Dumped Windows Live OneCare

[johnrr6]

If there was ever a little program that showed promise---this was it....

Windows Live OneCare.

Exceptionally easy,
fire and forget
Low resource usage
good protection
Constant updates
Fairly decent and FREE support

And you could basically protect 6 computers for around $20 a year so the price was really right.

Not all the bloated AVstuff we are seeing lately from symantec, Mcaffee and others.

Well---I finally dumped it and went to the paid version of AVG.

Why???

Because all of a sudden it started using the CPU from 50% to 100%...

ALL THE TIME! Not just short bursts---not just when it was doing a scan----but all the time!

I could NEVER get it below 50% CPU usage.

Happened all of a sudden---for no reason.

Same thing happening all over the net----search MsMpEng.exe----that is the offending mini app....

spent 2 days on the phone with Microsoft trying to resolve it....

Several forums say Microsoft knows of the problem and just can't fix it----doesn't happen to everyone---but when it starts happening to you----you can't resolve the problem without reinstalling both Windows and Windows Live OneCare.

After getting more and more frustrated with the tech support people from Microsoft (when the girl finally said that 50% CPU usage was NORMAL and don't worry about the problem!)----well---I just gave up....

Uninstalled---ran the cleaner and now I am being protected by AVG AV with Firewall.....fairly easy and straightforward program that doesn't seem to be a resource hog at all.

My Core2Duo CPU is now running at a comfortable 0-2% max at idle vice the 50-90% at idle with OneCare!

Maybe they will fix this in the future---as I said----I liked OneCare----but for now...Stay Away!

[3 of 7]

I've seen Windows Defender do the same thing.... Too bad, it was a good program when it was Giant's..

[Rickwell]

oh it's probably just uploading all that pr0n on your pc to Billy.

That Tech that said 50% was normal.Should be slapped.I wonder if it's in a continuous update mode?

[JimTram]

IMHO - as soon as MS touches it, it get hosed. I dumped them both awhile back.

[Acid8000]

Originally Posted by 3 of 7

I've seen Windows Defender do the same thing.... Too bad, it was a good program when it was Giant's..

I still have this installed on my computer, but I've disabled the service except for when I'm updating then performing a scan (something I rarely do). I've never had spyware issues anyway.

[3 of 7]

Originally Posted by Acid8000

I still have this installed on my computer, but I've disabled the service except for when I'm updating then performing a scan (something I rarely do). I've never had spyware issues anyway.

I agree, If your running firefox with a decent host file and adblocker , a spyware scan will usually come up pretty empty..

[Acid8000]

Never bothered with a host file either, but I do use AVG Free. With firewalls, does anyone use the Windows one and find it adequate? I'm still using Sygate but I'm thinking that eventually when IPv6 is more common it will have to be replaced.

[k0NG0]

Originally Posted by Acid8000

Never bothered with a host file either, but I do use AVG Free. With firewalls, does anyone use the Windows one and find it adequate? I'm still using Sygate but I'm thinking that eventually when IPv6 is more common it will have to be replaced.

Good question. I installed AVG Free on my parents new laptop but left the Vista FW as the lone firewall. Been wondering if I should beef that up of if it's good enough for general use at WiFi hotspots and such things.

[johnrr6]

Originally Posted by kONGO

Good question. I installed AVG Free on my parents new laptop but left the Vista FW as the lone firewall. Been wondering if I should beef that up of if it's good enough for general use at WiFi hotspots and such things.

I want to know the same....

The Vista windows firewall is supposed to be 'better" than Xps was....

but is it "good enough"????

I like the AVG antiVirus program but am not real impressed with the AVG firewall.....----seems VERY "stupid" asking me constantly what to allow.

The Windows Live OneCare firewall was actually quite good----very intuitive and seemed to work well with Vista.....and it automatically overrode the Windows Vista Firewall...

Too bad that resource usage thing just can't be solved and their Tech support seemed clueless.....

Tech Support by phone seems to be getting worse and worse----for ALL products....

I'm getting to the point that I still call Tech Support folks----but in the first few minutes----if I sense the I know WAY more about an issue than they do----or they are just following a script----I ask to be elevated to a higher level tech---if they can't or won't---I make my excuses and hang up......

Why waste my time.....

Pitiful----perfect example is the woman telling me that 50% CPU usage was "normal" and "don't worry about it"....

All she wanted to do was get me off the phone because it was obvious she couldn't solve the issue ---was clueless---but she had to clear the call log and say the call "complete" and situation resolved.....

[FearFactory]

Originally Posted by johnrr6

I want to know the same....

The Vista windows firewall is supposed to be 'better" than Xps was....

but is it "good enough"????

I like the AVG antiVirus program but am not real impressed with the AVG firewall.....----seems VERY "stupid" asking me constantly what to allow.

The Windows Live OneCare firewall was actually quite good----very intuitive and seemed to work well with Vista.....and it automatically overrode the Windows Vista Firewall...

Too bad that resource usage thing just can't be solved and their Tech support seemed clueless.....

Tech Support by phone seems to be getting worse and worse----for ALL products....

I'm getting to the point that I still call Tech Support folks----but in the first few minutes----if I sense the I know WAY more about an issue than they do----or they are just following a script----I ask to be elevated to a higher level tech---if they can't or won't---I make my excuses and hang up......

Why waste my time.....

Pitiful----perfect example is the woman telling me that 50% CPU usage was "normal" and "don't worry about it"....

All she wanted to do was get me off the phone because it was obvious she couldn't solve the issue ---was clueless---but she had to clear the call log and say the call "complete" and situation resolved.....

You have ZoneAlarm Free for Vista, i bet it's better than the Vista firewall ZoneAlarm - Proactive Firewall protection with multiple layers of security that stop inbound, outbound, and program attacks

[johnrr6]

Originally Posted by FearFactory

You have ZoneAlarm Free for Vista, i bet it's better than the Vista firewall ZoneAlarm - Proactive Firewall protection with multiple layers of security that stop inbound, outbound, and program attacks

OK----here's a question that I know you guys will know.

Just how much protection is enough for the "average Joe"????

Let's assume I am behind a router with hardware firewall.

And let's also assume all I want is a "Basic protection level of:

AV with Mail capabilities
spyware/trojan
firewall

Do I really need a better firewall than Vista's when I'm also using a router???

Would AVG
Windows Defender built into Vista
And Windows Vista's Firewall

Be an OK---acceptable package for most people????