[SOLVED] Is Windows Defender an option in Win 7?

Today, a popup appeared, telling me that Windows Defender needs to run a quick scan. I had this program on XP Pro a few months ago, and it slowed my laptops down. I didn't even realize that the program was on my new PC (Win 7 Home Premium) until a few minutes ago. Is this program built into Win 7, or can I remove it? To me, it has no purpose. It's like spyware.

It is an option. If you have other anti virus programs running, it is supefluous to requirements.

You can switch it off in the Tools options. I do not have it running in my set up but I recall it was an option near the last, to use the program or not. It may also be sitting in the Msconfig - Startup tab, as booting with Windows.
Final option, also in Msconfig, is to look down the services list and untick it.

Fwiw. If you install Microsoft Security Essentials, Microsoft's own anti virus solution, it will automatically disable Defender.

There is a separate option in your Control Panel for Defender itself. If you have the Security Essentials, clicking on the Defender selection should pop up a message that Defender is Turned Off...please have a look.

You will see this when Windows Defender is off >

? I think, perhaps, davehc covered it extensively. The OP wanted to now how to remove it?? (or disable if he only option.)

I finally turned it off, and my PC is a little faster. I had this problem with XP Pro when it was downloaded through automatic updates. It took me a month to figure out that the program was the problem. Looking into the program further, in my opinion it is on the edge of being spyware. I uninstalled it from my laptops. But on this new system, I saw no way to uninstall, so I simply turned it off. That is just as good.