No more Security Essentials for XP

trents · Apr 15, 2014

Microsoft seems to have reversed itself with regard to continuing Security Essentials support for Windows XP now that the April 8 end of extended support deadline is past. My understanding from reading tech news reports about a month ago was that MS was saying at that time that they would continue to offer Security Essentials for XP yet for a period of time. Well, I was working on a client's computer yesterday and noticed that he Security Essentials icon in the notification area had turned red. When I clicked on it there was a message that Security Essentials AV was not longer supported on the XP platform.

ATMINSIDE · Apr 15, 2014

Does MSE run on Windows 95? If not Microsoft is stealing my money.

wingman99 · Apr 15, 2014

They cut off support, they are just killing it with XP.

c627627 · Apr 15, 2014

Consider alternatives.

Example: Avira freeware has (much) better antivirus definitions than Microsoft Security Essentials. Avira definitions beat all other freeware antivirus definitions and most (if not all) pay-for anti virus definitions. It updates both operating systems on my Windows 2000/Windows XP dual boot machine. It is a big pain to install properly and block ads however, if you don't want to pay for Avira professional version.

I saw on their web site the other day that Avira will continue support for Windows XP for at least another year. But that just means there won't be new *product* versions for Windows XP.

Definitions for already installed older versions of the product will still be updated, as evidenced by my Windows 2000 partition still being up to date with latest Avira definitions.

Avira is quicker to include antidotes than almost anyone else as soon as cures are found for zero day malware. I found this out the hard way a long time ago, and would switch if anything ever gets through on my machines and Avira doesn't detect it. I would immediately install every software I could, just to see who would have better definitions.

This is the bases for me finding out how much other definitions suck or are slow to update when I tested them and found Avira's to live up to their reputation according to what people on computer forums were saying.

MSE is known for its less than stellar definitions. Others with definitions which are not as good as the best you can get were AVG, Avast, Eset Nod32 (are they even still around?).
Panda and Bit Defender were in the middle (so why choose them?)

Avira on the other hand competes with Norton and Kaspersky.

As for the other two well know names, they may have other issues, but definitions-wise Trend Micro and old McAfee were not all that bad.

Avira AntiVir Personal 13.0.0.2832

(This old version 13 is compatible with Windows 8 but not Windows 8.1 -- install version 14 or later for Windows 8.1 compatibility.)

[Follow-up Build 2890 does not have the option to disable product updates. It is important to disable automatic product updates (but leave definition updates ON). Product updates may affect the Windows operating system. They should preferably be downloaded only *after* imaging the operating system partition so that if they cause problems you can reimage back to the state before product updates were installed.]

Disconnect Internet connection. Double click on Setup.exe to install the program.
Ignore Avira's warnings to uninstall Comodo Firewall or similar programs which intercept phone-home attempts.

SELECT: Custom and CHECK: I accept the End User License Agreement > Next >

UNCHECK everything when asked to install Avira Toolbars > Next > Next > Next > Next

Welcome to the Configuration Wizard > Next > Next >

Allow the configuration wizard to keep the default Express Setup options. [Do not Select All.]
(UNCHECK: Application, Games, Jokes, Programs that violate the private domain, and Unusual runtime compression.) > Next > Next >

UNCHECK: Performs a quick systems scan after the installation

Next > Finish >

*ABORT any update process when it automatically pops up!* (If you haven't disconnected Internet connection as instructed above.)

Setup the program before connecting to the internet [then block apnstub.exe and ipmgui.exe from accessing the internet].

Subscription to new virus definitions for this program is renewed automatically when you right click on Avira icon in the task bar > Start update

or download the latest key file from:
http://personal.avira-update.com/package/peclkey/win32/int/hbedv.key

and either copy it to
C:\Program Files (x86)\Avira\AntiVir Desktop
and restart or go to Help > License management > click on the blue hbedv.key link > browse to the new downloaded hbedv.key > Open.

Options:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\avcenter.exe

System Scanner (upper left) > Configuration (upper right) > Yes >
UNCHECK: Follow symbolic links (on right) > System Scanner > Scan > Action on detection >
Set for Automatic, Primary action: Ignore [if you want to just scan folders and get a scan report without deleting files or being prompted what to do if virii/malware are found.]

> Click on + next to Update > Product Update > Do not download product updates.
[This option is only for Avira Antivir product updates (Antivirus definitions will still be downloaded automatically.) Product updates should be downloaded manually by going to Update > Start product update... because they may affect the Windows operating system. They should preferably be downloaded only *after* imaging the operating system partition so that if they cause problems you can reimage back to the state before product updates were installed.]

> General > Security >
Disable being notified every time USB drive has an AUTORUN.INF file:
UNCHECK: Block autorun function
> General > Events > Select: Limit size to max. >
> General > Reports > Select: Limit number to max. >
> General > Alerts > UNCHECK everything except Dial-up connection is used

> OK

> Scheduler [on lower left] > UNCHECK everything.

Set Avira Free Antivirus to Always show in Windows Taskbar.

To disable Notifier nag screen: Windows 2000/XP Control Panel > [in Windows 7/8, click on (view by Category) System and Security first] > Administrative Tools [fourth from bottom] > Local Security Policy > Right click on Software Restriction Policies > Create New Policies SO THAT ADDITIONAL RULES SHOWS UP UNDERNEATH > Right click on Additional Rules > New Path Rule... > Browse... to the path of avnotify.exe default is
C:\Program Files (x86)\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\avnotify.exe
or
C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\avnotify.exe

> Set the security level to Disallowed > OK

Also block these two files from accessing the internet, using Comodo Firewall or similar software:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\apnstub.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\ipmgui.exe

or

C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\apnstub.exe
C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\ipmgui.exe

The blocked files are to block Ask toolbar check and to block a popup nag.

apnstub.exe is related to a Toolbar check. AntiVir software checks whether the ASK-Toolbar is already installed on your computer. If the Toolbar is already present, AntiVir will not bother you with a slide-up alert asking you to install it. The apnstub.exe utility will do this check three times (the next three times that you reboot your computer). An additional check is done whenever the AntiVir setup dialog is displayed, in order to once again confirm the presence or absence of the Toolbar. If the ASK-Toolbar is already present, AntiVir will not offer you the setup option for installing the Avira-Toolbar.

ipmgui.exe is related to Avira messaging popup nag.

For Windows XP Home or Windows 8 (non-Pro version) you would need to boot into Safe Mode and log in as Administrator, then
go to
C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\avnotify.exe
and right click on it >
Properties > Security TAB >
[Under Group or usernames] SYSTEM > Edit button > CHECK: Deny for Read & execute > Apply > OK > OK

Make sure SYSTEM is set to Deny for Read & execute before rebooting.

To submit a suspected virus, go to
http://analysis.avira.com/samples/
to upload it.

You can scan multiple drives inside program options: Local Protection > Scanner > CHECK drives you wish to scan. The premium version also offers the option to scan multiple folders here. The free version does not.

In case of error message:

The procedure entry point ?_Xbad@tr1@std@@YAX4error_type@regex_constants@12@@Z could not be located in the dynamic link library MSVCP90.dll

download and install Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...FamilyID=a5c84275-3b97-4ab7-a40d-3802b2af5fc2

Manual updates can be downloaded from:
http://dl.antivir.de/down/vdf/ivdf_fusebundle_nt_en.zip
Unzip the downloaded file and copy all the contents to
C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop

Using two Antivirus programs at the same time:
If there are two Antivirus programs installed, you should not have two Antivirus *Guard* programs active at the same time because this would slow the system down, Windows may even have problems booting with two Antivirus guard components being active. So if installing AntiVir on a system where there already is an Antivirus program installed, do not install AntiVir guard.

Also disable the guard component of one program if using another program to scan an entire disk drive.

Default log file location is
C:\ProgramData\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\LOGFILES
or
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\LOGFILES

For older versions:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Avira\AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic\LOGFILES
C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic
or
C:\Program Files\Avira AntiVir Personal\
C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Avira AntiVir Personal\LOGFILES

orion456 · Apr 15, 2014

AVG has worked for me for years. Never had a problem.

trents · Apr 16, 2014

Sure, their are really good free alternatives to MSE but what worries me is the large MSE user base that is still going with XP and think they still have protection. If you provide tech support to family or friends or customers you're going to see a lot of virus cleaning activity until you can get them switched over to something better.

c627627 · Apr 17, 2014

Instinctively, I thought that getting rid of Microsoft solutions ASAP is what I would do because I feared something like what happened just now might happen and it totally did: Microsoft accidentally released a Windows XP killing update!

Reports are surfacing that Microsoft Antimalware Service update, released after Windows XP support ended, is FUBARing Windows XP machines!

Here's a fix for those of you out there that are affected:

Change your Windows XP Windows update settings from Automatic to "Notify status"
Uninstall MSE
Reboot your system

Now install an older version of MSE
Run the MSE update

Go to Windows update > Do not install the update.

Wow.

By the way, here's what Microsoft did when Windows Me reached End of Life status: They released KB891711.exe and KB918547.exe update patches, exe files which were run *every time* Windows 98/Me boots.

They slowed the system down significantly and resulted in frequent errors saying "There is not enough memory to run this program..." or "Insufficient memory to run this application; close one or more Windows applications and try again." or

The only cure was to go to Start Menu > Run... > msconfig
to disable them from running at startup.

So back in those days, I wrote in my notes: The protection may not be worth it if the system slows down significantly with frequent "Insufficient memory" errors that have nothing to do with the amount of available RAM or other resources but are a direct side effect of these patches. Using Windows search may also slow down the system to the point of being unusable if these two .exe files are run at startup.

What good is security on a completely crippled down old system which cannot handle running those mandatory critical update exe files at startup? They were system killers. Medicine which killed the patient.

trents · Apr 17, 2014

Thanks for the info, c627627. Yes, it is true. I googled the issue and people's XP machines are being borked.

Audioaficionado · Apr 24, 2014

c627627 said:
Reports are surfacing that Microsoft Antimalware Service update, released after Windows XP support ended, is FUBARing Windows XP machines!

Yuppers

my XP install is sucking now that I've applied that last MSE update

Now I have to go back in and clean up the poop MS dropped on me.

EarthDog · Apr 24, 2014

trents said:
Microsoft seems to have reversed itself with regard to continuing Security Essentials support for Windows XP now that the April 8 end of extended support deadline is past. My understanding from reading tech news reports about a month ago was that MS was saying at that time that they would continue to offer Security Essentials for XP yet for a period of time. Well, I was working on a client's computer yesterday and noticed that he Security Essentials icon in the notification area had turned red. When I clicked on it there was a message that Security Essentials AV was not longer supported on the XP platform.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/end-support-help

As a result, technical assistance for Windows XP is no longer available, including automatic updates that help protect your PC. Microsoft has also stopped providing Microsoft Security Essentials for download on Windows XP. (If you already have Microsoft Security Essentials installed, you will continue to receive antimalware signature updates for a limited time, but this does not mean that your PC is secure because Microsoft is no longer providing security updates to help protect your PC.)

Not sure there was any waffling going on...

No more Security Essentials for XP

trents

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ATMINSIDE

Sim Racing Aficionado Co-Owner

wingman99

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c627627

c(n*199780) Senior Member

orion456

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trents

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c627627

c(n*199780) Senior Member

trents

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Audioaficionado

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EarthDog

Gulper Nozzle Co-Owner

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