# Microsoft has new (free) downloadable Anti-Malware tool for Windows XP

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-has-new-free-downloadable-anti-malware-tool-for-windows-xp/343987>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [February 11, 2006, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-has-new-free-downloadable-anti-malware-tool-for-windows-xp/343987 "2006-02-11T13:31:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-has-new-free-downloadable-anti-malware-tool-for-windows-xp/343987/1 "2006-02-11T13:31:21Z")

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Thought this might be of interest to some.

01.10.2006

[The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool helps remove specific, prevalent malicious software from computers that are running Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, or Windows 2000](http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=890830)

> [@](#):
>
> SUMMARY  
> Microsoft has released the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool to help remove specific, prevalent malicious software from computers that are running Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows XP, or Microsoft Windows 2000. The Malicious Software Removal Tool supersedes all virus-cleaner tools that were previously released by Microsoft. You can download the Malicious Software Removal Tool from the Microsoft Download Center. You can also run an online version of the tool from the Malicious Software Removal Tool Web site on [Microsoft.com](http://Microsoft.com). To run the Malicious Software Removal Tool from either location, you must log on to the computer by using an account that is a member of the Administrators group. If you are running Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, or Windows 2000, you can also run the Malicious Software Removal Tool from the Microsoft Update Web site or by using the Microsoft Update Automatic Updates functionality. If you have chosen not to use Microsoft Update, and you are running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1), you may run the Malicious Software Removal Tool from the Windows Update Web site or by using the Windows Update Automatic Updates functionality

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**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-has-new-free-downloadable-anti-malware-tool-for-windows-xp/343987/2 "2006-02-11T14:27:28Z")

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That’s actually not particularly new news - MS has had that in Windows Update every month for quite some time.