Stalker,
Many thanks. Looks like I was a good 21 hour late.
Karl

Yes, but what I don't understand is how this program compares with the Malicious Software Removal Tool? It seems that they both have the same purpose.

seekermeister said:

Yes, but what I don't understand is how this program compares with the Malicious Software Removal Tool? It seems that they both have the same purpose.

Malicious Software Removal Tool, is updates once a month and only detects very limited number of malware (which are supposed to be most infected according to Microsoft).
You can open mrt and click view list.


Whereas, as far as I can see Microsoft Security Scanner uses full definitions of Microsft anti-malware engine. So, it has full definitions as MSE, however it doesn't auto-update or run in real-time

Thanks, I guess that MSS would be worth installing then. If it were installed, would there be any point in using MRT also?

Hmm, something is awry, when I selected the download link for MSS, the file downloaded is labeled for PowerChutePersonalEdition.exe. I tried to run it anyway, just to verify what it is, and it imediately popped a dialog saying that there had been an error. The page that it linked to seemed to only speak of problems of that sort, after the program was installed, rather during installation. In any case, there are some wires crossed.

EDIT: I just started another download of with in exactly the same fashion, and this time the download is labeled msert.exe, but both downloads have exactly the same file size. No error running it though.

seekermeister said:

Thanks, I guess that MSS would be worth installing then. If it were installed, would there be any point in using MRT also?

Q&A from Understanding Microsoft Anti-Malware Software:

Questions and Answers


Q. Does the Microsoft Safety Scanner include all of the definitions included in the Malicious Software Removal Tool?
A. Yes, at the time of download, the Microsoft Safety Scanner will include the same target families as the Malicious Software Removal Tool. However, the Microsoft Safety Scanner includes more than specifically targeted prevalent malicious software.

Q. Does the Malicious Software Removal Tool include definitions that are not included in the Microsoft Safety Scanner?
A. No, although if the timing is such that additional targeted families or variants were added to the Malicious Software Removal Tool after the download of the Microsoft Safety Scanner, those families or variants would obviously not be in the already downloaded Microsoft Safety Scanner.

Q. In terms of detection and removal, does the Microsoft Safety Scanner offer what the Malicious Software Removal Tool offers?
A. The Malicious Software Removal Tool has specific malicious targets whereas the Microsoft Safety Scanner targets not only the same specifically targeted malicious programs as the Malicious Software Removal Tool, but also targets the same viruses, spyware, and other malicious software included in Microsoft Security Essentials and Microsoft Forefront.

Q. Do users need both the Microsoft Safety Scanner and Malicious Software Removal Tool?
A. The simple answer is No. In point of fact, if you are using Microsoft Security Essentials as your antivirus product, you theoretically do not need either the Microsoft Safety Scanner or the Malicious Software Removal Tool. However, there are instances where, for one reason or another, there is a problem updating MSE or the need to clean a computer that does not have Internet access. Another valuable use of these tools is if your computer has a virus that your current antivirus software missed or is unable to remove.

Q. How do I know if I have the latest definitions installed in Microsoft Security Essentials?
A. The change log for the latest definitions for not only Microsoft Security Essentials but also Microsoft Forefront and Windows Defender is available from the Microsoft Malware Protection Center (MMPC) Portal.

Corrine,

Many thanks for the info and for the link to the Security Garden. Accurate, good, well-written answers to many security questions.

Karl