Hot Take Shadow Defender - RIP

Andy Ful said:
It is incredible that SD still works without updates, despite so many changes in OS.
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I believe that the Shadow Defender "Partners" and "Resellers" - if SD is truly dead - will just keep selling it even if it cannot run on Windows 11 24H2. The developer, "Tony," did not exactly have top "Partners" or "Resellers." They were mostly one or two person operations. They are the "enterprising types" that will make a Euro however they can even if it means selling a "dead" software.
 
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After the latest Windows update, Shadow Defender cannot be normally installed on Windows 11 23H2. The alert below is visible even if Core isolation settings are OFF.
Clicking the Disable button and rebooting does not help. One has to use the method from my previous post:
https://malwaretips.com/threads/shadow-defender-rip.129791/post-1104122

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From the compatibility alert, we can conclude that SD installation is blocked due to incompatibility with Hardware-enforced Stack Protection. The compatibility check has a bug because the SD installer is blocked even if this protection is already disabled.
 
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pvsurfer said:
Over the years I got to "know" the developer (via email), but there's been no communication for the past 4 years, so I'm curious as to where you read that he died?
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11 years ago SD forum was down and official support been moved to Wilders. There was no contact with Tony and some people on the internet claimed that they know Tony but there was no proofs thru the years. It was also considered Tony died in some of big natural disaster that affected China in 2009/2010 but nobody could verify such versions.
Yor mention @pvsurfer is strongly surprising me and I'm rather sceptic if that person was real Tony.
 
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Andy Ful said:
After the latest update, the compatibility alert is also on Windows 10 22H2. So, it seems that SD can no longer be installed via the standard installer on updated Windows.
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Yes (unfortunately), but your extraction solution facilitates reinstallation of SD after updating Windows! (y)
 
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pvsurfer said:
Yes (unfortunately), but your extraction solution facilitates reinstallation of SD after updating Windows! (y)
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It can survive updates but not normal (unmodified) upgrades. This is true for any method. One has to modify the upgrades (via RUFUS, etc.) or use the modified SD installer after the upgrade.
The modified upgrade will keep all incompatible software (requires caution).
The cons of using SD are that some Core isolation settings must be disabled.
 
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I've been testing Shadow Defender (installed by modifying the file name of the installer) and Time Freeze 2017 on Windows 11 24H2. But, sadly from my side produces intermittent BSOD. BSOD varies, mostly SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION. ntfs.sys. REGISTRY_ERROR. and many other errors. The only software that works similarly is Deep Freeze. Deep Freeze 8.x cause infinite boot loop, and Deep Freeze 9.x works fine.
 
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As the saying goes 'every dog has it's day' & from my point of view Shadow's day has now gone - It's a shame but now deleted registration code from archive & wont attempt to use it again - If someone else in family wishes to use a PC I quickly make a C:\ image (13 seconds) & if need be image back later, almost as fast as using Shadow..
 
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It has now been exactly 5 years since Shadow Defender was last updated. One of my favourite piece of software, so useful & handy to use. RIP Shadow Defender.

Who knows, it might do a Lazarus one day.
 
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