MS Security Essentials is confused

[gbhall]

Since this last patch Tuesday (could be coincidental though), I have a Windows Security Alert showing. Opening the alert it says my Virus protection is turned off. In fact it says 'Microsoft Security Essentials Prerelease reports that it is turned off'.

Nothing I can do turns it on again. Which is more than a lttle odd, because my virus protection is indeed Microsoft Security essentials pre-release, and that says my PC is protected, the real-time protection is on, and the virus and spyware definitions are up-to-date. I ran a quick check as well, just in case it was actually drawing attention to the fact that I don't allow it to schedule a check at 2am.

This PC is XPsp3 professional. I also have another PC with win 7 pro SP1 that is also running MSE prerelease and that shows no problems at all.

Clearly, somebody at MS is off their chump (again). Anybody else seen this one?

 

[Jad Chaar]

MSE Prerelease? Isnt that the beta program? That may be your issue. Maybe try reverting to the stable version.

 

[gbhall]

You could be right. The several websites for MSE seem completely independant, and do not even refer to each other. Which one you get when looking for a download MSE seems random, I didn't set out to install a beta, for example.

The whole design of the system seems weak.

For instance, you cannot download MSE nor update the download you eventually get whilst having any protection at all. A clear security gap. Then if you have MSE prerelease with various settings, you have to uninstall it before installing the live version, and lose all your existing settings in the process. I wish I had known all that beforehand. During install, you can opt not to belong to the MAPS service, but having said 'no way', after install, you find you have been ignored and now have basic membership,

So far, not at all impressed.

Previously, for a long time, I was an AVG user, then moved to Avast, also for a long time. The problem with all these anti-malware packages is they can't stop at just doing one job well, but must complicate and complicate and push extra services at you, to the point where (if you are me) you just shove it in the electronic dustbin. Their loss.

 

[bobcat]

Though you don't favor other free antivirus tools, bear in mind that independent tests, e.g. by consumers organizations, put MSE at the bottom of the list as regards protection. Personally, I favor AVIRA because it provides good protection and is light on resources, but AVAST is also good.

 

[learninmypc]

I myself have had minimal problems with Avast which is why I have it. Might I suggest you download MSE from here https://www.techspot.com/downloads/4886-microsoft-security-essentials.html
I did have MSE at one time (on a previous XP), but removed it due to a lack of knowledge.

 

[gbhall]

I think you are both right, and I should find time to evaluate and install an alternative to MSE. After all, for at least twenty years I have been scathing of MS capabilities, and generally speaking, have never seen any reason to change my opinion - the only good stuff has been bought in by MS from someone else, and MS as a rule is quick to either quietly forget about it, or else ruin it in various ways.