Saving your computer from Virus for FREE

For years, you have relied on ratings of various FREE anti-virus software to choose the one you want for your home PC. the choice has been mostly between AVG or Avira. If you were me, you would believe that one should pay for minimum 2 softwares on your PC:

1. Your Operating System i.e. Windows
2. Your Anti-Virus i.e. Norton/ McAfee

Now, Microsoft wants you to keep your computer safe for you. After including a world class firewall since Windows XP, Microsoft has now made available a FREE antivirus for your PC. This antivirus is called Microsoft Security Essentials. The antivirus is available as a FREE download from the link above. It is 4.28 MB of download for Win Vista/ Win 7.
Microsoft Security Essentials provides real-time protection for home PC and counters viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. The software runs in the background and silently monitors the files for all the malware. It schedules scans when the PC is most likely idle and interrupts the user only when there is an action required to keep their PC secure. The software updates itself automatically with the latest definitions without any user intervention. Many of the antivirus behaviours are configurable via the “Settings” tab including scheduled scans, turning real time protections on/ off, excluded file/ file types and many more. MSE is backed up by a series of web services, including telemetry data through the SpyNet service, Microsoft Update, and a separate signature update service.
The antivirus uses the same technology as the Forefront product family (meant for enterprise use). It employs practices like active memory swapping and CPU throttling to limit the impact on your PC performance, even on older or less powerful PCs. On my Windows 7 PC, the process (msseces.exe) takes zero CPU and 1.2 Mb RAM (small, fast and light).
You can install Security Essentials on Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 (both x86 and x64 machines). The minimum requirement for the PC though is 1 GB RAM. It does though require a “Genuine” PC check when you install the same. If you have any questions on installation or usage, a support forum is also available to post your queries. In case you discover viruses, spyware, Trojans, worms or other malicious software that were undetected by Microsoft Security Essentials you can send these files to Malware protection Center for analysis.
So take the guesswork out and install the MS Security Essentials TODAY!
P.S.: If you were running a BETA of the product earlier, please make sure that you update the same to the release build. The build no. is (1.0.1611.0) for the released produc