In my review of an early release of Microsoft Security Essentials, I noted:

I  installed it on a Dell Vostro desktop computer running Windows XP Pro SP3 with an Intel Core2 2.33 GHz processor and 4 gigs of ram, as well as a Toshiba laptop running Vista Home Premium SP2 with an AMD dual-core 2.4 GHz processor.

I found it was a little slower than Avast on the Vista laptop but tolerable, especially given that it scanned for spyware as well the virus family. My initial impression was uncertain but I was willing to work with Security Essentials for a while on the laptop.

On the desktop it was a very different story. It slowed my XP system to a crawl with almost constant activity that was using 20-50% of available RAM at any given time. I gave it a couple of hours in case this was just an initial scan but even following the Quick Scan I’d requested it continued to churn away. Even switching windows from email to my browser or to Word often took a few seconds.

I recently decided to give it another try to see if there had been any improvements in speed, and I’m happy to report that it is now running smoothly on both the laptop and the desktop.

Recategorized as “Recommended”.

Update: Microsoft Security Essentials is a post from: PsychNet Reviews and Recommendations

©2010 PsychNet Reviews and Recommendations. All Rights Reserved.

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I’ve seen several articles recently proclaiming loudly that Google’s Chrome browser has taken over the number three spot from Safari (e.g., Google Chrome is Now the No. 3 Browser | Search Engine Journal).

One would think this were a huge accomplishment from all the excitement. But in reality, beating out Safari, the Apple browser, is a small accomplishment, given that it has never had more than 5% market share, especially since this follows the recent release of the Apple version of Google Chrome.

Here is the way the statistics stack up currently, according to Net Applications’ web browser usage data for December:

After all the furious negative publicity over the past 5 years, Internet Explorer still has two-thirds of the market, although that is a slip from 80-90% before Firefox was introduced. Meanwhile, Firefox has risen to approximately one quarter of the market.

So what this all boils down to is that Google Chrome now has about a thundering third of the one-eighth market share left over after Internet Explorer and Firefox have taken their cuts.

That wouldn’t seem to me to be a reason for breaking out the champagne just yet.

Discussion continues at  http://forum.psychlinks.ca/computers-technology-and-the-internet/21364-browser-wars.html.

….

Addendum
 Now, from Computerworld via PC World comes this:

Windows Loses Market Share to Mobile Operating Systems
by Gregg Keizer, Computerworld
Jan 3, 2010

Microsoft’s Windows resumed its usual losing form in December as the operating system’s usage share dropped by about a third of a point even as the new Windows 7 posted a second straight month of impressive gains, Web metrics firm Net Applications said Friday.

Although rival desktop operating systems — Mac and Linux — essentially remained flat, mobile OSes, including Google‘s Android and Apple‘s iPhone OS, took up the slack created by Windows’ dip. Mobile operating systems, said Net Applications, now power 1.3% of all the hardware that surfs the Internet.

Windows finished the year with a 92.2% share, down 0.3 of a percentage point. It was the eighth month in 2009 during which Windows lost share.

So more people are using mobile operating systems. And Microsoft Windows has “fallen” to a lowly 92.2% share of all operating systems when mobile OSs are included.

Does anyone seriously believe that having a 92.2% market share is going to worry Microsoft or its shareholders?

Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Google Chrome is a post from: PsychNet Reviews and Recommendations

©2010 PsychNet Reviews and Recommendations. All Rights Reserved.

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About three years ago, I wrote a short blog entry titled Basic Computer Security. I recently came across this again and realized that much of what I said three years ago has changed. It’s time to update that article for 2009.

Part 1: Scanning and Disinfecting Your Computer

First, you should check to see if your system may already have been compromised. Start by downloading and running the latest Microsoft® Windows® Malicious Software Removal Tool. If you have your system set for Automatic Windows Update or Microsoft Update, you are already receiving and running the latest version as the other security updates are downloaded. The Microsoft Tool removes the currently most prevalent active malicious threats to your system:

The Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool differs from an antivirus product in three key ways:

• The tool removes malicious software from an already-infected computer. Antivirus products block malicious software from running on a computer. It is significantly more desirable to block malicious software from running on a computer than to remove it after infection.
• The tool removes only specific prevalent malicious software. Specific prevalent malicious software is a small subset of all the malicious software that exists today.
• The tool focuses on the detection and removal of active malicious software. Active malicious software is malicious software that is currently running on the computer. The tool cannot remove malicious software that is not running. However, an antivirus product can perform this task.

You can also run  Trend Micro’s Housecall free online virus scaner (this is a good idea even if you have an AV program but fear it may have been compromised). If the online scanner finds anything and can remove it, great. If it finds something it can’t remove, make a note of whatever virus-trojan-worm is identified and do a search for a removal tool – the best place to start for finding and downloading one of these is probably the Symantec Removal Tools Page.

You should also check for rootkits, using one of these free tools:

• F-Secure BlackLight
• GMER
• McAfee Rootkit Detective
• Sophos Anti-Rootkit
• TrendMicro Rootkit Buster

Note: If one or more of these procedures has located a malware threat that cannot be removed, you may have to default to a hard drive reformat. If you do not feel comfortable doing this yourself, take it to a reputable computer repair outlet and have them do it for a fee. Otherwise, follow the following steps:

1. First and foremost, back up all your important data files because a hard drive format will erase everything.
2. Make sure you have the original installation CDs (or backup copies of those setup disks) and the Product Keys for your Windows XP or Vista operating system, your essential software (e.g., Microsoft Office, your banking software, etc.), your antivirus software,  any other security software and system utilities, and the System Drivers CD for your specific computer manufacturer. All of these will need to be reinstalled following the reformat, along with your data files.
3. For more detailed instructions on how to proceed, see How to partition and format a hard disk by using Windows XP Setup or How to install Windows Vista. Additional detailed instructions and suggestions are available at So you are going to reformat and re-install Windows.

See also:

• Part 2: Keeping Your Computer Safe
• Part 3: Keeping It All Running Smoothly

Spyware Doctor AV

PCTools Internet Security

Basic Computer Security 2009 Part 1 is a post from: PsychNet Reviews and Recommendations

©2010 PsychNet Reviews and Recommendations. All Rights Reserved.

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