Doubt about Windows OneCare

[DreamSkape]

Hi,

I have been using Windows OneCare for the past few weeks. Sometimes, soon after booting, there is the RED Windows Security Center warning saying OneCare is turned off. This rectifies automatically after a few minutes. But I have the habit of clicking on my OE as soon as I get the desktop. Under such warning cases, isn't is dangerous to open any application that accesses the internet?

Also, the OneCare Icon is the last one to appear in the taskbar after booting. While writing on spyware, though I found excellent reviews about OneCare but I doubt it due to the above reasons. I was to upgrade as the firewall is very good. But the above mentioned behavior is confusing.

Please let me know if it is safe if the OnCare taskbar icon appears several moments later after I click on the OE icon. Also, why does it often say that OneCare is turned off and then restores automaticallly in few minutes. There is no relevant material on the MS knowledgebase.

Thanking you,

--

Regards,

DreamSkape

Signed: Friday, May 15, 2009, 1:57:17 PM IST

[Tripredacus]

It would appear that for some reason on your computer, OneCare is the last thing to complete loading itself and advertising itself to the system. It may not even be the last thing that is supposed to load, but ends up being that way. The warning you get is because the portion of XP that the Security Center is built on has completed loading before OneCare has. It does not have any "understanding" of things so it acts very simply. Security Center knows that OneCare is installed and checks to see if it is running. It is not running (completely) yet so it shows you the message. It will keep checking once every x seconds, and shortly, OneCare has finished loading and Security Center sees this and the warning goes away.

This may not be something often talked about because everyone's computer is different. It could load up totally different on another person's computer than yours. As long as it is working and you do not get any real errors, you should be fine. However, it is not possible for me to know whether or not your system is vulnerable for those first few minutes before OneCare loads. The engine components may be active and protecting your system, but OneCare not registered to the system. It could be at any stage during that time. Think of a similar thing when you could have a broken Zone Alarm, uninstall it or close it and it would still be protecting the system. So unless you try to debug OneCare you won't know exactly.

[DreamSkape]

Hi,

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I guess you are right that it loads in portions and hence the message. If that is the case, then there should not be any problems in continuing with it. I have sent a mail to the support center too, so that I can confirm if there is any problem at all.

I will get back to you with the reply they send in. Meanwhile, going by your explanation, I think it is safe.

The only thing is that I will not start any application until the icon appears.

Thanks again

--

Regards,

DreamSkape

Signed: Monday, May 18, 2009, 7:46:46 PM IST

[JustinStacey.x]

I wouldn't worry too much about this; it's never been any secret that OneCare is a substandard product, and Microsoft are soon going to be chucking it anyway in favour of a 'new' antivirus product they plan to roll out.

In mid 2009 they plan to replace it with 'Morro'.

[DreamSkape]

@ Tripredacus

You were correct in saying that "The warning you get is because the portion of XP that the Security Center is built on has completed loading before OneCare has."

This is what the OneCare Support has to say:

This is a normal behavior since the Operating System cannot start all the services and drivers at the same time. If the Windows Security Center service starts before OneCare, we may receive this warning message. I suggest we configure the dependency service to workaround this issue:

Configure OneCare services as dependency service of WSC service:

=================================

1. Click Start, click Run, type “regedit” (without quotations), click OK.

2. Expand HKEY_Local_Machine, expand System, expand CurrentControlSet, expand Services, highlight "wscsvc"

3. Locate the right panel, look for DependOnService, double click it and add the following services below the other two services:

msfwsvc

OneCareMP

OcHealthMon

winss

Please restart the computer and check the result.

I did that and am not getting that red Icon. So I guess it is all set now.

Thanks again for the explanation.

--

Regards,

DreamSkape

Signed: Tuesday, May 19, 2009, 4:28:44 PM IST

[Tripredacus]

Well that's an interesting little trick that I didn't know about. What I normally do is "change the way security center alerts me" by unchecking the anti-virus and windows updates boxes.

[DreamSkape]

I wouldn't worry too much about this; it's never been any secret that OneCare is a substandard product, and Microsoft are soon going to be chucking it anyway in favour of a 'new' antivirus product they plan to roll out.

In mid 2009 they plan to replace it with 'Morro'.

Hi,

I asked MS about this. This is what they replied:

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Microsoft will begin offering a new security application called Morro in the second half of 2009. Please be assured that you will still be able to renew your OneCare service for an additional 12 months if your subscription expires before September 2009. After the renewal, you will continue to receive the same benefits, protection and support for the remainder of your OneCare subscription until the new subscription expires. Thank you for your understanding

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Though I like the OneCare, do you think that it would be wise to renew the subscription or should i wait for the new one. My trial is only upto June last. If I opt to wait, I will have to go for COMODO, as it is the second best firewall in my knowledge (for low resource computers; I have only 512 RAM). I have McAfee but it slows down my laptop.

Do you have any suggestion for a better product that I can use till they release the Morro and I test it for the security. I am concerned as most of my transactions are all done online.

Thanking you,

--

Regards,

DreamSkape

Signed: Thursday, May 21, 2009, 1:10:37 PM IST