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By George Norman

Added on 27 Oct 2009(3410 Views)

Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE for short) is a security software application released by the Redmond-based software giant to all Windows users that want to keep their system safe and protected – but without spending any money in the process. The fact that MSE is available free of charge does not mean it is not a properly good security software application. Perhaps some statistics will prove how good it is.

MSE moved out of Beta at the start of October, 2009. It became available for download to Windows users in 19 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. In the first week the number of MSE downloads exceeded the 1.5 million mark. In the first week MSE logged over 4 million malware detections.

The problem is that sometimes MSE gets forgetful. The security software solution sometimes forgets to update its virus definitions and sometimes forgets to inform the user that the virus definitions are out-of-date. Bu default, MSE checks for updates about once a day – I say “about” because sometimes it forgets to update.

There is something that you can do. You could set it up so that MSE checks for updates more often. Just follow the detailed, step by step tutorial presented below:

Step 1. Open the Run dialog box by pressing Win + R (Win refers to the Windows key, the one with the Microsoft logo on it).

Step 2. Type in regedit and press Enter.
At this point you may get a UAC prompt. Confirm and move forward.

Step 3. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Microsoft Antimalware/Signature Updates

Step 4. Locate and right click the Signature update key -> select Export.
The purpose of this step is to create a backup, you know, just in case something goes awry. Save the Signature update key anywhere you want, just make sure it’s in an easily accessible location.

Step 5. Right click Signature Update -> select Permissions -> click Advanced -> click Add (in the Advanced Security Settings for Signature Updates window, the Permissions tab).

Step 6. Type in your username.
The username is always displayed at the top of the Start menu.

Step 7. In the Permission Entry for Signature Updates window go to Full Control -> check the box under Allow.

Step 8. Click OK -> click OK -> click OK.

Step 9. Double click SignatureUpdateInterval -> change the value to 4, 6, or 8.

Step 10. Right click Signature Updates -> select Permissions -> Click Advanced -> select your username -> click Remove -> click OK -> click OK again.

Step 11. Close the Windows Registry Editor.


Tips and warnings

• If editing registry entries is a task you are uncomfortable with, you can forget the tutorial presented above and wait for Microsoft to release a fix for this “forget to update” issue.
• Please note that Microsoft Security Essentials is free only to genuine Windows users.

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Tags: Microsoft, Microsoft Security Essentials, Security, Update



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