BleepingComputer.com: Can't start windows defender and other problems

Hello,

I am running windows vista home premium, 32 bit with SP2. Recently I unexpectedly discovered I can't start windows defender.

When I click control panel>programs>change start up programs, I get a windows defender alert saying defender is turned off. If I close the alert, I am not taken to the start up list... nothing happens other than the alert closing. So, problem #1 is I cannot access the start up program editor via control panel. But, I can run msconfig and edit start up programs there.

Problem #2 is I cannot enable windows defender. The windows defender alert that is prompted from clicking "change start up programs" also has a link to enable windows defender. If I click the link the alert either hangs and becomes unresponsive or I get an error alert that says to start defender manually with error code 0x800106ba.

So, I attempted to manually start defender using services.msc to "start" defender (I also changed defender from manual to automatic). However, defender does not start and I get an error message saying defender "started and then stopped." I also get the same error code (0x800106ba) if I try to turn on defender from control panel>security>windows defender.



I do not know how long I have had these problems as I haven't had defender turned on in a while and I had never used control panel to edit the start up programs until today. However, I recently uninstalled Avast, Ad Aware and Malewarebytes and installed Microsoft Security Essentials. Also, I do not and have not ever had any virus symptoms (I do scans regularly)... I'm thinking one of the anti-virus programs maybe corrupted defender?

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Microsoft Security Essentials will turn Windows Defender off (which is useless anyway).

Thanks. Is there a reason why I get a defender prompt when I go to change startup programs?

How exactly are you trying to change startup programs?

I can change my start up programs using msconfig and by using the autostarts.exe program from this website.

But I cannot change my start up programs by going to control panel>programs>change start up programs or control panel>system and maintenance>performance information and tools>manage start up programs. When I click either "change start up programs" or "manage start up programs" I get an alert saying Windows defender is not turned on. When I close that alert, the alert closes but the start up editor does not load.

My computer has been slower at boot (even though I have disabled all start up programs) so I am wondering if this is somehow related.

This post has been edited by jotasay: 20 October 2011 - 06:57 PM

Quote

I don't have such option on my Vista.

You don't actually have to click "programs." Below the "programs" link there are two options, uninstall a program and change startup programs. I'm using Control Panel Home view as opposed to classic.

Completely disable Windows Defender http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/15788/how-to-uninstall-disable-and-remove-windows-defender.-also-how-turn-it-off/