialog box, "Start a program" will be pre-filled beside "Action"; leave that as is. By the "Program/script" textbox, click the "Browse" button and navigate to "Program Files\Windows Defender\", highlight "MpCmdRun.exe" and click the "Open" button. In the "Add arguments (optional):" textbox type "-SignatureUpdate -MMPC" (without the quotes), then click OK.

On the "Condiditons" tab, leave the box unchecked by "Start the task only if the computer is idle for:" because this is a background task that happens very quickly. If you hibernate/sleep your PC rather than turning it off, put a check by "Wake the computer to run this task". Under "Network", put a check in the box, and leave "Any connection" as the available connection.

In the "Settings" tab be sure there's a check by "Allow task to be run on demand", and "Run task as soon as possible after a scheduled start is missed". The rest can be left as is.

Click OK, and you're finished. Windows Defender definitions will be updated every day at the time you selected.

My PC is left on 24/7, and my daily update is scheduled for 6:00 AM.

[rlfvt]

bbearren,
Have tried to create this task 3 times now following your instructions to the letter (I believe). When I try to run it I get an error that the specified file cannot be found.
Windows Defender runs fine and updates through Windows Update with no problems.
Any idea on what the problem might be?

Capture.PNG

Rich

[JoeP517]

How about posting a picture of the actions tab?

Joe

[rlfvt]

Capture.PNG

Rich

[bbearren]

Rich,

I always start Task Scheduler using "Run as administrator", but I notice I didn't put that in the instructions. And I don't know if that would make a difference, since yours shows up as a scheduled task.

The only other thing that comes to mind is the "Conditions" tab, and whether you have a check in the Network box and "Any connection" selected, since one "file specified", the signatures file, is actually on the Microsoft Malware Protection Center (MMPC).

[rlfvt]

bbearren,
I didn't run as administrator but everything is as specified.
I couldn't make out if there is a space between SignatureUpdate and -MMPC but I tried it both ways.
I will delete the task and recreate as an administrator when I get back to my laptop.

I thank you and Joe for the quick responses. Will let you know if that was the problem.

Rich

[bbearren]

Yes, there is a space between -SignatureUpdate and -MMPC.

[rlfvt]

I always start Task Scheduler using "Run as administrator",

That's what I needed to do. I run all of my utility programs and some others as administrator but it never occurred to me to run Task Scheduler that way.

Thanks again,
Rich

[bbearren]

That's what I needed to do. I run all of my utility programs and some others as administrator but it never occurred to me to run Task Scheduler that way.

Thanks again,
Rich

Thanks, Rich. I'll edit my instructions to reflect that.