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Excellent
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"Not good a good AV product"
Version: Microsoft Security Essentials 4.0
Pros
User Friendly... thats about it
Cons
Lack a lot of features many free AVs Have
Terrible Detection Rate but not as bad as Windows Defender
No web protection
Slow updates and Full scanning speedsSummary
I would stay away from this Anti Virus until it improves and go with something like Avast, Avira, or even AVG.
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"One of the best!"
Version: Microsoft Security Essentials 4.0
Pros
I was apprehensive after reading some comments but after trying it for my pcs, this turned out to be a very fast and highly efficient security software and probably the best for windows 7 (32 and 64 bits) systems. I mean who would knows better than the makers with access to their own operating system!
MSE is very easy to use.Cons
I would like to see a more stylish interface.
Summary
I can see old competitors (from Must Pay antivirus products) creating havoc by writing bad things about a great software like this particularly when it is offered FREE to genuine windows purchasers :-)
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"Just like Microsoft too."
Version: Microsoft Security Essentials 4.0
Pros
Read summary.
Cons
Read summary.
Summary
Before I even say my concs to this, I will tell you that I am a master in computer security and I have worked along side with MSE for dectection and improvement so I know what I am talking about when I'm about to tell you. 1. MSE team themselves: You give them a suggestion they respond in a excuse and the same excuse they give to you all the time "No software offers 100% protection..." Ya we get it we don't need to hear the same excuse over and over again. They lack the ability to cooperate with suggestions. 2. Their detection ratios: I have seen MSE database and I am just gonna say this, their detection ratio is lower then anyother AV I have ever used or seen. For all those who say "I have not gotten a virus yet" that's because you haven't gotten hit yet. Just wait untill you get hit by them. This program will fail. 3. Real Time Protection: Since 1.0 and 2.0, I have suggested to them to add heuristics/advanced heuristics, email scanning, automatic updating, web protection, and self-defense protection. It is now version 4.0 and MSE has not yet added any of these features. This software is way behind any other AV out there. Also their anti-spyware protection is even worse then their anti-virus protection. I don't even know if there was anything relateing to spyware or adware in their database. Lastly, Cmpatability: This software is not friendly with other protection software, such as anti-spyware like Spybot, Malwarebytes, or Superantispyware. Using them with MSE will cause your system to crash, hang, and slow way down. That means that you are now only able to use MSE by itself, which is wrong because it should be compatable. Summarizing this all up, MSE is the last free AV I would use or even recommend to others. If you want to continue using this program, it's your free choice to do so. I am only warning you from someone who has worked along side MSE. Once you get hit by viruses, trojans, etc you will understand what I am saying. I will say this one more time again, If your one of those people saying "I haven't gotten any viruses since I installed this" if a virus was blocked by MSE would have alerted you meaning you probably haven't been hit yet.
I Read your reply and your review. Here is a perfect example of what I was saying. I didn't mean I worked for Microsoft in my review, I was saying I wa with them for malware hunters and product improvement. I don't know about about your part of "any positive reviews on this is from people who work for Microsoft". Many of these people just don't know so much about AVs. On the outside of this product, it may seem like a dream AV because of its ease settings and nothing complicated. Though, you should clear up something in your review. You said you had Avast and MalwareBytes. Both Avast and MSE have AV engines and should not be used together, but MalwareBytes is ok. When you installed MSE, did you remove Avast from your system to avoid damage? If so, did you go to avasts site and download there removeal tool to remove any remains? Lastly, I don't know who first replied to this because I cannot see the name, but who ever did, you are better off switching back to AVG, I will tell you that.
Updated on Aug 6, 2012 -
"Slick, Fast, and Works Amazingly Well!"
Version: Microsoft Security Essentials 4.0
Pros
Ever since I downloaded this baby onto my laptop a few months ago, bam, no viruses at all. Nada! Performing a quick scan once a week gets the job done all the time and the program informs me if I've downloaded a bad program or file. The best thing is it's FREE!
Cons
Honestly, I have no cons to report for security essentials. Maybe, in 3.0, they could give us a little more customization or tools, but that's just about it.
Summary
Freaking loving this thing. I just can't believe it's free!
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"Works great"
Version: Microsoft Security Essentials 4.0
Pros
It scans fast, I don't notice it.
It doesn't pop up with a lot of stupid BS over and over.
It's free if you have Windows.
It actually works and finds the bad stuff.Cons
I don't know.
Summary
It works great, no virus at all. Go anywhere I want pretty much.
I tried Avast and it was as someone else wrote, nag city. + it cost money to use it right.
But since I got viruses using that program (I go to the same websites and do the same exact thing as I do with MSE and get nothing), it's not useful.
This, however, I am glad I found it now...(for a few months now) -
"this is awesome fantastic antivirus in the free world"
Version: Microsoft Security Essentials 4.0
Pros
fantastic antivirus in the free world
Cons
fantastic antivirus in the free world
Summary
fantastic antivirus in the free world
great............
Updated on Jul 11, 2012 -
"Fast, simple design and no nag screens or ads"
Version: Microsoft Security Essentials 4.0
Pros
I'm not a fan of Microsoft stuff.. I don't like live mail or the latest Internet Explorer for various reasons, but MSE is not bad at all. I was previously using Avast but got fed up with all the nag screens to buy the paid version that have increased lately and never really did like how the program was trying to do so much.
MSE is the opposite of this. There are no ads, there are no nag screens to buy a paid version and the software itself is very simply designed. Great software for new users for sure. It also seems to be a little faster and to use less resources than avast, as my computer seems faster. I figure between MSE, malwarebytes and common sense I should be well protected.Cons
None that I see so far.
Summary
Fast, very simple to use, no ads or nag screens, decent performance and lite on system resources.
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"What's not to like?"
Version: Microsoft Security Essentials 4.0
Pros
Free, easy install, nonintrusive, effective (so far)
Cons
Rather slow scan, but so what? You can still get on with your work.
Summary
In the past, found free software intrusive. When my McAfee protection expired I switched to MSSE because I thought the price of McF was outrageous. I don't even know that the MSSE is there - it just works.
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"Resource Leach"
Version: Microsoft Security Essentials 4.0
Pros
Seems to work fine otherwise. It's FREE!
Cons
The program uses up about 50,000k in resources on my PC during my busiest work hours. It seems to only want to run when I need my PC running at its best. I will hang for about 1 to 2 minutes before getting access again. It just stops everything .
Summary
I hate popups from other providers but at least my pc ran faster. I'll try this later after a few versions are released and bugs are fixed, though this isn't really a bug as much as a useless drain of resources for redundant operations.
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"Fast and Effective"
Version: Microsoft Security Essentials 4.0
Pros
Very lightweight. Not sure what CNET is talking about. Almost every other virus software that I have used has been clunky and you could feel it affect performance. With Security Essentials I barely even know it's there. IT does the job
Cons
None. It works as desired.
Summary
This program works as desired. It doesn't need any more features. It does it's job 100 percent.
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