A good, free anti malware - Microsoft Security Essentials
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First impression review by kenneth:
As above, it's a free anti virus software from microsoft corp. for validated users of geniune microsoft windows os.
On the whole, it is a no frills anti virus solution which is definitely on par with free antivirus solutions such as Avg, Avast home, and i would rating scanning time as relatively fast, uses little resources, easy to download (unlike avast) and quick to install.
It's definitely a big improvement in over it's predecessor windows live one care - a paid anti virus software, which if one remembers, was a big unknown (?) with people looking for anti virus software opting to pay for a better and more well known anti virus such as Mcafee or Norton.
That's said, it may not have the features like big shot anti virus suites have, take for example, PC tuning up, Back up features.
What is has is a simple to use interface, simple real time protection that works - It monitors pc activity and potentially unwanted software that presents it self trying to install into the computer. Other features include Automatic scans of flash drives and hard drives (if option is ticked), Scans of archive files (.Cab, Rar, Zip)
Microsoft is also true to it's word that, the antivirus software does indeed
" run 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."
Memory usage:
-Left blank till next edit-
Installation is quick - Quickly done in less 2 minutes.
Note: After installation, the intial quick scan would take quite a few minutes to scan. This is normal and it does not reflect on the scan speed of the anti virus. Subsquent ones are done in quick time <45seconds
Side note
It's my 1st week using this, and my first and honest impression of this product. I m not paid to do so, and coincidentally, it's my first product evulation after a long time. I might and might not be able to update this thread with more interesting things I find after evulating the product. So feel free to post what you find and I will try my best to add it in here to share with everyone.
I would appreciate it if there were to be no flamers. Everyone has their own perceptions and let's leave it that way. There's no need to enforce your opinion that xx anti virus is the best and this is not.
Requirements:
Operating System: Genuine Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3); Windows Vista (Gold, Service Pack 1, or Service Pack 2); Windows 7
- For Windows XP, a PC with a CPU clock speed of 500 MHz or higher, and 256 MB RAM or higher.
- For Windows Vista and Windows 7, a PC with a CPU clock speed of 1.0 GHz or higher, and 1 GB RAM or higher.
- VGA display of 800 × 600 or higher.
- 140 MB of available hard disk space.
- An Internet connection is required for installation and to download the latest virus and spyware definitions for Microsoft Security Essentials.
- Internet Browser:
- Windows Internet Explorer 6.0 or later.
- Mozilla Firefox 2.0 or later.
- Microsoft Security Essentials also supports Windows XP Mode in Windows 7. For more information, see the system requirements for Windows XP Mode in Windows 7
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downloaded onto both my desktop & netbook..
so far so good..
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Downloaded and installed in my laptop, loved it! The memory usage of this program is close to 4K (I use a 1GB RAM). This is far much better than my other antivirus, Avast!.
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so far the most detected threat on my desktop comp would be the following..
Backdoor:Win32/Hupigon.XD
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Avast protects against Javascript viruses. Does MSE protect against that?
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Originally posted by GIB:
Avast protects against Javascript viruses. Does MSE protect against that?
Not sure, but safe to say
Avast is pretty damn awesome. I'm using it on both my computers, and none of them have fallen or needed to be reformated since Avast tends to block malicious programs from even entering, something which Symantec failed to do since it couldn't even detect an Autorun virus in my sister's thumbdrive. Plugged it into my PC - BAM - virus gone.
MSE is good for netbooks or any slow PC. Since I tried it on my (ex)-computer which is now my sister's running a slow Celeron D. Pretty zippy, for a single-core POS from 7+ years back.
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Hmm... then I best stick with Avast for now.