# AVG Vs Microsoft Security Essentials **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 20, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avg-vs-microsoft-security-essentials/568355 "2011-01-20T18:03:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avg-vs-microsoft-security-essentials/568355/1 "2011-01-20T18:03:38Z")
My 2 year contract with AVG runs out in February, and I read here that MSE is just as good (if not better) a service and it’s free, so I went ahead and downloaded it just now. Question: Is it gonna hurt anything to leave both of them running, or should I go ahead and d/c AVG now. Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avg-vs-microsoft-security-essentials/568355/2 "2011-01-20T18:21:49Z")
You definitely don’t want both running, they end up trying to scan each other’s activities. Disable or uninstall AVG if you want to try MSE for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avg-vs-microsoft-security-essentials/568355/3 "2011-01-20T18:22:55Z")
I used to use AVG free version and it was excellent. I tried to update to the latest version of AVG free and when I did, it kept turning off my Windows Security Center. AVG says this is impossible but as soon as I uninstall the latest AVG Free, Windows Security Center comes right back on. So either they’re lying or it’s just me 🙂 For that reason I switched to MSE and I love it. You don’t have to update it manually like AVG Free. And MSE caught one thing AVG missed. I also use MSE on my netbook as the RAM is only 1gb (which is fine for what I use the netbook for) and MSE works great with that. In addition to MSE, I would also use [Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware](http://www.snapfiles.com/get/malwarebytes.html) and if you want [Spybot](http://www.snapfiles.com/get/spybot.html). I found those three work well and will catch anythign the other misses. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avg-vs-microsoft-security-essentials/568355/4 "2011-01-20T21:42:17Z")
I have AVG 9.0. It has a section called “enable gaming mode…”, but as I play WoW, I’m kinda reluctant to uncheck it, so I’m just going to uninstall. Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avg-vs-microsoft-security-essentials/568355/5 "2011-01-20T21:58:19Z")
I had AVG Pro but now use MSE. Quite satisfied with MSE. I did have some problems with AVG, such as false positives. In conjunction with MSE, I use Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D, Malwarebytes Antimalware, Spyware Blaster, and SuperAntispyware. You may say that I’m paranoid, but you cannot be too careful in this day and age. Ad-Aware picks up tracking cookies that the others don’t, not that that’s terribly important - but I’m paranoid. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avg-vs-microsoft-security-essentials/568355/6 "2011-01-20T22:35:14Z")
Well, I did download Malwarebytes and it did find 22 infected objects, so thank you both for the advice. One question: I couldn’t find a setting to schedule Mwb to run automatically, so it does have to be initiated manually, right? Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![Ionizer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5daacb/32.png) [@Ionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ionizer)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avg-vs-microsoft-security-essentials/568355/7 "2011-01-20T23:01:17Z")
I think you need the paid-for MWB to do scheduled stuff, if that is what you mean. From the [website](http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php): “Activating the full version unlocks realtime protection, scheduled scanning, and scheduled updating” I also left AVG and went with MSSE and MWB. No problems with them at all. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avg-vs-microsoft-security-essentials/568355/8 "2011-01-20T23:04:43Z")
Thanks, **ionizer**! BTW, spybot S&D found 9 additional infections. I wanted also to add that I have windows defender, but apparently AVG and wd don’t like each other because it hasn’t been able to scan since 2.22.10. You guys just saved me some bucks and a lot of future trouble.🙂 Thanks you! Quasi ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avg-vs-microsoft-security-essentials/568355/9 "2011-01-21T05:18:43Z")
Small hijack: 1. FINALLY got the dust out of my CPU and off the fans! That panel just needed a little more oomph. 2. What’s the best LCD screen cleaner? Thanks Q