“ Microsoft Security Essentials provides real-time protection for your home PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.

Microsoft Security Essentials is a free* download from Microsoft that is simple to install, easy to use, and always kept up to date so you can be assured your PC is protected by the latest technology. It’s easy to tell if your PC is secure — when you’re green, you’re good. It’s that simple.

Microsoft Security Essentials runs quietly and efficiently in the background so that you are free to use your Windows-based PC the way you want—without interruptions or long computer wait times.” via Microsoft

Yeah, I know you already using some of the antivirus software for your computer to make it virus free but I think Microsoft Security Essentials is the best free Windows antivirus software. The main reason is : offered by Microsoft team and it is running like a charm from last 6 months in my Windows Vista laptop.

For using MSE, the only constraint is that your Windows OS copy should be genuine. Microsoft Security Essentials is available for Windows XP 32-bit, Windows Vista/7 32-bit, and Windows Vista/7 64-bit. It is light on resources, very simple to use and detects virus very efficiently. It builds upon Windows Defender by offering both real-time protection and on-demand scanning for all types of malware.

System Requirements

Operating System: Genuine Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3); Windows Vista (Gold, Service Pack 1, or Service Pack 2); Windows 7

• For Windows XP, a PC with a CPU clock speed of 500 MHz or higher, and 256 MB RAM or higher

• For Windows Vista and Windows 7, a PC with a CPU clock speed of 1.0 GHz or higher, and 1 GB RAM or higher

• VGA display of 800 × 600 or higher

• 140 MB of available hard disk space

• An Internet connection is required for installation and to download the latest virus and spyware definitions for Microsoft Security Essentials

• Internet Browser:
  • Windows Internet Explorer 6.0 or later.
  • Mozilla Firefox 2.0 or later.

Installation

Installation is very quick, let us see the Installation procedure step-by-step. Welcome screen will come when you install it for the first time, click next

Accept the MSE Lincense Agreement to proceed further with the installation

As I told you earlier, MSE is only for Genuine Windows OS. So this step validate that you are using Genuine OS or not. Click Validate to check, if your Windows is validated you will be moved to next step, otherwise installation will fail.

After Validation of your OS, click on Install button to proceed further.

Once, Installation is complete, MSE would notify you to scan computer, I would recommend it to do that.

Now, MSE installation is complete and it will automatically re-directed to Virus updates and definitions page.

How MSE works

To perform a System Scan, you can select from any one of the three options, Quick, Full, or Custom. I went for the Custom Scan from which you can choose the exact drive or destination that you would like to scan and click OK.

This is how hone windows looks like when a threat is detected.

It seems like a Trojan is there in my computer, which my old virus removal tool was unable to detect. Now to clean this Trojan, click on Clean Computer button.

Now my computer is save from Trojan, thanks to MSE.

Verdict

Microsoft Security Essentials is easy to use and the best thing is it doesn’t take too much of your computer’s memory. But I am impressed with MSE more because as you see that it detected and removed a Trojan which my earlier Software Remover Tool was unable to detect.

Also it’s totally free, no registrations, trial versions, or license renewals required. Automatic updates work really fine and all the functions are activated with a single-click. Based on all above facts, I would recommend you to give this product a shot because it’s from the Microsoft Team and also awarded best malware removal from AV-Comparatives.

Direct Link to Download

Windows XP 32-bit

Windows Vista/7 32-bit

Windows Vista/7 64-bit