Windows Security Essentials

[SrDriver]

Have been running the free Windows Security Essentials on my desktop & laptop for several days. Running Windows 7 Release Candidate 64 bit on the desktop and Windows Vista 32 bit on the laptop.

Link to Windows Security Essentials

Web site also mentions it will work with Windows XP as long as service pack 2 or 3 is installed.

Only change I made was under settings to scan daily @ a time I may have the computer on and took out the check mark in: "Start the scheduled scan only when my computer is on but not in use". That way it starts the scan in the background.

It will automatically update the latest updates before the scan starts.

Does not seem to pole the processor heavenly either like some other anti-virus software.

 

[ZZman]

Their other products were weak so I hold out little hope for this one.

There are many other good free ones out there.

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

One Care wasn't that bad at all. In fact the online Windows Live anti-spyware scanner is one of the most thorough products we have used to remove nastyware.

Others echo Sr Driver's comments about it being lightweight. MS is only about 15 years late with an A/V product. lol

 

[JustinH]

This software suite is perfect for many of the computers I work on, for people on the side.

People dot't want to pay for antivirus programs, and this is a great solution.

I wouldn't be surprised if they put an even better solution into Windows 7 and put a good chunk of the antivirus software market right out of business.

 

[SrDriver]

Interesting review of Windows Security Essentials.

Link To Review

 

[sprintman]

A product tester on Wildwers I think it was had malware nothing would touch, MSE fixed it. My engineers reckon its good. A winner for MS.

 

[SrDriver]

Interesting article about Windows Security Essentials. 1.5 Million Downloads in a week!

Link To Article

 

[sprintman]

Running it on work PC and so far so good. I'm impressed!

 

[Lyondellic]

Many have been complaining that the current version of MSE does not automatically check for updates on their computers after waking from sleep mode. The fix was easy enough though:

To change the default 24H Signature Update interval do the following:

1. Type "regedit" in the Windows Start Menu search field, then open the "Edit" menu and select "Find" to locate the following: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Microsoft Antimalware/Signature Update"

2. Right click on "SignatureUpdateInterval" in the right panel and select "Modify". Change the default view from Hex to Decimal, after which you should see "24" in the value field. This value represents 24 hours, which the frequency that MSE checks for new signature files.

3. Change the DWORD value for "SignatureUpdateInterval" to any number between 1 & 24 (Default is 24), then click OK and exit the registry editor. I chose a value of "1" since my laptop is in sleep mode or turned off most of the time. This causes MSE to check for signature updates every 60 minutes.

Note: to be able to change "SignatureUpdateInterval" you have to take ownership of "SignatureUpdateInterval" registry key first.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc786173(WS.10).aspx