Can one prevent Antimalware Executable to start hogging CPU for extended periods each time some network adapter gets active?

Anonymous
2013-03-15T20:00:20+00:00

One of the most annoying habits in Windows 8 is, that the built-in "Antimalware Service Executable" (part of "Windows Defender") starts hogging my device's CPU with 60-70% (and 100% disk) for extended periods EACH AND EVERY time after I wake it up.

I wouldn't mind if it starts doing its business IN THE BACKGROUND but when I wake my device up from standby it's usually to get something done NOW and thus I find it increasingly unacceptable, that the system is always taken over by Window's defender exactly then and for up to several minutes! If I don't find a solution soon to throttle this beast, then I will disable Defender altogether!

What I noticed is, that this process seems to be actually triggered not by the system waking up, but by the network adapter becoming active. And actually, this happens each and every time ANY network adapter gets active! E.g. if my system has NO network connection at all and I plugin the network cable the Antimalware Service Executable starts. When - after it has settled again - I additionally enable Bluetooth then the Antimalware Service Executable starts its hogging business again. And if I then additionally enable the WLAN a few minutes later, it will AGAIN start to consume CPU!

So: can one decouple this? Running a scan ONCE after (re-)starting it is definitely enough, especially if Defender hasn't downloaded any new signatures since the last run! And, second, can one make Defender convince to strictly run in the background ONLY?

Michael

[Moved from Windows]

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Security and privacy

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-03-18T15:57:13+00:00

    Only this group of tasks is part of Windows 8:

    Task Scheduler Library => Microsoft => Windows => Windows Defender:  4 tasks:

         Windows Defender Cache Maintenance

              %ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe -IdleTask -TaskName WdCacheMaintenance

         Windows Defender Cleanup

              %ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe -IdleTask -TaskName WdCleanup

         Windows Defender Scheduled Scan

              %ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe Scan -ScheduleJob

         Windows Defender Verification

              %ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe -IdleTask -TaskName WdVerification

    So you can either disable or delete the others. But the more important questions is whether Security Essentials is installed, or whether the old Windows Defender might still be active; since both of those programs are incompatible with Windows 8 (and they’re also mutually incompatible).

    GreginMich

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-03-18T16:22:14+00:00

    > ... whether Security Essentials is installed, or whether the old Windows Defender might still be active...

    From a decent upgrade installer I would have expected to take care of such issues! But it fits into my picture of Windows 8 by now. If there were an easy way to retrograde, I wouldn't hesitate for a second!

    I consider it my worst IT-related decision of the last half year to upgrade to Win8!

    M.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-03-18T17:51:05+00:00

    I’m not sure how the upgrade handles things when the old Windows Defender is enabled; but it probably does a better job with the old Windows Defender than it does with Security Essentials: If Security Essentials is installed, you might have to remove it with the Microsoft “Fix it” uninstaller:

    http://support.microsoft.com/mats/Program\_Install\_and\_Uninstall

    ...following the directions provided here:

    http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/mse-protect\_start/uninstalling-mse/a63b8c4b-58ed-437e-8086-fa08d80725a4

    GreginMich

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-04-02T06:01:40+00:00

    Even after Fix-It and disabling the "superfluous" versions of these tasks Defender kept hogging my system for minutes EACH and every time I started it up or changed any network related setting. This was just too annoying, so I finally disabled this piece of **** completely.

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  5. Anonymous
    2013-04-06T13:53:32+00:00

    That worked a treat,, now all I need to do is get shot of some background guff and this p-o-s is almost better than a sharpened stick

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