Windows 10: Defender Scheduled Scans & Definition Updates Not Working Correctly?

Hi,
I am really baffled by the following situation.

On Windows 10 Pro 1803 I set up tasks for scheduled scans and definition updates as follows:

1. Using Group Policy Editor I set up definition updates to run every 3 hours starting at 6am in the morning. The updates occur every 3 hours but not at the times I set up. There are also random, additional updates for the definitions.

2. Using Task Scheduler, I set up to run a quick scan once per day at 6:30pm in the evening. The scan did run but then almost 3 hours later, for no reason, another quick scan was initiated, but no indication as to what triggered this.

I found some older posts online that seem to suggest GPE settings are not being respected but I have no idea why or whether there is something I am missing in all of this.

Has anyone else experienced this?

What possible fixes are there?

Thanks!

:)

 

Windows 10 Windows Defender SCHEDULE "Definition Updates" & "Full Scan"

Windows 10 Windows Defender How to SCHEDULE "Definition Updates" and "Full Scan"

Please provide instruction here and not refer to broken incorrect articles about defender (there are at least 10 incorrect articles that do NOT address what needs to be done). There is a lot of incorrect and miss information out there on Windows Defender,
a sign of an inferior product.

A. I'd like to SCHEDUE virus "Definition Updates" 4 times a day a specific times.

I have scheduled 4 "Quick Scans"
1. One When Idle (which rarely happens)
2. Three at specific times (which usually run near scheduled time, but they use one or two day old virus definitions)

B. I'd like to SCHEDULE a weekly "Full Scan".

I still can not find a way to SCHEDULE a "Full Scan" of all drives.

Defender appears to be significantly inferior to MSE. Check out what your defender is doing, I bet you'll find in runs erratically and with old virus definitions.

 

Windows 10 Windows Defender SCHEDULE "Definition Updates" & "Full Scan"

Thanks, but reply did not address question. I wish to SCHEDULE a "full scan", so far scheduling only results in quick scans regardless of frequency.

Also I wish to SCHEDULE updates. Currently defender is running ~ 3 scans a day for me, but it is NOT updating to latest virus definitions.

I do not wish to do this things manually.

As far as I can tell Defender is a significantly worse product than MSE.

 

defender scans

Hi Ian,

Thanks for posting your query on Microsoft Community.

This issue might occur if you have set any task scheduler for Windows Defender.

I suggest you to delete the task for Windows defender and check if it helps.

Follow the below steps:

• 
  Search and open Schedule tasks.
  
• 
  In the left-hand menu, open the Task Scheduler Library, then select
  Microsoft >Windows >Windows Defender.
  
• 
  Double-click Windows Defender Scheduled Scan.
  
• 
  Select the Triggers panel, then select Delete.
  

Hope it helps, reply to us with the status of your issue. We will be happy to assist you.