Microsoft have this afternoon released their new free anti-virus software, Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) on the internet.
This software is based on their award-winning ForeFront corporate anti-virus engine and includes additional features not seen in other anti-virus packages such as only performing scheduled scans when you’re not using your PC.
On the website Microsoft describe their new product thus…
Microsoft Security Essentials provides real-time protection for your home PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.
Microsoft Security Essentials is a free* download from Microsoft that is simple to install, easy to use, and always kept up to date so you can be assured your PC is protected by the latest technology. It’s easy to tell if your PC is secure — when you’re green, you’re good. It’s that simple.
Microsoft Security Essentials runs quietly and efficiently in the background so that you are free to use your Windows-based PC the way you want—without interruptions or long computer wait times.
Their previous foray into anti-virus software, OneCare, was both a public-relations and a protection disaster. It will come as no surprise to anyone then that they’ve got a mountain to climb to win hearts and minds this time.
We can certainly expect MSE to feature first in the anti-virus ballot screen when you install Windows 7, and in my mind this will be no bad thing. I can thoroughly recommend MSE, I’ve been using it for a while now, and you can download it here.
Great! At last i can try it out, Microsoft didn’t ,make the beta available in Ireland. I’ve heard it works well with windows 7
Im using it on XP in a virtual machine and its very lightweight, doesnt slow it down at all.
I’ve been using MSE for about 2 months, IMHO the best free anti-virus software!!
have to check this out. one of my pc’s been using symantec client security. freakin stinks lol.
this program is truly amazing, but for some reason, with vista it blocks my Windows Defender and at first i thought it was because i didnt need defender anymore since ofcourse, i now had an antivirus software.
BUT on my home computer with XP and i have Defender as well and it doesnt block it here.
any explanations?
.. and also that leads me to this question, will i need windows defender if i have MSE installed?
I believe that MSE uses Defender as the base install and just adds some easy to use GUI and a virus scanner on top of that. So that may be why vista’s defender doesn’t work, but XP’s does. Or something like that.
IMO that’s what I think.
MSE website says “Microsoft Security Essentials provides real-time protection for your home PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.”
So, I’m guessing it will replace Windows Defender completely.
The simple explanation is that it is supposed to disable Defender, or switch it to manual. The fact it doesn’t do it on the XP setup is just further verification it was designed around Vista and Windows 7. You absolutely do not need Defender to be running if MSE is installed….
Stephen
MSE should remove Defender off of your computer when you install it. It has antispyware built in already.
I just stick with my AVG
thanks anyways
does it interfere with touchscreen drivers? I am on the Fujitsu Lifebook t5010, currently on vista home. does anyone have any experience with this model?
thanks!
just want to know if i can run it along with trend micro? i jsut want to try it out a bit before completely ditching trend… will they co-exist?
thanks
If you mean running them at the same time, then the answer is no. That, however, has nothing to do with MSE. It is never wise to run two anti-virus programs at the same time.
Stephen
“Their previous foray into anti-virus software, OneCare, was both a public-relations and a protection disaster.”
I disagree with the second part of your statement. I found it to be very reliable.
If OneCare was a protection disaster, what does that make MSE? MSE uses the same engine as Forefront AND OneCare.
Stephen