Disable automatic updates for MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials)

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Greene420

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Sep 29, 2011
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Ok, so I am american, and therefor I have now been forced to be on a data cap plan (5GB, wow, nice and productive amount, eh? NOT)

I am looking to save data every little corner of the web I take, and I notice MSE has been automatically updating (even though the updates are turned off) the virus definitions BYPASS ANY SETTINGS, and update every 24 hours...... or when I log online (I do this a lot when I go AFK, I logoff for obvious reason)

So now I need to find the service/script/whatever and disable it so this does not bypass the settings it has, and updates anyways.....

I tried the registry trick on google, changing the MSE update hours from 24 hours to 999, not working!

I tried googling, I am a master of google, no go.

So now I rely on the [H].. do any of you hardcore dudes know how to disable this piece of crap? I am about to uninstall and use Malwarebytes or something else with reliability......

Thanks for your time :)
 
I too am seeking a sollution to set MSE to update when I want and not when it wants. It is turning out to be quite a challenge.

First I found I could delay the update frequency by diasableing the Windows update service. In Vista Go to Controll panel>Admin tools> services > Windows update. Disableing this will hault MSE from updating but also any other updates.

However MSE is quite clever it will after 4 days start forcing updates through an alternative update service. I think it is now where the registry twaeak can be used to set frequency. I am still testing this.. Seems to be working ok at mo...
 
Does MSE really use that much bandwidth, and is limiting the updates for your antivirus the best place to trim the fat from your downloads? You could disable images or adds on certain websites as an alternative.
 
Yes F8, you make a valid point. It is more the fact that limited data connections still exist, my ISP limits my data/month. MSE updates at least every 24hrs usually severall Mb per update. The fact that you cannot adjust the frequency of updating is reason enough for people to try and create work arounds. Of course this is not a problem if you have unlimited data and yes I totally agree an AV package needs to up-to-date to be totally effective but 24hrs max between updates, is there really need?
 
You may need to move to another AV. As far as I know, MSE will update itself no matter what settings you have in place. As pointed out in the Microsoft thread, there may be a task you need to delete.

I use Avast6, which allows you to set the system to prompt you to allow definition updates. Avast6 has other advantages over MSE but that's for another thread ;)
 
I too wanted to disable Auto Update due to data volume plan (1GB). I googled and found some registry changes and some I tried on my own, but none worked (may be I wasn't able to configure it properly) but then the following trick worked.
I created a firewall rule which blocks Microsoft Security Essential from any outbound connections thus, it wont be able to check definition updates (which I know is not recommended but some people like me would be interested) . Here is how I accomplished this (on my Windows 7 Service Pack 1)
* Open Windows Firewall and Advanced security [Control Panel->System and Security->Windows Firewall then chose Advanced Settings in Left pane]
* Click on Outbound Rules
*In the rightmost pane click on New Rule
Rule Type -> program
Next
Program ->Browse to the msseces.exe On my PC it was at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\msseces.exe
Next
Action -> Block the connection
Next
Profile -> Keep all three (Domain, Private and public) checked
Next
Name -> Give some name and description to identify this rule.
Finish.

Please share if this works for you too.
 
Last edited:
If the firewall rule works, that's great. When you want to update the definitions, you could drop the firewall, update, then turn the firewall back on.

I would also say to manually download the definitions, but unfortunately that would require downloading the entire package, which is 56MB. Letting the program update def's allows it to only download what has changed.
 
Top Tip ABeymanjja,

I run Vista, it is a bit different but seems to work well.


* Open Windows Firewall [Control Panel->Windows Firewall then chose change Settings
*In the rightmost pane click on New Rule
GOTO > EXCEPTIONS
Program ->Browse to the msseces.exe On my PC it was at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\msseces.exe
Next
UNTICK THE BOX
Job done.

Shall let you know how it goes....
 
I don't use MSE but I've done something somewhat similar to this in order to control my usenet application for an ISP whose data polices during the daylight hours are draconian to say the least.

I use Windows task scheduler with a couple of batch files with simple netsh rules to enable and disable that particular interface as shown below at particular times:

netsh interface set interface "Pigdog ISP Connection" enable

Netsh also allows you to add / delete or configure firewall rules - the one below seems most appropriate?

netsh advfirewall firewall set

From google this command is used to force an update of MSE

“C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Essentials\MpCmdRun.exe” -SignatureUpdate

So create a batch files, first line enables the firewall rule, second line sleeps for 10 seconds, 3rd line forces the update and then after a say 5 minute sleep the last line disables the rule again. Set that to run whenever you like (or on demand)

Should work :)
 
Oh No! the MSE updated again despite my firewall rule, Can u see where I went wrong. Am I right in blocking msseces.exe or there is another program which is responsible for update.
 
As pointed out by haileris, Today I have added one more rule to block C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\Antimalware\MpCmdRun.exe , Let's see if this works.
 
MSE uses BITS, so you can stop and disable the service when you don't want to use it. Then turn it on when you want it.
 
The Firewall rules works !
Although I myself do not need it anymore.. I have move to unlimited data plan (but limited speed 512 kpbs)..:)
 
abeymaanja said:
The Firewall rules works !
Although I myself do not need it anymore.. I have move to unlimited data plan (but limited speed 512 kpbs)..:)
Click to expand...

Hahahhahaha Abeymaanja. I enjoyed reading your posts and thanks for the info. It was like I was reading myself online. I have the same issue right now you had. 1gb of data download and I noticed my mse kept eating my mbs. Im such a cheap ass. I barely pay anything for this 1gb and dont want to use unlimitted since the differences is noticable. I only use it to browse around. i have too much stuff on my pc to download unlimited so i dont want it hogging my memory. Plus I hate when it slows down my pc and and takes away my download speed when im in the middle of something. so i thought about not going through the hollaps like you did but after thinking about how it slows down my pc. i did it anyway. I enjoyed reading your posts and had a trip laughing it up. I came here registrating. just for you. Thanks!
 
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