Microsoft Security Essentials

[mattbiernat]

give me some feedback.

[Marin85]

I have just downloaded a *sample* to see what you are talking about. Right on the first installation screen I was told that this tool would protect me by turning on Automatic Updates and ensuring my safer browsing (I assume only with IE here). Then I canceled the installation process because if those two are really the key features of that thing I don´t see how it could protect me from the cruel mean world out there at all. I´m not saying it´s total crap, I´m only saying that being a decent antivirus/anti-malware appears to be far beyond the scope of that tool (whatever it is). Guess not the kind of feedback you may have expected...

[ajkula66]

Anything that turns on automatic updates is not welcome on any of my machines, but you most certainly are entitled to a different opinion...

Using one's common sense is the best anti-malware program that there is, and it's free. Not that a good AV like Avira or Kaspersky can hurt either...

[mgo]

I have just downloaded a *sample* to see what you are talking about. Right on the first installation screen I was told that this tool would protect me by turning on Automatic Updates and ensuring my safer browsing (I assume only with IE here). Then I canceled the installation process because if those two are really the key features of that thing I don´t see how it could protect me from the cruel mean world out there at all. I´m not saying it´s total crap, I´m only saying that being a decent antivirus/anti-malware appears to be far beyond the scope of that tool (whatever it is). Guess not the kind of feedback you may have expected...

Yes, Windows Update does revert to automatic when MSE is installed. That surely does add a touch of "nanny ware" to the utility.

However, it's a simple matter to go back in and change Update back to your preference. (I keep Update on "never" and do a manual check from time to time, and install updates "cafeteria style")

Your settings will then remain where you set them. This means one needs to manually update the application, which is fairly easy to do. If your definitions get too old, the Taskbar "castle" changes colors.

[mattbiernat]

I have just downloaded a *sample* to see what you are talking about. Right on the first installation screen I was told that this tool would protect me by turning on Automatic Updates and ensuring my safer browsing (I assume only with IE here).

no it does not just protect by turning automatic updates. it has a scaner and realtime protection.

[goofyGAguy]

it has a scaner and realtime protection.

Undoubtedly vastly inferior to any number of other freeware apps out there.

[mattbiernat]

Undoubtedly vastly inferior to any number of other freeware apps out there.

hmm too bad for microsoft because if they did come up with a decent antivirus and antispyware and integrated it into the system it would help them tremendously with their marketing. i mean look at apple, you can hear on every commercial "macs don't get viruses."

[aeschylus]

Undoubtedly vastly inferior to any number of other freeware apps out there.

How is it vastly inferior to any other freeware apps?

Here are two reviews from reputable websites which come to a slightly different conclusion.

http://www.thetechherald.com/article.ph ... als?page=4

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2 ... sses.ars/2

[craigmontHunter]

I am using it, and like it, because I found that the new (8.0) avg took up too much power, and slowed down my system. For a long time, I ran without any security software. MSE does not use too many resources, and it is better protection than I had with nothing. (still never had a virus ) If it gets too slow, I will revert to no anti-virus/spyware/malware.

[qviri]

Installed it on my X31 running W7, because I carry it around and connect to various networks, not all of them necessarily trusted. As far as I can tell, it slowed down the system a little bit... or perhaps that's just because I've been actually using and installing stuff on the machine. And, of course, it's not the fastest thing around.

Running it on default settings except I have Windows Update set to download and only notify, as others have mentioned. AV definitions seem to come in automatically -- I'm fine with that. It seems to stay out of the way. Can't really comment on the effectiveness -- it hasn't warned me of any grave danger yet, but I'm not really the most careless of users either. Right now this is a "just in case" app that doesn't reinvent the wheel for me, easy choice, easy install, easy running so far.

[mattbiernat]

so what is the difference between windows defender and microsoft security essentials?

[moronoxyd]

Security Essentials is a real antivirus and antimalware program, Windows Defender was not.

SE slows the system down somewhat (more than Avira Antivirus, which is FAST, but significantly less than the current AVG Antivirus, which is SLOW). It eats up quite som RAM (approx. 100 MB on my X32).
Scans are reasonably fast, once again better than AVG and slightly worse than Avira.

The interface is simple and clear, much better suited for non professionals than any other of the free antivirus tools.

In a test by some antivirus lab (AV-Test.org?) the beta version fared rather well, just slightly below Avira and better than several other antivirus tools. It stands to reason that the final version is at least as good.


So currently I would recommend Security Essentials for novice and average users, while I personally will stay with Avira Antivirus due to its slightly better performance.

[robert213]

Is there any relationship between Microsoft Security Essentials
and McAfee Total Protection for Endpoint Essentials?

http://www.mcafee.com/us/small/products ... index.html

[moronoxyd]

As far as I know not.

[Temetka]

MSE is a good program. I've been running it on all my home machines and laptops as well as a few friends and family members machines. Now all of these machines have been clean in the past and I think it's a good point that none of them have been infected since installing it. The reviews I have read seem to indicate that Microsoft has a good thing going on here and if they continue in the current direction they should have a pretty solid package on their hands.