Solved Why does MS not categorize MSE definition updates as important??

[TBoyd]

I have been meaning to post about this for some time.

I don't understand why MS categorizes Microsoft Security Essentials updates as "optional". These should be rated important or critical.

Is everyone else using MSE experiencing this also - Or am I missing something in my update settings?

 

[whs]

That is a good question to ask Microsoft. I am wondering too. Always check the optionals.

 

[Corazon]

My guess would be so that if you have updates set to manual notification, you're not bothered by regular popups saying "1 important update is available".

And since MSE can update itself on a regular schedule (although that apparently requires the scheduled scan to be turned on), Windows Update is just another - optional - way of updating the definitions manually.

 

[NoelDP]

I have been meaning to post about this for some time.

I don't understand why MS categorizes Microsoft Security Essentials updates as "optional". These should be rated important or critical.

Is everyone else using MSE experiencing this also - Or am I missing something in my update settings?

MSE sets its own update schedule - and effectively ignores the optionality of the update (and also any 'do not install' setting, I think). It will update itself prior to taking any action that needs it (such as a scan), and will generally download any update within 24hours, or on the next reboot. It uses the MU interface simply to avoid having to have separate updaters.

 

[TBoyd]

I also posted this same question in the Microsoft Answers forum & got a reply with a link to this thread:

MSE Definitions/Signatures Update FAQ - Microsoft Answers

It does explain the matter quite well, but it is still troubling to read that - unless, in some cases, you check manually for MSE updates, you could be missing the latest virus definitions by 1 to 7 days!

 

[NoelDP]

I also posted this same question in the Microsoft Answers forum & got a reply with a link to this thread:

MSE Definitions/Signatures Update FAQ - Microsoft Answers

It does explain the matter quite well, but it is still troubling to read that - unless, in some cases, you check manually for MSE updates, you could be missing the latest virus definitions by 1 to 7 days!

I think you missed the fact that the problem with hibernate/sleep was fixed - the machine should check every 24 hours, which is quite enough unless you *expect* a problem, in which case you're always better off doing a manual update first.

 

[TBoyd]

I also posted this same question in the Microsoft Answers forum & got a reply with a link to this thread:

MSE Definitions/Signatures Update FAQ - Microsoft Answers

It does explain the matter quite well, but it is still troubling to read that - unless, in some cases, you check manually for MSE updates, you could be missing the latest virus definitions by 1 to 7 days!

I think you missed the fact that the problem with hibernate/sleep was fixed - the machine should check every 24 hours, which is quite enough unless you *expect* a problem, in which case you're always better off doing a manual update first.

I didn't miss that, Noel. But here is a quote from the post that I don't believe is related to the hibernate/sleep issue:

"MSE will report that it is up to date until the signatures are greater than 7 days old. At that point, it will change the status to At Risk so that you can check for updates manually."

This is probably not an issue for most users, but why 7 days?

Plus - A lot of new viral "stuff" can be released into the web in a 24 hour period. Don't you agree?

 

[NoelDP]

"MSE will report that it is up to date until the signatures are greater than 7 days old. At that point, it will change the status to At Risk so that you can check for updates manually."

This is probably not an issue for most users, but why 7 days?

Plus - A lot of new viral "stuff" can be released into the web in a 24 hour period. Don't you agree?

MSE will attempt to update every 24 hours - but has to be connected to the internet to do so, and not all machines are permanently connected.
Therefore it would be pointless to flag it after a single 24-hour lapse.
7 days seems perfectly reasonable to me, as it will flag it to anyone who's been on holiday for a week, and also to anyone who's been disconnected, or had a breakdown, in sufficient time for remdial action before most threats become seriously dangerous.

 

[TBoyd]

Hello Noel. I'm going to let this go, but I have to ask you what you mean by - "before most threats become seriously dangerous." ? :sarc:

If a virus is released into the web during that 24 hour lag time, it is already seriously dangerous - don't you agree?

 

[NoelDP]

A threat is always serious when it's present - but the last flash-flood virus was back in 2003, before firewalls were active in every PC. Unless the user is likely to be going to dangerous places (in which case I would suggest that MSE is not sufficient to the need) then a lapse of a few days will not usually hurt.

IIRC, many paid-for AV's don't flag for as long as two weeks.

 

[TBoyd]

OK, Noel. I give up. I respect your opinion, but I don't agree.

FWIW - I just ran an update check via the MSE interface & downloaded a new virus definition database, which was created - according to MS - about 9 hours prior to my update check. My previous update was downloaded around 15 hours ago. I don't have the creation date/time for that one. I am set to receive updates automatically, but I will be manually checking for MSE updates more often now. Otherwise, I would not have known of the existence of the latest virus definitions.

 

[NoelDP]

OK, Noel. I give up. I respect your opinion, but I don't agree.

That's your right
It *is* only a matter of opinion, after all

 

[DavidE]

Hello - new user here.
You have a great forum.

FYI - You can set up a scheduled task to automatically update MSE virus definitions.
I have mine set up to check for new definitions every 4 hours.
The down side (to me) is there are a lot of entries in the Windows Update history.
Usually 3 per day for these updates.
I normally want to be notified of new Windows updates available.
Except these - I want these updates applied without me doing anything manual.

It can be done with a batch file, or directly running the Update program.

I can post details, batch file, etc. if that's ok and anyone wants it.

 

[TBoyd]

Hello - new user here.
You have a great forum.

FYI - You can set up a scheduled task to automatically update MSE virus definitions.
I have mine set up to check for new definitions every 4 hours.
The down side (to me) is there are a lot of entries in the Windows Update history.
Usually 3 per day for these updates.
I normally want to be notified of new Windows updates available.
Except these - I want these updates applied without me doing anything manual.

It can be done with a batch file, or directly running the Update program.

I can post details, batch file, etc. if that's ok and anyone wants it.

Welcome!

That's an idea, David! Please post.

 

[DavidE]

Hello TBoyd and thanks for the welcome.
Below is my "basic" BAT file to update MSE definitions.
This BAT file MUST be run with "Run As Administrator".

-- --------------------------------------------------------
:: MSEUpdate.bat

@echo off
cd "c:\Program files\Microsoft Security Client\Antimalware"
MpCmdRun.exe -SignatureUpdate
:: pause
-- ---------------------------------------------------------

David

Edit 05/07/2012
This BAT file works with MSE V2
For MSE V4 use the BAT file later in this thread (Post #20)

 

[TBoyd]

Thanks, David. I must confess that I have never created a batch file & set up a schedule for it. Your batch file works fine. It took me some time setting up a scheduled task for it to run every 4 hours via the command prompt, as I had never done it before.

The Win Task Scheduler won't let you set up a task to run more often than one day intervals, so scheduling the batch file to run in hour or minute increments has to be done via DOS commands.

Edit - The Task Scheduler WILL enable you to set up a task on hourly increments. MS makes you dig for the option!

 

[DavidE]

TBoyd, I never set up scheduled task with the command prompt, so I can't help with that.

In the Windows Task Scheduler, go to the "Triggers" tab.
Under the "Advanced" section, check the "Repeat Task Every:" check-box.
This enables the drop down list.
You can type in "4 hours" (or whatever you want) into the list.

For me, this is a "Daily" task, that Recurs every 1 day, and Repeats every 4 hours.

 

[TBoyd]

Creating the task from the elevated command prompt worked well for me - after doing some research on the subject. I entered the following in the elevated command prompt:

schtasks /create /sc minute /mo 240 /tn "MSE Update" /tr /c:\MSEupdate.bat

This set up my MSEupdate.bat file - which I copied from your post & pasted in notepad & saved in c:\ as "MSEupdate.bat". The "sc minute /mo 240" entry sets it to run every 240 minutes - or 4 hours.

I checked out your method via Task Scheduler & never found an "Advanced" section. I did find that - in the "Triggers" tab area - there is an "edit" button that enables me to set up the task on an hourly basis. So a task can be set up - or edited - to run in hour increments via the task scheduler.

I don't know why MS did not provide an "Hourly" check box in Task Scheduler on the "Create Basic Task Wizard". It leads one to believe that it can't be set up to run more frequently than daily increments.

Anyway - This is the answer to my concern about MSE updates being "tardy"

Problem solved Thanks, David!

 

[DavidE]

Your welcome TBoyd, and glad this worked for you.
Thanks to the others that "Reputation commented" for this...

David

 

[DavidE]

With the recent MSE V4 version update, the folder for MpCmdRun.exe has changed.
The BAT file in POST #15 needs to be changed to work with MSE V4.
I'm looking at a Win7 x64 install, but i expect Win7 32 bit is the same...

The old folder was "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\Antimalware"
The new folder is "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client"

The new BAT file for V4 is:

-- --------------------------------------------------------
:: MSEUpdate.bat

@echo off
cd "c:\Program files\Microsoft Security Client"
MpCmdRun.exe -SignatureUpdate
:: pause
-- ---------------------------------------------------------

Note:
If you have any issues you can remove the "::" in the pause statement.
This will uncomment the pause, and the CMD window will stay open so you can check for any errors.
Just hit enter in the CMD window to close it...