frapper Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 M$ is apparently pushing harder to force XP users to buy a new PC with Win 7 or 8. They recently updated MSSE through Win Updates to version 4.5.216.0. In so doing, they also screwed up the tray icon that normally shows green. Even though they plan to continue to offer definition updates, they turned the tray icon permanently yellow. When you open the UI, it says Will Microsoft Security Essentials be supported after April 8, 2014? Microsoft Security Essentials will not be available for download on Windows XP after April 8, 2014. If you already have Microsoft Security Essentials installed, you will continue to receive anti-malware signature updates through July 14, 2015. However, please note that PCs running Windows XP after April 8, 2014 should not be considered protected. Then there's this They try to make it sound as if you'll be unprotected due to no definition updates. So if you don't want to hassled with a yellow tray icon implying that you're not fully protected, you may want to remove this nuisance and replace it with something like BitDefender free. Any other suggestions for a free AV that would run light on XP? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 I have absolutely no problem with MSFT doing this and to the contrary think it is a great idea. In addition, there is nothing being wrongly implied in the message they provide. Really people, cut the snark and stop attributing everything to greed. Time to get off of XP if the device is using the internet in any way, shape manner or form. (yes, i plan to still pester my boss for us to upgrade all pc's at work that are pre-W7) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frapper Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 I have absolutely no problem with MSFT doing this and to the contrary think it is a great idea. In addition, there is nothing being wrongly implied in the message they provide. Snark? I guess you'd know about that. So, you have "absolutely no problem" with Microsoft telling an outright lie? They clearly state that the AV will be unsupported as soon as MS stops supporting XP as an OS. That's not true as they plan to continue offering definition updates for MSSE for at least a year. It says it will "no longer be supported". That's a lie. The AV will likely not be updated as software, but it will still function in the OS it was designed for, and XP will not be changing after April 8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zlim Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Well I not only got the yellow/orange icon, I also have a red shield with MS's Security Center telling me I have no antivirus installed! It seems the OS no longer recognizes the latest version of av as a legitimate program. I can clearly see the av tray icon so I know it's on the computer. In fact, the db is up to date. I uninstalled the 4.5 version using Revo Uninstaller and re-installed the earlier version and now the Security Center is happy again. I intend to keep the XP computers connected to the internet until I have the final April patches installed. I might even install the next version of FF due out on April 29th before I completely pull the plug and burn an image. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 There is no lie mentioned in MSSE message box. MSFT can not help if people comprehension skills are clouded by hatred for MSFT (though why such people keep using xp is a mystery to me) As for the non-recognized AV problem, not a new issue. MSSE has a database of some sort and if the "signature" of an AV is not found (new version for example) it will give a false negative. Since MSSE is free, to me it ranks as annoying when it happens but I don't think I've seen the problem more than a month. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zlim Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Well apparently there are also problems with this version for people running Vista. http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=284979 Today I've had Microsoft Security Essentials stop in the middle of scan, shut itself completely off (not in taskbar, not in task manager) and then the Security Center says there is a problem. If you run XP or Vista, hold off on version 4.5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymac46 Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 I will not run it on a boat, I will not run it with a goat, I do not like malware and spam, I will not run it, Sam I am. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 There are other options than MSE...... Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 There are other options than MSE...... Adam the food is awful and the portion too small 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goretsky Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Hello, Changing the color of the icon in the system tray notification area and displaying a message when a version of the software is about to go out of support is a standard practice in the security industry for anti-malware software. You may not have seen it before because you were using a product that until now received support, but there's nothing unusual about this activity. As Ross549 pointed out, there are plenty of alternatives to Microsoft Security Essentials. Regards, Aryeh Goretsky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Sure is Aryeh! I have gone entirely to ESET on my Windows and Mac 'puters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frapper Posted March 28, 2014 Author Share Posted March 28, 2014 As Ross549 pointed out, there are plenty of alternatives to Microsoft Security Essentials. In the OP I never once stated anything about there not being alternatives. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frapper Posted March 28, 2014 Author Share Posted March 28, 2014 Thanks, Temmu . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 UGGH! turns out the OP was correct. MSFT disables the run time protection of MSE in XP this is inexcusable to me, fine they don't want to support it but don't cripple it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 To say one thing about extending MSE updates and the disabling MSE would be truly stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 I am glad I got HPCC updated to Win7 before I left VA. We were running XP before then. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mac Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 UGGH! turns out the OP was correct. MSFT disables the run time protection of MSE in XP this is inexcusable to me, fine they don't want to support it but don't cripple it. crp, I just launched XP Mode on my WIN 7 Pro PC, and, yes the MSE icon in the tray is red. However, when I opened MSE and clicked on "Update", it downloaded and installed the 4/10/14 definition data. When I click on the "Setting" tab, and the "Real-time protection" entry, the checkbox for "turn on real-time protection" is checked. So it appears to me that it is still working... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 crp, I just launched XP Mode on my WIN 7 Pro PC, and, yes the MSE icon in the tray is red. However, when I opened MSE and clicked on "Update", it downloaded and installed the 4/10/14 definition data. When I click on the "Setting" tab, and the "Real-time protection" entry, the checkbox for "turn on real-time protection" is checked. So it appears to me that it is still working... I've already put in a substitute. Is it red with a fat x in the middle? by convention, that means it ain't working. what is the text next to the real-time checkbox? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mac Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 It looks like this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 OK, it indicates that the virus and spyware definitions are up to date, and that the last scan was 'today' at 6:00 AM. Doesn't sound like it is non-functional to me. However, they are making it VERY clear your OS is expired. I hate red X crap like that! That's not their job! Their job is to provide an Antivirus that works till 2015. Sometimes they really push the envelope...sigh... As I noted, I had already moved to ESET Smart Security on my Windows XP Pro and Windows XP Home computers. I generally have them offline. But I do update that periodically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frapper Posted April 12, 2014 Author Share Posted April 12, 2014 Mac, that's because you accepted the Windows Update for MSE/MSSE to version 4.5.216.0 that came out in March. The previous version still runs, protects, and updates on XP without the red slap-in-the-face. If you could restore an image or remove the new and reinstall the older version you'll see green. Of course, who knows how long before MS does something to the older version? I'm sure they can detect what version you're running. Eventually they just set their servers to reject update requests from the older version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 However, they are making it VERY clear your OS is expired. I hate red X crap like that! It's correct though...... Support for the OS HAS expired, and that puts the computer at risk. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Yep, that is true, but it doesn't have to RUN with the Red X all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frapper Posted April 12, 2014 Author Share Posted April 12, 2014 But the computer just got the latest April updates. It's no more "at risk" now than it was after the January, February, or March updates. After the May updates come out and it gets nothing then it will be more "at risk". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Actually, it is because it will not get any further updates after April 8, 2014 .... EVER. And those were only life support/extended support/security updates don't forget. It's been out of mainstream support since April 14, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zlim Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 It's been out of mainstream support since April 14, 2009 Like I'm ever going to call MS for support. It makes no difference to me if they call it mainstream or extended, my relationship with MS is the same and has been since I purchased this XP computer in October 2009. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Was this a netbook you bought in 2009? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zlim Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 No, a desktop computer. The netbooks were purchased in 2008 (linux), 2011(7) and 2013 (7). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 It looks like this: and the tray icon is red with fat x? at least then they did not lerave the pc unprotected but only made it seem so. but come on MSE, it is not your job to inform OS is not suuported in such a manner, especially if it just tricks people to another AV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Not constantly anyway...crying wolf every day will only make it harder to notice when a threat really attacks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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