Windows Live One Care Safety Scanner and Toolbar

[someone]

I downloaded and installed Windows Live One Care (at least I thought so)
yesterday, yet my WD (I have the latest version, sig 1.15.227.3) is still
operative and I got no caution to turn it off. I checked my programs on the
Add/Remove and what I have is Windows Live One Care Safety Scanner, Windows
Live Favorites, and Windows Live Toolbar I also have a "Search Desktop" in
my taskbar, which takes up about 1/3 of my taskbar, and I don't want it. I
did not pay for it and this may be a trial for Windows Live. My "Programs"
(in the Start menu) do not include Windows Live One Care. (As you can see,
I'm totally confused.) If this is Windows Live One Care in its entirety,
and if it's a trial, how long is the trial? Also, is it possible to remove
the "Search Desktop" thingy? The real advantage from this installation for
me is that I can now access my Hotmail through OE, as I have various and
sundry spy programs and AVG.

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

What you installed is an online scanner and associated toolbar, not Windows
Live OneCare, which provides resident protection.

An online scanner does an effective job of scanning and cleaning at the time
that you run the scan, but does not provide on-going protection.

Here's what you wanted to download:

http://onecare.live.com/standard/en-us/default.htm?sc_cid=wlsc_centers

I believe that this product is now available world wide.

 

[someone]

I have AVG and its firewall, SpyBot, Spy Doctor, SpyBlaster, AdAware,
Spysweeper, and WD. If I download Windows Live One, would I have to disable
the AVG, WD, and Spysweeper? I would guess so. Could I keep the other spy
detectors? I'm well protected now, but the defragger and back-up features
are neat, obviating my need to check the defragmentation and to occasionally
remind myself to back up and, perhaps, make it easier to do so. Since the
combined cost of Spysweeper and AVG exceeds the $50 for LiveOne, I would use
LiveOne if I no longer needed Spysweeper. Of course, I could not use AVG (I
have the paid version.) What would be your recommendation?

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

OneCare asks (and in some cases, I believe, enforces) that you remove other
antivirus products before installing. I believe that you could substitute
OneCare for both AVG and SpySweeper, so if those items come up for renewal,
you could make a choice to change. The OneCare license covers up to three
machines in a household as well, if that makes a difference.

I haven't seen comparative reviews, so I can't tell you that OneCare is
superior to or the equal of the other two products--and I suspect others
here may have opinions on that. However, it definitely is intended to cover
the same threats, and Microsoft has considerable grounds for making sure
that desktops they are protecting aren't infected.

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