Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) is a free anti-virus program for Windows computers, offered directly from Microsoft. It is available for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems. MSE provides protection against not only viruses but spyware, rootkits and trojans. It’s important to note that in order to run MSE, you must uninstall any other anti-virus protection your computer has in order to avoid conflicts and a significantly slower system. E-Geniuses prefers to run Microsoft Security Essentials in conjunction with Malwarebytes in order to protect against both viruses and malware.

Screenshot of Microsoft Security Essentials

MSE is the predecessor to Windows Defender and Windows Live OneCare. If you’ve got OneCare, it’s best to uninstall it prior to installing MSE. By default, MSE will disable Windows Defender in the installation process. After installation, you’ll be prompted to update to receive the latest protection definitions, which takes approximately anywhere from 5-15 minutes (depending on connection speed). Once installed, users have the option to run a quick scan or a full scan. Depending on your computers level of infection, a full scan can take anywhere from 35 minutes to more than an hour.

A positive feature of MSE is that it runs efficiently in the background of the computer, only requiring user input when a threat is detected. Updates are published multiple times a day and provides real-time scanning which ensures that your computer is constantly protected. Another feature of MSE is that it will create System Restore points within Windows before removing malware from your system. These System Restore points allow your computer to be rolled back to prior states in case a problem occurs.

E-Geniuses prefers Microsoft Security Essentials over other free anti-virus programs due to its natural integration with Windows operating systems. It requires fewer resources from the computer, has a straightforward user interface and has high virus detection rates.

To download Microsoft Security Essentials, visit the official site from Microsoft. If you are interested in having E-Geniuses take care of this for you or enrolling in a Monthly Maintenance Plan, call 877-694-3648 to start protecting your computer today.