Downloading and installing Microsoft Security Essentials
Open Microsoft Security Essentials home page and click the big Download Now button:
Internet Explorer will display a File Download - Security Warning dialog. Click Run :
After download is complete, User Account Control will pop up before installing Microsoft Security Essentials. Click Yes to start setup:
Microsoft Security Essentials Installation Wizard starts, click Next:
License Agreement page opens, click I accept:
As Microsoft Security Essentials is for valid Microsoft Windows users only, the setup will validate your copy of Microsoft Windows. Click Validate:
After validation passes successfully, setup is ready to install Microsoft Security Essentials. Click Install:
The installation part takes a little while. After it is complete, leave the Scan my computer for potential threats after getting the latest updates box checked and click Finish. This will open Microsoft Security Essentials, start an update process and then run a quick scan (around 10 minutes long).
Configuring settings for Microsoft Security Essentials
Please wait until virus and spyware definitions are being updated after installing Microsoft Security Essentials.
After updating is complete, a quick scan will start. Please note that there will be a red bar stating "Computer status - At risk" until the scan has finished. This bar displays status of Microsoft Security Essentials, it can be red "At risk", "Potentially unprotected" or green "Protected".
There is no point in waiting until scanning process is complete, go ahead and click Settings tab above.
First, decide when and how often a scheduled scan will be performed. By default, there is a scan performed every Sunday, around 3:00 in the morning. If your computer is not usually turned on at that time, select a different day from When: box. Then specify a time when your computer is most probably turned on in Around: box.
Always leave Check for the latest virus & spyware definitions before running a scheduled scan box checked - this ensures that Microsoft Security Essentials will be up to date during the scheduled scan.
The Start the scheduled scan only when my computer is turned on but not in use box specifies whether you want to start the scheduled scan only when you're not using the computer (the computer is idle or doing nothing much). For maximum security, uncheck this box, but remember that this might slow down your computer a bit during the scanning process.
Set "Quick scan" for Scan type. This will check essential files and settings only and the scan will not take much time.
Click Advanced in the left part of the window. Check Scan removable drives box. This will scan your USB flash drives when doing a full scan. This is very important, as malicious software can spread via such media.
Click Save Changes.
User Account Control will again warn that Microsoft Security Essentials will make changes to the computer. As changes are necessary for saving settings, click Yes.
The settings are now saved. Please wait until quick scan is complete and then make sure the top bar turns green and says: "Computer status - Protected".
Now you can safely close Microsoft Security Essentials window by pressing Alt+F4 on your keyboard.
Microsoft Security Essentials will run in the background and monitor files and settings. The program will automatically update its virus and spyware definitions at least once a day.
If the bar does not turn green, you should perform a full scan.
You can always check the status of Microsoft Security Essentials by checking the color of its icon in Taskbar Notification Area:
Performing a full scan
A full scan should be performed once every month to ensure that there are no viruses and malware hiding somewhere deep in your computer.
Open Microsoft Security Essentials by clicking on its icon in Taskbar Notification Area. Then click Open.
Microsoft Security Essentials main window opens. Make sure Home tab is open. In the right part of the window click Full under Scan Options. Then click Scan now.
Wait until the scan is complete (this might take several hours). Well, you can do some work if you have a fast computer, or you can call your friends or do some exercise...