Microsoft Security Essentials

I've been using Windows Live One for two and a half years now, and been happy with it for 48 bucks a year. Is this new MSE better than Live One, or just a re-naming of Live One?

Funny I never see Live One advertised or even mentioned online, since it seems to do the job pretty well for 4 bucks a month.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I was under the impression that the paid-for Live One Care service had been discontinued, and that the free MSE was the replacement for it.

I wouldn't settle for an "average" product from a company whose bread 'n butter isn't security. Yes, Microsoft has the resources to make a top notch product in any market, but it would seem they don't have the interest. Why would they put out an "average" product?

I use Vipre from Sunbelt Software and am very satisified. I am disappointed that I didn't see it in the comparisons at AV-Comparatives.org.

The only downside I've found to Vipre is it's lack of integrated firewall, which they say is going to change at the end of the year to a "complete" suite.

I've been using Microsoft Security Essentials on my Vista x64 SP2 desktop since the day MSE came out of beta. It replaced avast! because a full scan MSE found a virus and Trojan not detected by avast!. Further research proved to me these ware not false-positive detections.

MSE has to be manually updated by me for signatures, as I have Windows Update intentionally set to download and notify me of updates, but not install them automatically. However the weekly complete scan I have scheduled does first download and install updates, as I have that option checked. Microsoft offers another signature update solution. Downloading mpam-fex64.exe to get the latest updates also works for me using Vista Business x64 and MSE x64.

https://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Definitions/HowToMSE.aspx#MSE64bit

For years, many of the users and admins in PC Tech on Paltalk have recommended the use of Spywareblaster, Spybot, Iobit 360, AVG or AVira or Avast but the consensus now is to replace all of these with MSE and just keep Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware as a "spare tire". So far MSE has found and cured anything that users coming into the room with spyware problems etc has had thrown at it.

Bob, your useful article on Microsoft Security Essentials said that other security programs should be removed before installing MSE. Does the same advice apply to CC-Cleaner?

EDITOR'S NOTE: No, CCleaner would not need to go. Only anti-spyware and anti-virus programs that are "always on" would need to be removed.

Bob, does it make a difference which browser is being used? I wouldn't put it past MS if MSE only works if IE is the browser of choice. I would like to give MSE a try but I'm a Firefox user and I would like to keep it that way. TIA for helping me out.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I'm sure MSE will work regardless of your browser choice.

Hi Bob, I have been using Norton 360 for last 2-3 years.

It does everything for me and I have no problems,except it costs about $ 100 in Canada per year. In a few months I will have to renew it. Should I stop using it and use MSE which is free? Or if I can afford $ 100 per year I should continue with Norton? my OS is Windows 7, 32 bit.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I just installed MSE on a machine that had been infected with dozens of viruses and spyware. It did a great job of cleaning it up. I honestly don't see any reason to buy anti-virus software.

Yes, I agree with most of the other comments, Microsoft Security Essentials is a great piece of software. It is so easy to use, and the quick scan takes less than two minutes. So far, nothing has got through it, and I can easily say it's the best anti-virus program I've ever had.

It surprises me Microsoft is offering this for free, and it also surprises me that they have made this program in the first place, given they are partners with Symantec and McAfee.

I just had a clean install and opted for windows 7. My XP had a nasty virus that I could not clean. After reading about the fiasco that McAfee caused by omitting an essential file on their updates, I trashed it and downloaded MSE. So far, no complaints.

I'm in IT, so i get to hear everyone's PC problems. Countless times since MSE has been out I've recommended they give MSE a try when they have some virus their current AV solution isn't solving for them.

I can honestly post that 100% of them have returned the following day successful, or i don't hear back from them (always a good sign) and bump into them days later and it's a complete after thought, as it immediately cured the problem once installed.

The only other thing i hear back is how much faster their machines run after removing their current av and installing MSE.

I used quite a few packages over the years. As a speed freak, I can tell when something isn't right and I recently suspected something was up. So, I downloaded SpyBot SD and scanned. It found nothing. So, thought I would try Microsoft Essentials and it immediately found a Trojan. Not only that, the next day it intercepted another Trojan which was attached it a software program I downloaded. Essentials will be my choice for the foreseeable future.

i have been using MSE since the start of this year, and to be honest it hasn't let me down once since i first started using it. Am a student and at my university, they have this other Anti-virus program but my usb still gets infected at school any way, so i installed MSE on both my desktop (windows 7 64-bit) and my laptop (windows 7 32-bit) and both my computers have never been cleaner in years. I definitely give it a thumbs up and you should definitely give it a try. you won't be disappointed.

My computer came with McAfee and Defender. I was thinking of switching Defender to MSE, but while investigating, learned (on your site) that Defender is only anti-spyware. Maybe this is why it doesn't conflict with McAfee. You say not to have 2 AVs, but many people commenting on your topics talk about having 2 or more products running successfully. What's the deal? I would like to replace Defender with MSE if this would be OK. A MS tech. told me on the phone it would be OK, but I don't think I can trust his knowledge. Can you clear this up? Thank you.

EDITOR'S NOTE: It's not a bad idea to replace Defender with MSE, since MSE includes the Defender component. Just get rid of your other AV program, because it's not good to have two.

QUESTION: I have Windows XP Pro SP3 and am thinking of obtaining Microsoft Security Essentials.

One problem that I have heard of concerning this program is that it automatically sets Microsoft Updates to Automatic, whether the user wants this or not.

Now, I don't particularly mind this behavior, provided, of course, that I am allowed to reverse it after MSE is installed.

So, could someone please check and see whether, in fact, one is able, under Windows XP Pro SP3, and post-install of MSE, to de-select Microsoft Updates from Automatic? (Check it after a reboot in case it resets itself.) Or, does MSE somehow render this setting "permanent"?

--”Glenn P."

I like MSE...

Its does a pretty good job and certainly beats symantec hands down.

I have see trojans now targeting it directly, like other antivirus programs so the hackers know its out there.

I saw one that disabled your antivirus and it would alter itself ever time and stop the MSE update.

Hi, I just read all your recommendations & decided to install windows defender x 64, malwarebytes, & avast.
Is this an o.k combination?

I'm worried I may have to many things installed(or to few).

Thanks so much for your time... :0)

You'll notice that MSE is recommended for home use only. For a business you should upgrade to Microsoft Forefront Client Security. If you don't want to do that, stay with GOOD commercial Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware programs.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I really don't accept the premise that the average small business with a few employees needs anything different than what a home user would need for security.

Hi All,

So to clarify, if I am currently running McAfee, I can uninstall and just download MSE for free???

I'm sceptical.

Also, I thought Spybot was different than an antivirus. I usually use Spybot, manual cleaning along with McAfee.

Also, what about AdAware, asuming I can/should still do a regular manual cleaning?

So again to clarify. Get ride of all of the above and download MSE and be worry free? Still sceptical : )

EDITOR'S NOTE: Yes! MSE includes both anti-virus and anti-spyware protection. You can dump both Spybot and the resource (and money) hogging McAfee, and install MSE as a complete replacement.

MSE just updated their program to version 2. The Firewall is more involved and there are more options, making it a little more personally usable.

I had AVG for years and it was great, until they went overbloat in version 9 & 10. Then I tried Avast. I think it has too much nag for my taste. So I switched to Antivir. It was good, but my husband got a trojan and was so hard to get rid of, SP3 was unable to install.

So I switched to MSE and have installed the new version 2. I like it. It works, and it stays out of my face. You'd think that if MS makes it, it works best with Windows OSes.

I also do Spybot Search & Destroy, Malware Bites, and HiJackThis, but only manually. I often forget to scan.. so I like the fact that MSE scans for malware too.

And most of all it's FREE. I am a firm believer that "security" should be free. It just makes sense.

Very interesting.

I have Comodo Internet Security (without the AntiVirus module) and Malawarebytes Free Ed., for occasional double checking: I believe there is no conflict because this is not proactive.

After problems and a complete dislike of PC Tools AntiSpyware + Firewall, I added Microsoft Security Essentials and as far as I know, it is brilliant.

I agree about the fast Quick Scan on MSE but not the full scan. I use about 80GB of my hard drive currently, and the MSE Full Scan takes SEVEN hours. It does not find any problems but seven hours is far too long. Given comments about full scan in 45 minutes, I wonder if there is something wrong with the programme or my installation. Perhaps Comodo slows it down?

Today, from Give Away of The Day, I can get Outpost Security Suite Pro 7.5.1 – Performance Edition as a freebie. It seems to be top of the class in performance terms but naturally Comodo and MSE will have to go.

I'm uncertain that I want to switch anything. What do you think, please?

I am happen to pay for a product if it is better. I had PC Tools as mentioned and it just got more and more expensive without doing a proper job, so, it was removed (no easy task with all it's registry entries etc) - I actually dumped it before the subscription ended, as it was causing no end of problems.

Thank you for this site.