14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 and MSE 2.0 will disable the free security solution that ships by default with every Windows operating system. This means that customers running Microsoft Security Essentials have no need for Windows Defender. In fact, Windows Defender is pushed to the background and switched off by MSE.
And fact is that customers choosing between the two should prefer MSE for a very simple reason. However basic MSE is, it is still a complete antivirus product vs. Windows Defender, which is designed as antispyware and nothing more.
“If you use Microsoft Security Essentials, you don't need Windows Defender,” revealed Microsoft’s Marcelle Amelia.
“When you download Microsoft Security Essentials, it will turn off (but not uninstall) Windows Defender automatically. It does this so that you don't have two programs on your computer that are doing the same thing.”
“If you ever decided to uninstall Microsoft Security Essentials, Windows Defender will be turned back on again,” Marcelle added.
The Redmond company continues to offer MSE 1.0 as a free download for customers running genuine copies of Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows Vista.
On August 19, 2010, the software giant released an update for the AntiMalware engine of Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0, kicking the version number up to 1.1.6103.0.
At the same time, the company continues to build Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0 and offers a Beta development milestone to early adopters for testing.
“Microsoft Security Essentials is a free download for home computers running on the Windows operating system. This software helps protect your computer from viruses, spyware, and other malware.
“Windows Defender is built into Windows Vista and Windows 7 and it's available as a free download for Windows XP. Windows Defender helps protect your computer from spyware and some other potentially unwanted software, but it will not protect against viruses.
“In other words, Windows Defender only protects against a subset of known malicious software but Microsoft Security Essentials protects against ALL known malicious software,” Marcelle explained.
Microsoft Security Essentials is available for download here.