Microsoft Security Essentials

[RonH]

I now have the latest Kaspersky 2011 AV which is due for paid renewal during Sept. I have done some reading about Microsoft Security Essentials and would ask 'Eileen' members if they have any current (updated please ... there is a lot of 'old beta' stuff on the web) views good/bad, whatever.

Since I installed the latest Kaspersky 2011 I find its very 'top heavy' when scanning and a full scan (if it ever finishes) seems to fully use up most of the pc's grunt. Also reading the Kaspersky forums it seems I am not alone! So yep, I am currently a dis-satisfied K user after many years with them.

[HansV]

I have been using Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) since I bought a PC with Windows 7 in January of this year, in combination with the Windows Internet Firewall that comes with Windows. I am satisfied with it and have no intention of switching to another anti-malware program.

Pro:

• MSE works quietly and unobtrusively.
• MSE offers adequate protection. It fares well in comparative reviews, and for my own peace of mind I run scans with two other programs from time to time, but they never find anything, so MSE must be effective.
• MSE doesn't use much CPU capacity.
• MSE is free.

Con:

• Full scans take a long time. This is not a problem for me since I have scheduled full scans to take place at night, when I sleep.
• MSE uses quite a bit of memory (about 89 MB on my PC). Again, this is not a problem for me since my PC has lots of memory.

Among other free antivirus programs, Avast and Avira have also scored well in recent comparative reviews.

[John Gray]

I certainly found that KIS 2010 was very heavy on CPU, especially when the PC was starting up, but I haven't had that impression with KIS 2011 (but I've not done any checks). KIS 2011 does a lot more than MSE, note, so it might be work you 'checking out' the differences and see if you're happy with them.

[Psst!] The best way of renewing KIS is to buy the oldest and cheapest version from Amazon and simply input its activation code to extend your installed version for another year. Any future KIS upgrade can be applied in the normal way provided your licence is still current. Renewing online for any paid-for AV that I've come across costs much more than my suggestion!

[RonH]

Thanks for your replies. What sort of 'things' would KAV do that MSE don't?
May I also ask:

My pc uses Vista 32 and
I have Malwarebytes (manual only) and Spyware Blaster. Do you know of any conflict problems?
Also I have CCleaner and Secunia ... but these serve different purposes I guess
Any snags MSE with wireless router usage?

[HansV]

John Gray mentioned KIS = Kaspersky Internet Security; this is a security suite that includes KAV = Kaspersky Anti-Virus but also a spam blocker, popup blocker, parental controls and a basic firewall.

MalwareBytes (manual), CCleaner and Secunia shouldn't cause any conflicts with MSE, and I don't think wireless/wired affects it.

I used to be a fan of SpywareBlaster (I even paid for the AutoUpdate feature), but nowadays I'm not convinced of its usefulness any more, and since it slowed down the startup time of Internet Explorer tremendously on my previous PC (with Windows XP), I gave it the boot sometime last year.

[John Gray]

What sort of 'things' would KAV do that MSE don't?

Ah! I misread the original post as saying KIS - as Hans says, KAV and MSE are approximately equivalent...

[Carol W.]

It's extremely timely that this thread was started today as I just installed MSE (and uninstalled Trend Micro which I had been using, and paying for, for years) yesterday. The install went well and it did a "quick scan" immediately after the install, as expected. My machine runs Win 7, 32 bit (an upgrade from Vista - long story - I usually don't do OS upgrades but I got a great price on the Win 7 upgrade so . . .).

I set up the MSE scan schedule to scan on Sundays at 7 AM. I turned the machine on today (Sunday) at around 7:30 AM and expected to see a scan start shortly thereafter. It's now 9:39 AM (PDT) and still no scan. It still says "Last scan 8/28/2010 at 1:26 PM)". BTW, this morning I unchecked the bottom check box "Start the scheduled scan ...". See attached.

Does anyone know if there is some time period that needs to elapse (maybe 24 hours?) between scans?

Thanks, in advance.

mse scan settings.jpg

[RonH]

Again thanks all for your inputs.
And Carol, reading that your install went 'as it should' has added some % points to my consideration of MSE.

The past two KAV instals have been challenging ... the original 2011 failed and I had to fully remove it and what was left of the 2010 before it would correctly install. KAV techo's said that I should have uninstalled the 2010 first but their official web instructions said 'install over'. What to believe? The lastest KAV 2011 went in like a dream, over the first eg without removing, which is what was again the instruction from them on the web page. But if you read the KAV Forum/s they talk about 'clean installs'. Seems to me that, though KAV does a good job, its a bit whacky in terms of many aspects including the amount of grunt that it demands of the pc ... and my pc is no slouch. And its also getting somewhat techo complex but OK I guess if you just leave it to do the job and don't worry about all the other possible settings. Or maybe its 'just my age'

Will sit on decision for a few days but at the moment I'm very tempted to hit the button and install MSE.

Regarding the non-scan you had Carol. maybe its because you had it set for 7am and you switched your pc on at 7.30am ... you missed the set time and I have a feeling that if pc is not on when the time passes, it misses it? Daft thought perhaps but this has always been the case with my Windows Defender which is a part of the new MSE. I would be interested in the outcome.

[Carol W.]

Regarding the non-scan you had Carol. maybe its because you had it set for 7am and you switched your pc on at 7.30am ... you missed the set time and I have a feeling that if pc is not on when the time passes, it misses it?

Ron,

I totally misread the wording on that checkbox that I turned off and somehow assumed that the scan would start after the machine was turned on, even if it was after 7 AM. Even if I had not unchecked that box, it still would not have scanned after 7 AM.

Need more coffee.

[Hey Jude]

Does anyone know if there is some time period that needs to elapse (maybe 24 hours?) between scans?

Thanks, in advance.

I just did a "quick scan" and am now doing a "custom" scan and both ran consecutively. I run a "full scan" once weekly and so far have had no issues. I also run Malwarebytes and just did full scans with those yesterday and all is "kosher."

For RonH, I also run MWB, Secunia, CCleaner and have a wireless router without any issues with MSE.

[John Gray]

have a wireless router...

Nowadays, does anyone have a router which is not wireless?

[Carol W.]

Thanks for the reply, Hey Jude. My question was a stupid one .

I now realize that the reason MSE did not run a scan at 7:30 AM was because the machine was not on (duh!). I had thought that the scan would start up when the machine was turned on, even if it was after 7AM, but that's not the way this program works (Acronis TI does work this way but I digress ).

Thanks, again.

[HansV]

Nowadays, does anyone have a router which is not wireless?

I do...

[Hey Jude]

have a wireless router...

Nowadays, does anyone have a router which is not wireless?

That was in response to RonH who asked, " Any snags MSE with wireless router usage?"

Carol, I have learned that the only stupid question is the one not asked. What may seem totally obvious to one, may elude another for a variety of reasons. I hope you like MSE as well as I do

[Carol W.]

Thanks! I hope so too.

[RonH]

Crickey ... this thread has been a good one
Oh and millions and millions of internet folks don't have wireless and millions still have dial-up. We can consider ourselves real fortunate
I reckon I am convinced on MSE ... more enthusiasm about it than Kaspersky for sure.

[DaveA]

have a wireless router...

Nowadays, does anyone have a router which is not wireless?

Yes, I have several of them on the shelf.
But my new one, is a 8 wired port and wireless, a NetGear FVG 318. We use mainly the wired ports, but when ever the I have the kids or grand kids machines here to update, I use the wireless.

By the way, on these machines I have gone from AVST to MSE and it works just as needed.

[Hey Jude]

Crickey ... this thread has been a good one
Oh and millions and millions of internet folks don't have wireless and millions still have dial-up. We can consider ourselves real fortunate

I had dial-up for 13 years and I was so accustomed to 53 K on a 56K modem that it didn't bother me in the least that I had to wait a whatever time frame to access a particular program etc. It's been 1 year since I've had DSL and IF the opportunity would have presented itself in our Village of 1300 years ago, I would have gone for it. The pièce de résistance was that DSL ended up being $2 cheaper than Earthlink dial-up so I switched and have just been astounded! Yes, we are very fortunate

[RonH]

Well folks with your good support, today I downloaded MSE, stopped Kaspersky and ran MSE. Went like a dream, the easiest I have ever experienced ... does this suggest its only 'simple' Nar, I reckon that Microsoft generally know what they are doing.
Kaspersky has just been 'stopped' ... how brave is that No doubt in some days ahead I will execute the non-return and remove it!
Thanks again.

[Hey Jude]

Bravissimo Ron!!!!!! (very brave I might add)

My full scan ran this morning and I also ran Malwarebytes and my system came up clean *again* so I'm content.