Windows Defender

Submitted by Steven Stern on Wed, 02/15/2006 - 12:54

Microsoft has released beta 2 of Windows Defender, the successor to Microsoft AntiSpyware (beta 1). It installed well on my machine, although I removed MS AntiSpyware first. Happily, neither the removal nor installation required a reboot.

Now, I've got a problem. Windows Defender will not update itself. It fails with an error 0x8024402c. Buzzing around through Microsoft's site, it seems that this error is related to Windows Update. My current theory is that because my PC is set to update through a WSUS server, Defender is looking in the wrong place for its updates.

Update: Feb 22:

For any folks using WSUS, you must add "definition updates" to the types of things that are synchronized, then set "definition updates" to "automatic install" to have them pushed out to clients. Now that we understand this, we've put Windows Defender on several computers on the LAN and it seems to be working well.

Comments

Martin Morrison (not verified)

Fri, 02/17/2006 - 04:27

I have exactly the same problem after installing Windows Defender this morning. I had the AntiSpyWare Beta on there before installing Defender and did not un-intsall it (the Defender installation seems to have removed all trace of the AntiSpyware).

Micky (not verified)

Sun, 02/19/2006 - 10:05

Same issue - I am not pointing to WSUS server though -

Hans (not verified)

Wed, 02/22/2006 - 03:41

Same problem here. Not sure if we have WSUS, so I turned on VPN to work, and all the WD net traffic bypassed the VPN connection. Except now I get error code 80072efd with VPN active. I also did uninstall and reinstall. My original install was on top of Beta1 version.

Don (not verified)

Fri, 03/03/2006 - 07:09

I am receiving the error. I know for a fact my machine does not look for an internal WSUS or SUS point for updates. I did find that I was able to update from my home network, just not my work network. Looks to me like its a Proxy or Firewall issue.

Don (not verified)

Fri, 03/03/2006 - 07:14

Found a working solution. While I mostly use the ISA winsock client and not ISA proxy to get to the internet from work, updated from windowsupdates.microsoft.com always fails until I enable my proxy settings in IE. I enabled my proxy settings and I was able to get updates for Windows Defender.

J Penrose (not verified)

Thu, 03/16/2006 - 06:54

As reported above, BETA WD was looking to my WSUS for definitions updates. As soon as I enabled them in the WSUS console and approved the updates WD grabbed them straight away.

Thanks to Steve for the info. I was having second thoughts about the reliability of this product.

JPenrose MCSE MCSA

Michele (not verified)

Thu, 03/16/2006 - 08:33

Our organization runs a WSUS server, and we have added Windows Defender to the products for detection, as well as Definition Updates to the Update Classifications, but our WSUS server has not downloaded the Definition Updates. WSUS has synchronized successfully 3 times since adding the new product category. We have updates form March 14th, but nothing for Windows Defender. Any ideas?

Steve (not verified)

Thu, 03/16/2006 - 08:56

The last Windows Defender update on our WSUS system (as of March 16, 8:55 AM CST) was March 9.

Michele (not verified)

Thu, 03/16/2006 - 09:10

I have just found my mistake. On the Options page, Automatic Approval Options, I didn't have Definition Updates added to th "Automatically approve updates for detection by using the following rule". When I viewed the updates on the server with the "not approved" filter, the Definition Updates were there. I always view updates with the "Detect Only" filter on. Thanks.

Steve Rossiter (not verified)

Thu, 03/23/2006 - 19:54

This article may help you guys, had the same issue and this has fixed it.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=915105

aseem marwaha (not verified)

Fri, 03/24/2006 - 12:15

hey steve i too have the same prob. but i don't to know what is wsus server and don't know how to implement the solution given by u.could u plzzzzzzzz tell me in detil how to implement the solution.i'll be very thankful to u

Steve (not verified)

Fri, 03/24/2006 - 13:31

Unless you're on a corporate network, you don't need to think about WSUS servers. See the link in Steve Rossiter's comment (above) for a fix from Micrsoft for this error in non-WSUS situations.

Ivan (not verified)

Wed, 03/29/2006 - 07:34

Maybe one more hint... U should install Windows Installer 3.1 first! Without that, U won't be able to install updates- at least that is my experience.
Good luck!

Ricky (not verified)

Thu, 04/06/2006 - 17:23

That's the ticket. Thanks for saving me the headache!

Stephen Dolphin (not verified)

Tue, 04/18/2006 - 05:02

Thanks for the heads up about WSUS, I was getting worried that it might not be compatible!

Long (not verified)

Tue, 05/23/2006 - 10:20

Hi,

I have tried the following:

1. Re-installation
2. Microsoft KB Article
3. Checking WSUS/ SUS
4. Installing Windows Installer 3.1 V2

And still nothing works ! I still get the 0X8024402c

Its really frustrating and I no longer what to do here...Any other options?

mr.freshmen (not verified)

Sat, 06/03/2006 - 03:02

i dont know what do you mean to add definitions updates or any of that will you please help me ??????............

cjpitsch (not verified)

Fri, 06/16/2006 - 14:21

I've tried everything and still get this 0x8024002b. Any work arounds?

Simon Eady (not verified)

Mon, 10/16/2006 - 05:37

Very helpfull info.

Wish it was added to the tech info on MS regarding the product.

Thank god for Google

Roy Williamson (not verified)

Thu, 11/16/2006 - 14:58

i had this same error, i tracked it down to my firewall, it had blocked 2 svchost services, when i removed these from my firewall block list i got the updates no prob

ememcee (not verified)

Fri, 01/11/2008 - 07:39

No problem updating until yesterday. Nothing new installed. Firewall Zone Alarm free version in use.
Would appreciate some help

Margaret Cook (not verified)

Fri, 01/11/2008 - 08:51

Fixed! Checked ZA. Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool was not being allowed into the trusted zone.
Checking firewalls seems to be the answer!