If you haven't grabbed your copy of Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 from the official company channels, then you are out of luck. Less than a day after the download of the security solution formerly codenamed Morro went live, Microsoft has discontinued availability. The Redmond-based company stated from the start that it was beginning a limited Beta program, and downloads were effectively delivered on the first come, first served basis. Now that the limit of the Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 beta program has been reached, the software giant has shut down downloads altogether.

Users visiting the Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 Beta page are now welcomed by the following message: “Alert! Thank you for your interest in joining the Microsoft Security Essentials Beta. We are not accepting additional participants at this time. Please check back at later a date for possible additional availability.”

On June 23, 2009, a member of the Microsoft Security Essentials team revealed that “A beta version of Microsoft Security Essentials v1.0 is available today for up to 75,000 consumers in a limited number of countries.” The company had opened up the Beta to potential testers in the following markets: United States, United Kingdom, Israel (English only), People’s Republic of China (Simplified Chinese only) and Brazil (Brazilian Portuguese only).

Microsoft indicated that it planned to release the security solution designed to replace Windows Live OneCare by the end of 2009. No word from the Redmond-based company as of yet on whether future Beta or RC milestones will follow, or whether the public will get another shot at grabbing a copy of what will evolve to be Microsoft's free security solution.

“Microsoft Security Essentials is a new, no-cost, anti-malware solution for genuine Windows PC consumers that provides real-time protection against viruses, spyware and other malicious threats. It is a lightweight, effective and modern anti-malware which runs on 32 bit and 64 bit Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP SP2 and higher, and on modern consumer form-factors such as netbooks,” the Microsoft Essentials team representative added.