Microsoft Security Essentials Beta updated

Why do I have to reboot, Microsoft? WHY? Can't you just unload some DLLs from memory, stop the service and restart it? Really, how hard would that be? The funny thing is that I installed this update on my laptop as well and it didn't ask me to reboot there.

On one of my Win 7 systems I needed a reboot, probably because Outlook was open and I also did a Office Live update at the same time. On my other system no reboot required.

"Why do I have to reboot, Microsoft? WHY? Can't you just unload some DLLs from memory, stop the service and restart it? Really, how hard would that be?" It depends on "how deep" the service works in the OS. "The funny thing is that I installed this update on my laptop as well and it didn't ask me to reboot there." Some programs will ask for a reboot if there is a pending reboot by another program or update, even though the original program in question doesn't really require it (sometimes it will require that the other finish the pre-shutdown cleanup, so that it can update files on the next non-reboot-pending startup). I've installed and uninstalled this software MANY times, but I've noticed 2 bugs: 1) On practically every Windows XP install, the startup entry in the registry was missing quotes around the long filename which would cause the C:\Program Files\Microsoft folder to show at startup instead of launching the program. Adding quotes around the file path in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run|MSSE value fixes that. Windows Vista isn't affected by the issue. 2) (Only on XP as far as I've noticed) *SOMETIMES* the service won't start at startup even if the program is set to launch correctly (after fixing the first issue), and in the Services MMC, the service is still set to Automatic. Uninstalling and reinstalling the program fixes this issue. I would imagine this is a problem caused by the initial update getting botched because the program download does NOT include the scanning engine or definitions - the post-install update downloads all that after clicking Finish on the installer. Aside from that, MSSE + Win7's Action Center is basically OneCare but almost completely integrated into the OS (except for the antimalware engine).

My Vista system didn't ask me to reboot.

Complaints about the reboot thing aside, I think MSE is great and I've installed it everywhere. Funny story... my neighbor comes to me for PC advice. Last week she was complaining about all the problems she's having with McAfee which she paid something like $70 for. I told her to just uninstall it and use the free MSE. She said she doesn't want to uninstall it because she paid "good money for it" so she'd rather deal with the problems and feel like she's "getting her money's worth." I just don't get that mentality. Actually, that wasn't a funny story at all - just sad really.

RE: Ken Good thing she didn't uninstall it since you can't get on the beta anymore. :)

@ken: You'd be surprised how many people tell me that about their FREE AV software that they got from Bell and Rogers. Funny thing is, both Bell and Rogers use the same security software now - Radialpoint (formerly Zero Knowledge Networks, who made the terrible Freedom Internet Security software). Radialpoint NEVER shows up on AV-Comparatives, nor does it show up on third-party certification lists. But it's free, and the ISP supplies it, so it must be good, right???!?

I got a prompt to update MSE and did not ask me to reboot. I wasn't expecting a reboot, but now that it's been pointed out, it's surprising there wasn't a reboot. So far, MSE has been solid. Aside from a small bug when I first installed the program (a folder would launch on start up), nothing serious has happened. I love it! Hell, I'm still w/in my WLOC subscription but I switched to MES.

No re-boot for me on Win7 64bit. Shame OneCare is going away though.

I love OneCare, I really do... but I don't understand the whole obsession with it. Must be people stuck on Windows XP, lol. Anyway, no reboots for me either... I again suspect it's an XP thing. Windows 7 is your friend!

I got really sick of OneCare's nags (particularly the one which made THIS machine non-green because THAT machine earlier had failed to find the central backup drive on THIS machine--which was off at the time. XP not involved, just Vista. It would be nice to see MSE final (in the US, let alone elsewhere).

I use OneCare on all Vista machines. Runs fine to me. No nags. Why the comment about being stuck on XP? I don't understand that comment at all.

kenmcnamee I wouldn't touch McAfee with a barge pole, having had a bad experience with it several years ago. There are so many light A\V alternatives out there that do their job efficiently and silently you can do without the bloat of Norton's\McAfee\Trend etc.

Ah, what a joke having to deal with anti-virus, anti-spam software and the like. Luckily OS X doesn't burden you with that.

This is funny. I haven't had any upgrades since installation of MSE and got Version 1.0.2140.0 on a Windows 7 Ultimate Build 7600. Thats why a haven't seen a newer version in MS Update this morning. Does anyone understand this?

Well he did word it that way. And since most ISPs filters spam, and any reasonable mail client also does, and is either built in to the OS or easily downloadable, the point is moot for either platform. However, rj was just babbling like normal. "but chose to be snarky" This is rich coming from the king of snark.