AVG and Microsoft Security Essentials

[terminal7]

I have just acquired a one month trial for AVG Internet Security. However upon trying to move from AVG passive mode to active it states that it does not work well alongside MES and that I should uninstall the latter.

What do Fools think?

Regards T7

[supremetwo]

Are you on Windows 10?

Nothing wrong with MSE - stick with that.

https://lemonfool.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=21262

[Breelander]

I have just acquired a one month trial for AVG Internet Security. However upon trying to move from AVG passive mode to active it states that it does not work well alongside MES and that I should uninstall the latter.

As you are asking about Microsoft Security Essentials then I must assume you are using it on Windows 7. Although Windows 7 passed its end of support for consumers on 14th January, paid for extended support is available for commercial customers until 2023.

While that extended support is in place MSE will continue to be updated for ALL customers, consumer or commercial. My Window 7 system with MSE has just downloaded definitions update 1.307.2432.0 created 16th Jan. 2020 at 3:51, so MSE is still providing up to date protection and will do so until 2023.

Microsoft will continue to release signature updates (including engine) to service systems currently running Microsoft Security Essentials untill 2023.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... essentials

[terminal7]

Thanks guys - indeed still with Win7 - so as long as I can be 'secure' prefer not to move to Win10 and hopefully can hang out until Win11.

I just thought that adding AVG would provide greater security. Irrespective of the MSE problem - I have to say that AVG is considerably slowing down my computer.

T7

[kiloran]

Thanks guys - indeed still with Win7 - so as long as I can be 'secure' prefer not to move to Win10 and hopefully can hang out until Win11.

I just thought that adding AVG would provide greater security. Irrespective of the MSE problem - I have to say that AVG is considerably slowing down my computer.

T7

My understanding is that there will not be anything beyond Windows 10.
Windows 10 will just be continually updated
See, for example, https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 04fbf2d323

--kiloran

[PhaseThree]

Neither AVG or MSE will protect you against an unpatched operating system.

[Breelander]

.. Irrespective of the MSE problem...

MSE will not be a problem until 2023, until then it will be kept fully updated.

The same cannot be said for any unpatched security flaws in the OS, no AV can protect against those.

[Infrasonic]

If you want to continue using W7 on the internet it might be an idea to read the following articles and avail yourself of the risks and some potential options.

https://www.routersecurity.org/vlan.php

https://www.routersecurity.org/testrouter.php

https://defensivecomputingchecklist.com/#

https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

[airbus330]

Having rabidly avoided w10 since hating it on a company laptop when it was first released, I have been pleasantly surprised how smoothly it works on my old laptop after doing the upgrade a few weeks back. There are fewer features than I expected to have to relearn and some bits are better than w7. Trying to continue with w7 unsupported seems a bit pointless now and also seems to just putting off the inevitable when you succumb to the upgrade or buy a new laptop. I will now be looking forward to not renewing my subscription to Mcafee.

[Breelander]

... I have been pleasantly surprised how smoothly it works on my old laptop after doing the upgrade a few weeks back. There are fewer features than I expected to have to relearn and some bits are better than w7...

Glad to hear that. That was my experience too when I took the free upgrade from W7 back in 2015 at the release of W10.

I will now be looking forward to not renewing my subscription to Mcafee.

Quite right, McAfee is not needed in W10. Windows 10's Defender is rated as a Top Product by AV-TEST and scores the same as McAfee.

https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/

And Defender's protection can be enhanced by turning on its Potentially Unwanted Program/Application (PUP/PUA) detection (normally only on by default for Enterprise customers).

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/322 ... -10-a.html

[panamagold]

And Defender's protection can be enhanced by turning on its Potentially Unwanted Program/Application (PUP/PUA) detection (normally only on by default for Enterprise customers).

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/322 ... -10-a.html

Thanks for the link Bree.

I was unable to locate the two Dword edits in regedit so used gpedit.msc instead. Although I am using win10 'home' on this m/c, which doesn't have gpedit as an available option, I was able to extract it some time ago by installing a batch file and used it to follow the tutorial in the link you kindly provided. Is there any way possible to confirm that the edits I made are infact enabled and working and pups will be blocked?

TIA.

[Breelander]

I was unable to locate the two Dword edits in regedit...

If a DWORD does not exist for you to modiy, then you can create one...

Is there any way possible to confirm that the edits I made are infact enabled and working and pups will be blocked?

Yes, there is a safe EICAR test PUA/PUP here: https://www.amtso.org/feature-settings- ... lications/

You will be able to download the file PotentiallyUnwanted.exe, but as soon as you open file explorer to look at where you downloaded it Defender should detect and block it.

[panamagold]

Is there any way possible to confirm that the edits I made are infact enabled and working and pups will be blocked?

Yes, there is a safe EICAR test PUA/PUP here: https://www.amtso.org/feature-settings- ... lications/

You will be able to download the file PotentiallyUnwanted.exe, but as soon as you open file explorer to look at where you downloaded it Defender should detect and block it.

Kerchung................! Success. Once again Bree, thanks.