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HP PCs - Using Microsoft Security Essentials to Protect Against Viruses and Spyware

Downloading and installing Microsoft Security Essentials
Scanning the computer for security threats with Microsoft Security Essentials
Microsoft Security Essentials overview
Changing settings in Microsoft Security Essentials
This document pertains to all HP and Compaq PCs.
Microsoft Security Essentials provides protection against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. Security Essentials scans your computer for threats and keeps out new threats. Security Essentials does not come installed on the computer, but is available as a free download from Microsoft.
note:
If you have antivirus software installed, but want to install different antivirus software, remove the old antivirus software before installing new software. This might prevent software conflict problems.

Downloading and installing Microsoft Security Essentials

Microsoft Security Essentials is available as a free download for all computers running a genuine version of Windows. Follow these steps to install Security Essentials:
  1. Go to support.microsoft.com/help/14210/security-essentials-download.
  2. Click Free download.
  3. Microsoft detects your operating system and begins to download the options appropriate to your operating system.
  4. If a Security Warning window opens, click Run.
    Figure : Security Warning
    Image of Security Warning window
  5. If a second Security Warning window opens, click Run.
    Figure : Security Warning
    Image of Security Warning
  6. On the welcome screen, click Next.
    Figure : Installation Wizard welcome screen
    Image of the Installation Wizard welcome screen
  7. Proceed through the steps to install Microsoft Security Essentials.
  8. When the installation is complete, click Finish.
    Figure : Installation is complete
    Image of final installation window
    An Update screen displays, while Security Essentials scans the Microsoft site for the latest updates to virus and spyware definitions. Any necessary updates are installed on your computer. When the scan is complete, close the software.
    Figure : Update screen
    Update screen

Scanning the computer for security threats with Microsoft Security Essentials

Microsoft Security Essentials can perform a quick scan of the most common places threats are found, a full scan of the entire system, or a custom scan of the drives and folders you select. Follow these steps to scan the computer for security threats:
  1. To open Microsoft Security Essentials, click Start, click All Programs, and then click Microsoft Security Essentials.
  2. Open the Home tab.
  3. Select one of the scan options, and then click Scan now:
    • Quick - Scans the folders most likely to contain security threats.
    • Full - Scans the entire system.
    • Custom - Scans drives and folders that you choose.
    Figure : Scan options
    Image of Home tab
  4. Security Essentials scans the computer for security threats.
    Figure : Scanning
    Image of scanning window
    When the scan is complete, a screen displays the scan results. If the scan finds threats, a list of those threats displays. If the scan does not find threats, a No threats were detected on your computer during this scan message displays.
    Figure : Scan results screen
    Scan results screen

Scheduling scans with Microsoft Security Essentials

Microsoft Security Essentials can scan your computer automatically every week at the same time. Follow these steps to schedule a weekly scan:
  1. Open the Settings tab.
  2. Click Scheduled scan.
    Figure : Scheduled scan
    Image of Scheduled scan window
  3. Check the box next to Run a scheduled scan on my computer (recommended).
  4. Select the scan type (Quick or Full), the day, and the time. Then, click the check boxes for the other scheduling conditions you wish to apply.
  5. Click Save changes. Security Essentials scans the computer weekly on the day and time set.

Microsoft Security Essentials overview

Microsoft Security Essentials provides protection against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. Security Essentials scans your computer for threats and keeps out new threats. Security Essentials does not come installed on the computer, but is available as a free download from Microsoft.
Opening Microsoft Security Essentials
To open Microsoft Security Essentials, click Start, click All Programs, and then click Microsoft Security Essentials.
Home tab
The Home tab displays the status of real-time protection as well as virus and spyware definitions. You can perform a quick, full, or custom scan from the Home tab.
Figure : Home tab
Image of the Home tab
Update tab
The Update tab displays the status of the virus and spyware definitions. Click Update to check for updates.
Figure : Update tab
Image of the Update tab
History tab
The History tab displays all the items that Security Essentials detects as potentially harmful and the action taken on each item.
Figure : History tab
Image of the History tab
Settings tab
Use the Settings tab to schedule a scan, set default actions, turn on or off real-time protection, exclude files, folders or processes, and manage Microsoft SpyNet membership. For more information, see Changing settings in Microsoft Security Essentials.
Figure : Settings tab
Image of Settings tab

Changing settings in Microsoft Security Essentials

On the Settings tab, you can schedule a scan, set default actions, turn on or off real-time protection, exclude files, folders or processes, and manage Microsoft SpyNet membership. Use the following sections to change Security Essentials settings.

Changing scheduled scans in Microsoft Security Essentials

Microsoft Security Essentials can run scheduled scans once a week. Follow these steps to change the scan type, day of week, or time of day:
  1. Click Scheduled scan.
    Figure : Scheduled scan
    Image of Scheduled scan window
  2. Check the box next to Run a scheduled scan on my computer (recommended).
  3. Select the day of the scan type (Quick or Full), week, and time of day.
  4. Click Save changes. Security Essentials scans the computer weekly on the day and time set.

Setting default actions in Microsoft Security Essentials

Microsoft Security Essentials can automatically deal with security threats. Follow these steps to set the default actions that Security Essentials performs when it detects potential security threats:
  1. Click Default actions.
    Figure : Default actions
    Image of Default actions window
  2. For each alert level, select the action for Security Essentials to perform (Recommended action, Remove, or Quarantine).
  3. Click Save changes.

Changing real-time protection settings in Microsoft Security Essentials

Real-time protection alerts you to potentially dangerous software as it attempts to install itself or run on your computer. Follow these steps to turn on or off real-time protection and change protection settings:
  1. Click Real-time protection.
    Figure : Real-time protection settings
    Image of Real-time protection settings window
  2. Turn on or off real-time protection and choose whether Security Essentials monitors file and program activity and scans downloads.
  3. Click Save changes.

Excluding files and locations when scanning in Microsoft Security Essentials

You can exclude certain files and locations to speed up security scans. However, doing so may leave your computer less protected against security threats. Follow these steps to exclude files and folders from scans:
  1. Click Excluded files and locations.
    Figure : Excluded files and locations
    Image of Excluded files and locations window
  2. Click Add.
  3. Browse to a drive, folder or file that you want to exclude from security scans, and then click OK.
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each drive, folder or file that you want to exclude.
  5. Click Save changes.

Excluding file types when scanning in Microsoft Security Essentials

You can exclude certain file types to speed up security scans. However, doing so may leave your computer less protected against security threats. Follow these steps to exclude certain file types from scans:
  1. Click Excluded file types.
    Figure : Excluded file types
    Image of Excluded file types window
  2. Enter a file type (for example, .jpeg) into the open field.
  3. Click Add.
    Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each file type you want to exclude.
  4. Click Save changes.

Excluding processes when scanning in Microsoft Security Essentials

You can exclude certain processes (ending in .cmd, .bat, .pif, .scf, .exe, .com, or .scr) to speed up security scans. However, doing so may leave your computer less protected against security threats. Follow these steps to exclude certain processes from scans:
  1. Click Excluded processes.
    Figure : Excluded processes
    Image of Excluded processes window
  2. Click Add.
  3. Browse to a process (ending in .cmd, .bat, .pif, .scf, .exe, .com, or .scr) that you want to exclude from security scans, and then click OK.
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each process you want to exclude.
  5. Click Save changes.

Changing advanced settings in Microsoft Security Essentials

Microsoft Security Essentials allows you to change advanced settings, such as whether to scan archives and removable drives, create system restore points before cleaning the computer, and allow users to view the history. Follow these steps to change advanced settings:
  1. Click Advanced.
    Figure : Advanced settings
    Image of advanced settings window
  2. Make any desired changes to the advanced settings.
  3. Click Save changes.

Setting the Microsoft SpyNet membership level

SpyNet is a Microsoft online community that collects information about potential threats. With basic membership, the information can include where the software came from, actions taken, and whether the actions were successful. With advanced membership, Security Essentials sends all of the basic information plus the location of the software on the computer, the file names, how the software operates and the impact to the computer.
Follow these steps to set the Microsoft SpyNet membership level:
  1. Click Microsoft SpyNet.
    Figure : Microsoft SpyNet settings
    Image of Microsoft SpyNet settings window
  2. Select Basic membership or Advanced membership.
  3. Click Save changes.

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