Microsoft Security Essentails

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeff T.
  • Start date Start date
Is it nessesary to run MSE every day?
Click to expand...

http://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/mse.aspx
"A green icon means that the security status of your computer is good.
Microsoft Security Essentials is up -to- date and is running in the
background to help protect your computer against malware and other malicious
threats."

"Running in the background" means MS expects you to run
MSE all the time. It can be figured to update itself automatically.
 
Jeff said:
Is it nessesary to run MSE every day?
Click to expand...

Run WHAT? An on-demand scan (by you or scheduled)? No, it isn't
needed. Maybe once per week, when you feel like it, or not at all.

MSE's on-demand scanner has no disable switch like other anti-malware
products. You can't turn it off even for a short time like during an
install to make sure it stays out of the way of something you want to do
now. There is no off button. When loaded, MSE is always running.
 
MSE's on-demand scanner has no disable switch like other anti-malware
products. You can't turn it off even for a short time like during an
install to make sure it stays out of the way of something you want to do
now. There is no off button. When loaded, MSE is always running.
Click to expand...



Sure it does. In Settings | Real Time Protection. Just uncheck the box.
 
No. However the MSE tray icon will turn orange when a scan has not been
performed after a certain number days, (not sure how many). MSE behaves this
way on both my systems.

Curt.
 
Bruce said:
Sure it does. In Settings | Real Time Protection. Just uncheck the box.
Click to expand...

I stand corrected ... twice. I meant to say "MSE's on-access scanner".
The on-demand scanner is the one you initiate or schedule.

I see after drilling through the menus you mentioned that it can now be
disabled ... but does it disable immediately or are you required to
reboot (or, at least, 'net stop' and 'net start' its service)?

Sure be nice if they added a Disable context menu to its tray icon
assuming that the disable is immediate without requiring reboot, logoff
and logon, or use of net commands or the services.msc applet.
 
VanguardLH said:
snip
Sure be nice if they added a Disable context menu to its tray icon
assuming that the disable is immediate without requiring reboot,
logoff
and logon, or use of net commands or the services.msc applet.
Click to expand...

It would be nice if they added *anything* to the MSE tray icon context
menu! As it is now, there is only "Open" on the menu, whether you
right-or-left-click. Must be part of the recent "dumbing-down" of
interfaces.
 
VanguardLH said:
I stand corrected ... twice. I meant to say "MSE's on-access scanner".
The on-demand scanner is the one you initiate or schedule.

I see after drilling through the menus you mentioned that it can now be
disabled ... but does it disable immediately or are you required to
reboot (or, at least, 'net stop' and 'net start' its service)?

Sure be nice if they added a Disable context menu to its tray icon
assuming that the disable is immediate without requiring reboot, logoff
and logon, or use of net commands or the services.msc applet.
Click to expand...


It turns off immediately. Turning it back on can be done from the home
page that shows when you open MSE. The tray icon could definitely use some
work to simplify things.
 
Disabling (un-checking) MSSE's "Real-Time Protection" works straight away
with no need to reboot.

After un-checking the "Real-Time Protection" box, MSSE's "Home Screen"
immediately changes from a "green" title bar to a "red" one, and also
displays a big red "Turn ON" button - referring to turning the "Real-Time
Protection" back on.

Plus, in addition to the MSSE Taskbar Icon changing from green to red - you
will get the Security Center red Taskbar Icon displaying to indicate that
the current AntiVirus protection is not fully-functioning.

I have, from time-to-time, disabled MSSE's "Real-Time Protection" in order
to perform operations on the PC that would otherwise be interfered with by
MSSE (such as moving some legitimate software that MSSE classes as
malware).

Using the big red "Turn ON" button displayed on the home screen, is the
quickest way to re-enable "Real-Time Protection" again.

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)
 
Jeff said:
Is it nessesary to run MSE every day?
Click to expand...

That isn't the default setting.

MS 'advises' the default settings which scans once a week on Sunday.

Why do you ask if it is necessary to run MSE every day when that isn't
the default setting? That is, 'where' does your question come from?
 
I was running MSE everyday on my wife's computer because she plays a lot of
games and goes to a lot of sites where she could get a virus.
Nowhere can I find default action for a scheduled scan.
Jeff
 
Well Jeff, it runs automatically if you installed it using the default
settings and you don't have to touch the settings again. The default
settings is to run on a Sunday at 02:00 AM when your computer is likely
to be off ---- this means it won't run but will catch up when you are
next online.
 
Jeff said:
I was running MSE everyday on my wife's computer because she plays a lot of
games and goes to a lot of sites where she could get a virus.
Nowhere can I find default action for a scheduled scan.
Jeff
Click to expand...

This is not necessary because the MSE has also got a "GateKeeper" that
stops all sorts of viruses and spyware. this is called RealTime
Protection. This assumes you haven't tinkered with the default settings.

So she is a very naughty girl then.

hth
 
Jeff said:
Nowhere can I find default action for a scheduled scan.
Click to expand...

You can access the MSE from programs or from the notification area icon.

You view the default after installing and before changing it.

(default) Settings Quick scan Sunday 2 am. You can access the settings
from the settings tab or from the Home tab 'change my scan schedule'.

Optional example: full scan daily (set time, set get updates first, set
scan when computer not in use, set what % of cpu to use.
 
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