microsoft security essentials windows xp

You can exclude certain file locations and file types from scans, and you can also exclude processes to prevent false positives. You can also prevent scans from running if your PC is in use, with the software instead waiting until your machine is idle to carry out its work. If you have an underpowered PC with a slow processor, you can limit how much CPU power Security Essentials is allowed to use, giving you space to run other programs at the same time. By default, scans are scheduled to run on Sundays at 2am, but you can choose any day you please, or even opt to have scans run daily. There are four tabs in the main window: the Home screen tells you when your last scan was and whether there are any problems that need resolving, while the Update, History and Settings tabs speak for themselves.ĭespite being a very basic piece of software on the surface, there are plenty of useful settings. It works in conjunction with Windows Update so it's one less piece of software to worry about keeping updated. It sits in the status bar quietly doing its work, only popping up to let us know about scans and potential vulnerabilities. The software itself has always been among the most easy to use and unobtrusive of all the suites we test, though. It still isn't as good as the best free and paid-for third-party antivirus packages, but it will intercept most nasties, where before it was letting a worrying amount of malware through the net. While Security Essentials was previously very good at letting legitimate software run, it wasn't much cop at protecting your PC.

Things haven improved in 2016, fortunately. READ NEXT: Our comprehensive guide to Internet Security Microsoft has previously admitted that the software should only be used as 'baseline' protection, but its website makes no mention of this, instead claiming to be a 'comprehensive' package. Security Essentials has previously scored well in our live threat-testing environment, but its performances last year made distinctly worrying reading for any clumsy internet users putting their faith in a trusted brand.

Microsoft security essentials windows xp