Antivirus for Windows

[huffman]

Support for Windows 7 is coming to an end and I need a good antivirus to replace MSE.

Years ago, I used the free versions of AVG and Avast. Are these still the best around or is there something better. I checked out AV Total which it says is free, but that NOT true..

Suggestions are very much appreciated.

 

[dtoxic]

as far as i know the Virus definitions will be updated for MSE the actual Program [platform] wont be [and it was not updated since 30 November 2016] i am going to stay with MSE for as long the Definitions are updated MSE and a bit of common sense and that's all you need.

 

[huffman]

That is a neat thing to know.
Thank you.

 

[RolandJS]

Will Windows 7's Defender still be updated as MSE is updated?

 

[dtoxic]

Will Windows 7's Defender still be updated as MSE is updated?

not sure about Defender. Although on MSE i am bypassing updates from Windows Update [i have it completely disabled] i had to use a registry trick so i can update MSE definitions trough MMPC manually or automatic [Microsoft Malware Protection Center]

 

[Struggling7]

........Although on MSE i am bypassing updates from Windows Update [i have it completely disabled] i had to use a registry trick so i can update MSE definitions trough MMPC manually or automatic [Microsoft Malware Protection Center]

This is strange, I’ve had Windows Update set to “Never check for updates” for very long time and only install ones I choose. But MSE has always automatically installed definition updates without me doing anything, during that same period.

Like you I plan to continue using MSE as long as definition updates continue.

 

[dtoxic]

This is strange, I’ve had Windows Update set to “Never check for updates” for very long time and only install ones I choose. But MSE has always automatically installed definition updates without me doing anything, during that same period.

Like you I plan to continue using MSE as long as definition updates continue.

well for some reason when i disabled windows update [not the conventional way by selecting "never check for updates] i had to restort to that reg trick to make MSE pull updates automatically since it would always throw an error and complain that the service is disabled etc etc.... [to be expected i guess] but now everything works as it should plus the whole update service is disabled

 

[Struggling7]

well for some reason when i disabled windows update [not the conventional way by selecting "never check for updates] i had to restort to that reg trick to make MSE pull updates automatically since it would always throw an error and complain that the service is disabled etc etc.... [to be expected i guess] but now everything works as it should plus the whole update service is disabled

Like they say, more than one way to skin a cat. I guess.

 

[RolandJS]

What is that registry trick? I want to do that also.

 

[dtoxic]

First go to, and take permission [ownership] of the following key [Signature Updates] located in

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Antimalware

here you need to change the following "FallbackOrder" Key

MicrosoftUpdateServer|MMPC

to

MMPC|MicrosoftUpdateServer

basically just replace the order or completely remove the "|" [pipe character] and "MicrosoftUpdateServer" leaving just "MMPC" and that's it, for security reasons restore the [ownership] of the key to it's defaults

What this does is ignore the Windows update servers and goes straight to Microsoft Malware Protection Center for Definition Updates, thus you can completely stop the "WU" service and it wont matter to MSE

Alternatively if you do not want to mess with the registry you could use command line

“C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\MpCmdRun.exe” -SignatureUpdate -MMPC

same thing only you wont have the benefit of MSE updating it self automatically every 24h and you would need to schedule it via Batch or something similar

 

[torchwood]

Hi RolandJS

Windows Defender is NOT an AV just an antispyware, MSE is both


Roy

 

[RolandJS]

Hi RolandJSWindows Defender is NOT an AV just an antispyware, MSE is both. Roy

For Windows 7 users, after MS January 14th cease and desist of support -- WD is not an AV but only AS, MSE is both AV and AS; both programs become outdated

 

[debodun]

as far as i know the Virus definitions will be updated for MSE the actual Program [platform] wont be [and it was not updated since 30 November 2016] i am going to stay with MSE for as long the Definitions are updated MSE and a bit of common sense and that's all you need.

This is where I get MSE def updates and I checked today and it hasn't been updated since yesterday.


https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/defenderupdates

 

[dtoxic]

This is where I get MSE def updates and I checked today and it hasn't been updated since yesterday.


https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/defenderupdates

sometimes it takes a bit more than 24h

Imgur: The magic of the Internet

also try my registry hack,windows update stopped delivering updates that's why you wont get it trough them anymore

 

[Struggling7]

This is where I get MSE def updates and I checked today and it hasn't been updated since yesterday.

Just downloaded to days definition update at 1:52 pm it shows created today at 9:27am.

 

[debodun]

Just downloaded to days definition update at 1:52 pm it shows created today at 9:27am.

At the site I mentioned?

 

[Struggling7]

At the site I mentioned?

No… Just from MSE control panel on my PC… Just open your MSE control panel and go to update tab, then click on “Update definitions” on right side.

 

[debodun]

That tab update function hasn't worked well for me in a long time. That why I started updating from the site I mentioned.

 

[Struggling7]

That tab update function hasn't worked well for me in a long time. That why I started updating from the site I mentioned.

Might have to reinstall MSE, there is download for that from MS ….. At least it was before yesterday .

 

[debodun]

I tried it from the update tab. It took a LONG time. Searching and Download went quickly, but the Installation took about 5 minutes. The HD light has been on since.