Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - necessary ?

[bilm]

Why is it that I seem to have to download a new version of
the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool every month
or so ? The increased frequency of having to make this DL is
fairly recent. What specifically is it protecting from that my other
anti-malware & virus programs are not ?

The DL this time is over 8MB and I have a 56K modem.
It's a real annoyance. Is it absolutely necessary ?

Bill Mudd

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Why is it that I seem to have to download a new version of
the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool every month
or so ? The increased frequency of having to make this DL is
fairly recent. What specifically is it protecting from that my other
anti-malware & virus programs are not ?

The DL this time is over 8MB and I have a 56K modem.
It's a real annoyance. Is it absolutely necessary ?

Your antivirus/antispyware software isn't "necessary" if you know what you
are doing and protect yourself in other ways (firewall, common sense, NAT
box, etc.)

You determine what you install/run. There are probably *many*
updates/patches/applications that you would not find necessary that I might
and others might. What is necessary for you can only be determined by you.
It is *not* required to run - but a new version is released periodically and
can help many people keep their system clean.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/890830

 

[Clark]

Why is it that I seem to have to download a new version of
the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool every month
or so ? The increased frequency of having to make this DL is
fairly recent. What specifically is it protecting from that my other
anti-malware & virus programs are not ?

The DL this time is over 8MB and I have a 56K modem.
It's a real annoyance. Is it absolutely necessary ?

Bill Mudd

No, because it is not very good. whatever else you have installed is
probably better.

sorry about the 56k thing, that's tough nowadays.

Clark

 

[bilm]

Your antivirus/antispyware software isn't "necessary" if you know what you
are doing and protect yourself in other ways (firewall, common sense, NAT
box, etc.)

You determine what you install/run. There are probably *many*
updates/patches/applications that you would not find necessary that I
might and others might. What is necessary for you can only be determined
by you. It is *not* required to run - but a new version is released
periodically and can help many people keep their system clean.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/890830

OK I was just asking what the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool does.
It's labeled as a High-priority update. To most people that means you should
download it. I was hoping for something a little more specific than it
"keeps their system clean".

Fortunately there are a few reliable sources on the web that explain what it
is. I should have gone there 1st.

Bill Mudd

 

[Shenan Stanley]

OK I was just asking what the Windows Malicious Software Removal
Tool does. It's labeled as a High-priority update. To most people
that means you should download it. I was hoping for something a
little more specific than it "keeps their system clean".

Fortunately there are a few reliable sources on the web that
explain what it is. I should have gone there 1st.

Yes - the link I gave explains it fairly well.

 

[Unknown]

Why do you say it is not very good? It does an outstanding job.

 

[Clark]

Why do you say it is not very good? It does an outstanding job.

I remove Virus/malware/spyware/adaware for a living, trust me it is not very
good.
Just my opinion, if it works for you I think that's great.

Clark

 

[Nick Iredale]

***

I remove Virus/malware/spyware/adaware for a living, trust me it is not very
good.
Just my opinion, if it works for you I think that's great.

Clark

I don't know if it is good or necessary, but the last few times it has
downloaded and installed KB890830 I have had to restore to an earlier
point.
On restart up after installing it my desktop was not populated with
icons, the task bar did not appear and when shutting down (using
Ctl+Alt+Del -> Task Manager) windows reported that explorer.exe could
not end.
So of course, I'm inclined to avoid downloading and updating it in
future.

Anyone else had this problem and found a way to get around it besides
not updating it?

 

[Unknown]

It is ever changing so shouldn't your opinion be, it WASN'T very good.

 

[smlunatick]

Why is it that I seem to have to download a new version of
the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool every month
or so ? The increased frequency of having to make this DL is
fairly recent. What specifically is it protecting from that my other
anti-malware & virus programs are not ?

The DL this time is over 8MB and I have a 56K modem.
It's a real annoyance. Is it absolutely necessary ?

Bill Mudd

This seems to a "lame" attempt at correcting MALWARE infestation.
Just like with thier OneCare products, does not seem to be
"affective." You will just have to "live" with it since Microsoft
includes it "monthly." This does not mean that you "should" rely on
it only. There are better ones available and some are free.

 

[Unknown]

Profane!

I stand by my opinion that I think it is a piece of shit. hows that.
Clark

 

[Clark]

It is ever changing so shouldn't your opinion be, it WASN'T very
good.

I stand by my opinion that I think it is a piece of shit. hows that.
Clark

 

[Nick Iredale]

***

This seems to a "lame" attempt at correcting MALWARE infestation.
Just like with thier OneCare products, does not seem to be
"affective." You will just have to "live" with it since Microsoft
includes it "monthly." This does not mean that you "should" rely on
it only. There are better ones available and some are free.

So it's to (try to) do the same job as e.g. Spybot and Spywareblaster?
If that's the case I'm going to stop downloading the updates.

 

[smlunatick]

***

In message <[email protected]>,







So it's to (try to) do the same job as e.g. Spybot and Spywareblaster?
If that's the case I'm going to stop downloading the updates.

Never stop downloading the updates from Microsoft. MS does publish
important updates for Windows. The Malicious Software Removal Tool
will always show up every "patch Tuesday." Just do not rely on this
tools only. Use a series of other "malware" removal tools. The ones
that I use are:

AD Aware
Spybot
Spyware Terminator

Not ONE anti-malware utility will ever remove every possible malware.

 

[Nick Iredale]

***

Never stop downloading the updates from Microsoft. MS does publish
important updates for Windows. The Malicious Software Removal Tool
will always show up every "patch Tuesday." Just do not rely on this
tools only. Use a series of other "malware" removal tools. The ones
that I use are:

AD Aware
Spybot
Spyware Terminator

Not ONE anti-malware utility will ever remove every possible malware.

It was only the Malicious Software Removal Tool that I was thinking of
not updating - it's the one that stuffs up my desktop and explorer.exe.
The rest I'd still install.

Maybe I should wait for next month's release - which is "patch Tuesday"?

Does the MSRT update always have the same KB number, or is it a new one
each time?