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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-09-09T06:53:41+00:00

    After quite some time I found the Idle, Power and Network boxes under the Conditions tab. They are greyed out, how do I change these settings?

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-09-09T06:56:28+00:00

    I found it in the Conditions tab but they are greyed out anyway.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-09-09T10:07:06+00:00

    After quite some time I found the Idle, Power and Network boxes under the Conditions tab. They are greyed out, how do I change these settings?

    Dear Sharonie2,

    The answer is in this thread, please read it entirely before asking questions that have already been answered several times.

    Regards,

    Spazz

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-09-09T14:08:21+00:00

    Very helpful Spazz!! I'm still none the wiser!!

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  5. Anonymous
    2014-09-09T14:34:45+00:00

    I have admin rights on my Win8 pc, and in the Task Scheduler **Library/Microsoft/Windows/Windows defender,**the condition "Power" has a checkmark but it is greyed out so I cannot remove the checkmark. how to "ungrey" this condition ?

    "Click properties on the right hand side of the window."

    I don't understand how you fail to find what I just found in 2 minutes.

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