Microsoft Security Essentials
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Excellent
Full user review
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"Doesnt hog the CPU like others"
Pros
It is quick to install and very quick start ups when first turning the computer on.Others I have tried take ages to load the system.It doesnt hog the CPU "when Im using" the computer.Updates are quick to install too.
Cons
It hogs the CPU (100% )when my system has been idle for at least 15 mins.Once I move the mouse or do something it will quit using CPU,however, the system seems sluggish afterward with anything I do as if Ive just used a very intensive program so have to restart the comp for the lagging to go away.I found it was a process called 'MsMpEng.exe' that was the culprit which is associated with MSE.I have found others to have similar problems so Im guessing its more a bug within the program.
Summary
I am using MSE on Windows XP Pro(SP3).Overall it has been an ok experience with the one exception.
2 replies to this review
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If you turn off "Windows automatic update" it will stop hogging the CPU when idle. Just be sure to occasionally run "windows update" manually to keep up with recent patches.This problem began with version 4.0. Version 2.1 did not cause this effect(at least on XP with sp3).
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First, you say it doesn't hog the CPU like others, then, you say it hogs 100% of the CPU - which is it? Bty - MsMpEng is MSE's antivirus engine.