MS OneCare

Hi,

how many of you are currently really using Microsoft OneCare as primary AV? I am currently looking a bit to it (in order to see how it works etc. before I test it in February) and find it very difficult/impossible to test it within a reasonable time or in a reasonable way. I hope to get a special "testable" version for the test, otherwise it is probably that I will not be able to test it . Please cross fingers and hope that everything wents fine
From the few sets I was able to scan it gives the impression to be a mediocre AV which still need some fixes in some things (e.g. if you interrupt a scan it will tell you it found no malware while if you let him finish the scan it will tell you correctly that the scanned files were all infected).
What are your experiences with it (from user side)?

 

I have been on the beta from the begining and I remember it actually didn't have the right-click scan option in a few of the betas

I don't know if it still does so, but the AV monitor used to allow you to run a backup that included malware. So in other words when you did a system backup don't worry all those nastys you are trying to prepare for by doing the recommended action, will get backed up for you!

I understand that they are marketing to the masses, but it is so dumbed down it is almost useless!

 

right-click folder scanning is available in the final version

 

Hello IBK

Appreciate your efforts and wish i could help you but as a Purchased Windows XP user, my 'Morals' prevent me from using any 'Paid Security Product' from Microsoft That thought doesn't sit well with me at all

 

I was just giving examples of previous experiences.

 

Hello,
I don't know if this input is of any value to you, but I would not use that product. Like most MS products, it offers limited and mediocre functionality. The simplest example is Giant Anti-Spyware > MSAS 1 > WD.
Mrk

 

please add panda

 

so you saying ms onecare is like norton as in hardly any options to change?
i know norton has quite good detection rate but one care doesnt.
lodore

 

no, will not add panda, as panda hq does not want to participate, so i let participate some of those that really wish to participate since long time. as time and resources are limited, i have to limit somehow the number of participants, starting from those few that do not like to get tested (followed by those with low detection rates, in case they aren't the same).

onecare has nearly no options, does first scan the files (unknown how long it will take or which file it is currently processing), then it does scan also the C: drive if something was found, then it does remove, then it ask to remove some other files, then it finished (long procedure; if you interrupt this procedure you can start from begin), and no processable log is provided. all together makes it very annoying/impossible to test on large test-sets. but i got promise that i will get a version that is testable soon - i am now just waiting for it.
testing norton is no problem, it has many options and is relativly very fast/easy to test compared to onecare.

 

wow thats bad.
i know alot of av's dont have a bar saying how long it will be and having to wait and watch the number of files.
but no bar showing the file its scanning whoa that rubbish.
lodore

 

I guess it's rubbish; I mean, I don't usually sit there and stare while it scans every file anyway. Who CARES what file it's scanning? Just a thought.

 

It's still nice to know, with no progress bar... Sometimes the only way you can tell how far a scan is in... Is what folder it's scanning (Alphabetical order on mine anyway) so if I see it's scanning ... Say C:\Windows then i no it's almost done scanning the c drive.

Or say you watch for a second and then suddenly 1 file is found infected, you no it's somewhere in that area of what it's scanning.

And IBK I hope all goes well! Microsoft should know most/all of Windows vulnerabilities and so they SHOULD make atleast a decent anti-virus and I hope to see the results of One-Care in the next test.

 

@IBK
FWIW from me:
looked at it some time ago: didn't like it.
So many other seemingly better options available.
Hmm: if YOU cant figure out a way to test/compare; that has significant implications alone.

Regards.

 

i wouldnt bother testing MS OneCare anyway, for what you read about it ... its rubbish and wouldnt even reach the level ibk has set for 'standard' on the comparatives.

 

Lets drop out Norton for high PC usage, and AVG for being installed on thousands of computers that are infected (Personal experience with everyone who had avg installed)

MS OneCare is crappy now, but no matter how "early" it's development is... I would want to see it on these tests to see how it improves.

 

Agree. Microsoft must have interest in making a good security product, so they should develop a trustworthy security suite in time.

 

I used MSOneCare for the first time the other day, a client had purchased it with her new laptop...... what a terrible application. There are no options to configure or customize, it was very unclear about your protection level or virus/malware scanning results. I didn't like it at all, you can have much better and customizable protection for free.

 

I have only used versions 1.0 and 1.1 of One Care, which are released in the US only. I have not used the beta 1.5, which will soon be released as GM internationally. There are minimal configuaration options if you go to the manage or change settings tab, but if you generate a full report for support, it lists more details about what the firewall and AV are doing. I don't have it installed at the moment, and am using KIS 6.0 instead. I found One Care irksome because it imposes Group Policy on Windows XP Home Edition, and I don't have the tools readily accesible to clean up anything that Group Policy leaves messed up after uninstalling One Care. Also, I have had strange problems using multiple XP limited user accounts, and found that One Care and Defender both have some problems for limited users. There is no option to "run as" administrator if a "situation" comes up on a limited account. Plus I had the strange event of my "turn off computer" link disppearing from my Windows welcome screen both times I had One Care installed. I can't say that One Care caused that problem, but the problem has never occurred when I was using McAfee 2006 or KIS 6.0. It's important the One Care be tested, because it is competing aggressively in US stores like CompUSA, and I suppose that a push will be made world wide when the new version goes GM. Potential users need to know if the product is comparable to other major AV programs before they invest their money in it. If One Care is sub-standard and "the emperor has no clothes," someone needs to say so. If it is standard or advanced, then I hope the testing will show it. Potential users need facts to guide their decisions, not just opinions. I hope Microsoft cooperates with the testing. In any case, the most detailed info about it is contained in the full report for support purposes that can be generated from the manage settings link in the program, including some details of the most recent AV definition update and the most recent full scan.

 

As Kaspersky pointed out in his article, the initial tests and there have been 2 of them, put the detection rates around 82%. And then there is the slow response time.

 

As of today, I am running Windows Live OneCare and Windows Defender for the ninety day trial period. I'll share my experience with OneCare and Windows Defender in a couple of weeks.

 

After you try out that version of WLOC, you might want to consider trying the beta version 1.5. It no longer requires the installation of Defender because the AV and AS is completely integrated into one scanner. This version has a trial period of 120 days. It is scheduled to be released to the public as GM version on Jan. 30th, when Vista is released, and it will work on Vista and on XP SP2.
http://ideas.live.com/programpage.aspx?versionid=b2456790-90e6-4d28-9219-5d7207d94d45

 

Thanks for the heads up OldRebel, I'll be checking that out.

 

Does the RTM Vista have the Windows Defender in it by default like the RC2? Interesting if it does and I wonder if OC disables it to avoid duplication?

 

"Microsoft Live WhoCares"... 'nuff said.

 

yes it does!