Windows XP Professional Security Center

[Sharon]

Professional Windows XP Security Center was downloaded
onto my system with Virus security and firewall - I pay
monthly for a separately sytem for these 2 - with this
new free Microsoft security center is it necessary that I
have these other 2?

 

[Tom Porterfield]

Professional Windows XP Security Center was downloaded
onto my system with Virus security and firewall - I pay
monthly for a separately sytem for these 2 - with this
new free Microsoft security center is it necessary that I
have these other 2?

The security system does not include virus protection, it simply
monitors your currently installed virus protection. XP SP2 (which is
what put the security center on your PC) includes an enhanced firewall
but still not as feature rich as many other firewalls available. You
still need your virus protection software, if the firewall you have is
included with that as part of the bundle and you have it configured the
way you want it, then I recommend you continue to use the firewall that
you have as well.
--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP MCE
http://support.telop.org

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup only.

 

[Alex Nichol]

Professional Windows XP Security Center was downloaded
onto my system with Virus security and firewall - I pay
monthly for a separately sytem for these 2 - with this
new free Microsoft security center is it necessary that I
have these other 2?

That is part of Service Pack 2, to comment on the state of the security.
It does not provide any AV itself, merely warn you if your existing
package says it is not up to date (and it may not receive such a
message) and the Windows Firewall is there to provide minimal basic
protection against intrusions; your third party one will be more
comprehensive, and if you have that you can turn the Windows one off (in
its own Control Panel item)