Windows Security Alert That Bitdefender Is Turned Off

cmusil

During logging in on a Win Xp SP3 Home Edition system with 2 GHz Celeron CPU and 1 GB of RAM (old computer), I receive a transitory alert from Windows Security Center indicating that Bitdefender is turned off. On one account with password, the Bitdefender taskbar icon appears first and shows up normal (red). On another account without a password, the Bitdefender taskbar icon starts off red and then becomes gray. After a short time, the Windows Security alert taskbar icon then appears in both cases with the warning that Bitdefender is off. Eventually, the security alert disappears and in the second case, the Bitdefender taskbar icon returns to normal (red). Security Center ultimately indicates that virus protection is being provided by Bitdefender.

Installation History:

1) Uninstalled old BitDefender Antivirus 2008 with BitDefender_Uninstall_Tool.exe

2) Installed, activated and registered BitDefender Antivirus 2010

3) Uninstalled BitDefender Antivirus 2010 with BitDefender_Uninstall_Tool.exe

4) Installed, activated and registered BitDefender Antivirus 2010

Is this just a "cosmetic" defect? Can viruses be downloaded during the time Windows claims BitDefender is turned off? How can one be absolutely sure that Bitdefender Antivirus is running with all of its realtime protection?

unknown

Hello Chris Musil

If the BitDefender icon from the system tray is red and you are not seeing an exclamation sign indicating you that there are issues to fix then the BitDefender software is working fine on your computer and you are protected at the startup. This warning you are receiving from Windows Security Center should be a delay in the communication process between these two. Unfortunately, on Windows XP the Windows Security Center process cannot be delayed at startup (as you can do on Windows Vista or 7).

We recommend you to go to Start -> run -> type msconfig -> hit Enter. On the System Configuration Utility please go to the Startup tab and uncheck the processes you do not need to start every time you are opening your computer (e.g. Winamp, Adobe ARM, GoogleUpdate)

Thank you.