Microsoft Security Essentials Help Needed

[colchar]

I have been using Microsoft Security Essentials as my anti-virus program for a little while now and it seems to be working fine but a problem has cropped up that is pissing me off to no end so I am hoping someone here can help.

I keep getting the pop-up message saying that an upgrade is available so I dutifully download and install said up grade but it never ever works. I keep getting a stupid error saying it couldn't be installed. After that I restart my computer, click on the icon the update has placed on my desktop (pisses me off when software does that as I don't have any icons on my desktop), watch the program finish installing updates, and all seems to be fine (the icon in the system tray even turns back to green which usually indicates that everything is fine). However, despite all of that, within five minutes I get the stupid fucking pop-up telling me, yet again, that I need to do an upgrade. The fact that it shows my last update as being only a few minutes ago makes all this especially frustrating.

Does anyone know how to resolve this (preferably in a simple way as I am not overly savvy when it comes to computers)?

[Miles]

I use Free AVGon all of my Windows computers. Maybe you could install that, and then ditch Microsoft Security Essentials?

[colchar]

I use Free AVGon all of my Windows computers. Maybe you could install that, and then ditch Microsoft Security Essentials?

I used to use it and ended up with a rootkit virus so I switched to MSE from then on.

[DevilAlumna]

I have been using Microsoft Security Essentials as my anti-virus program for a little while now and it seems to be working fine but a problem has cropped up that is pissing me off to no end so I am hoping someone here can help.

I keep getting the pop-up message saying that an upgrade is available so I dutifully download and install said up grade but it never ever works. I keep getting a stupid error saying it couldn't be installed. After that I restart my computer, click on the icon the update has placed on my desktop (pisses me off when software does that as I don't have any icons on my desktop), watch the program finish installing updates, and all seems to be fine (the icon in the system tray even turns back to green which usually indicates that everything is fine). However, despite all of that, within five minutes I get the stupid fucking pop-up telling me, yet again, that I need to do an upgrade. The fact that it shows my last update as being only a few minutes ago makes all this especially frustrating.

Does anyone know how to resolve this (preferably in a simple way as I am not overly savvy when it comes to computers)?

I suggest complete uninstall, reboot, reinstall.

[colchar]

I have been using Microsoft Security Essentials as my anti-virus program for a little while now and it seems to be working fine but a problem has cropped up that is pissing me off to no end so I am hoping someone here can help.

I keep getting the pop-up message saying that an upgrade is available so I dutifully download and install said up grade but it never ever works. I keep getting a stupid error saying it couldn't be installed. After that I restart my computer, click on the icon the update has placed on my desktop (pisses me off when software does that as I don't have any icons on my desktop), watch the program finish installing updates, and all seems to be fine (the icon in the system tray even turns back to green which usually indicates that everything is fine). However, despite all of that, within five minutes I get the stupid fucking pop-up telling me, yet again, that I need to do an upgrade. The fact that it shows my last update as being only a few minutes ago makes all this especially frustrating.

Does anyone know how to resolve this (preferably in a simple way as I am not overly savvy when it comes to computers)?

I suggest complete uninstall, reboot, reinstall.

Yeah, that does seem to be the best option.

[colchar]

Here's another issue I just noticed and, instead of starting another thread, I figured I would ask about it here.

When I go into my 'Control Panel' and go to the 'System & Security' area, at the bottom of the list of options Avira Antivirus is listed. I uninstalled that a while ago but, for whatever reason, it is still listed there. When I click on it I get a message saying 'explorer.exe' and 'Application not found'. Is there any way to remove it from the options in 'System & Security'? I can't see it in my remove programs area not can I find it when searching through the list of programs on my C drive. I tried to run a free registry cleaner but that didn't seem to resolve it either.

[colchar]

I have been using Microsoft Security Essentials as my anti-virus program for a little while now and it seems to be working fine but a problem has cropped up that is pissing me off to no end so I am hoping someone here can help.

I keep getting the pop-up message saying that an upgrade is available so I dutifully download and install said up grade but it never ever works. I keep getting a stupid error saying it couldn't be installed. After that I restart my computer, click on the icon the update has placed on my desktop (pisses me off when software does that as I don't have any icons on my desktop), watch the program finish installing updates, and all seems to be fine (the icon in the system tray even turns back to green which usually indicates that everything is fine). However, despite all of that, within five minutes I get the stupid fucking pop-up telling me, yet again, that I need to do an upgrade. The fact that it shows my last update as being only a few minutes ago makes all this especially frustrating.

Does anyone know how to resolve this (preferably in a simple way as I am not overly savvy when it comes to computers)?

I suggest complete uninstall, reboot, reinstall.

I just tried this and I get an error saying it cannot install. The error code provided is 0x80070643 but I have no idea what that means.

[DevilAlumna]

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/For ... 7d3bc48db5

(I find internet searching on product name + error code usually yields pretty decent information.)

Sounds like you might be having issues with that other antivirus program. This thread mentions an uninstall tool you might want to try.

And if you're really stuck: https://support.microsoftsecurityessentials.com/

[colchar]

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/For ... 7d3bc48db5

(I find internet searching on product name + error code usually yields pretty decent information.)

Sounds like you might be having issues with that other antivirus program. This thread mentions an uninstall tool you might want to try.

And if you're really stuck: https://support.microsoftsecurityessentials.com/

Thanks, I managed to get that other program to disappear by deleting a registry value. Even with that there, MSE had been working fine until it tried to update itself.

I clicked on the Microsoft support link you posted (funnily enough, I was on that site right before seeing your post) but that site drives me nuts. if you click on the 'installation fails' link it takes you to a page where you choose your country and language. It then tells you 'After you select your country, continue to the next step' but there is no next step to continue to! there is no link or button or anything leading to a next step. If you click on the country and language link at the top right it just takes you right back where you started! I am ready to pull my hair out right now

[CameronBornAndBred]

I would rather have a virus than witness another game like today.

I don't like St. John's.

[colchar]

I would rather have a virus than witness another game like today.

I don't like St. John's.

Well thankfully I don't have a virus or anything. MSE just won't update itself properly but, from the advice here and from checking around on the web, it seems this is a fairly common problem. I think I might need to call Microsoft support but, from what I have read, they make you jump through some hoops before they will help you.

[Jesus_hurley]

For Win 7 go to the Search box on the start menu (or go to start > run) and type: services.msc and then hit enter. When the services mmc opens up highlight 'Windows Update' and then stop the service (don't close the mmc window!). With the service stopped, go to: C:\Windows and delete the 'SoftwareDistribution' directory. Go back to the services mmc and start 'Windows Update'. You should now be able to update Security Essentials.

This works the same for XP, except instead of 'Windows Update', find 'Automatic Updates'

[colchar]

For Win 7 go to the Search box on the start menu (or go to start > run) and type: services.msc and then hit enter. When the services mmc opens up highlight 'Windows Update' and then stop the service (don't close the mmc window!). With the service stopped, go to: C:\Windows and delete the 'SoftwareDistribution' directory. Go back to the services mmc and start 'Windows Update'. You should now be able to update Security Essentials.

This works the same for XP, except instead of 'Windows Update', find 'Automatic Updates'

Thanks, but I ended up with the exact same error again.

I've tried all of the fixes I can find on the web and none of them have worked so the next step is a call to Microsoft. From what I've read on the web though, they make you jump through a bunch of hoops before they will help you. If they do that I will be severely pissed off because, with so many people talking about this problem on the web, you'd think they would have bothered to develop some sort of a fix. If I can, I might just give the person from Microsoft remote access and tell them to get on with it. Once it is resolved, I hope I don't have this problem the next time MSE needs to upgrade.