Microsoft Security Essentials Tryout - Crash Report

Yesterday, I received a tweet update telling me, there's a new Microsoft freeware that just came out from Beta stage. I was excited then. Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 is ready to be used.

It is the first free antivirus product with malware scanning that is from Microsoft.
The best information about Microsoft Security Essentials can be read from this wiki.

Its has only been 1+ days since I used MSE. There has been mixed feelings. First thing in mind is that "How does this MSE fare as compared to commercial AV products from Symantec, Mcafee and others? Is there a formal rating to back this product?"

Performance

1. Significant performance drop in zipped file extraction, viewing of folders with many compressed folders which can cost 100% cpu load for a short while.
2. Quick Scan and Full Scan can have adverse effects on the system. I will discuss this in a while.
3. Scheduled Scan when Computer Not in Use not effective
4. Realtime Protection behaves quite well most of the time, nearly negligible cpu load when there is no disk activity or application launching.

The Crash - The ingredients put in when it happened (I believed is isolated)

1. MSE Scheduled Full Scan was halted after 2hr 20mins, i believe it was still in the midst of scanning the cabs in the Windows Directory
2. Taskmgr refused to open during the execution of the scan
3. Paint.NET hung around 3 times (eventually ended via taskkill.exe) when trying to load the File->Acquire menu
4. Microsoft Excel 2003 hung around 6 times when trying to scroll the page using the mouse (eventually ended via taskkill.exe)
5. Firefox is in use for nearly 8 hrs of continously without closing the browser once. It was closed normally but refused to open again.
6. I have to say that this HP system is booted up while I was testing its quick launch buttons. Normally Quick Launch Buttons should not boot up a system. It may have some form of effects on the session.
   

The Crash - The consequences

1. The system is unable to be rebooted via Start Menu
2. System hung when trying to come out of Windows Security Dialog (Ctrl+Alt+Del)
3. The system HDD LED is still flashing periodically when it crashed.
4. The power button was finally pressed to force the shutdown.

Conclusion
I am not going to uninstall it just yet because of this isolated case. It does have a performance impact due to a doubled antivirus concurrent usage now.

This product has potential in the future of Windows to come. I believe all these can be ironed out to gain back the confidence in the Windows Community.

If this product is to be made a corporate essential instead of 3rd party antivirus softwares, the benefits it brings will be great. I hope Microsoft Security Essential will be able to score high in the commercial ratings if they test it.

Singtel Mobile Broadband via Sony Ericsson W910i

I have to put this forward: This post is created before I did a 4th web test on singtel mobile broadband on a mobile phone as a modem with facebook and blogger.
I just tested and found out that facebook loading has resumed normal but blogger is still the same. Attached 2 screenshots to demostrate what I was talking about. I think some setting must be missing in the wap profile. Otherwise it is the ISP's fault.

Top Tabs looks strange

Layout widget editor totally blowed out

A week ago, I sent a "complaint" feedback to the helpdesk regarding the erratic loading of facebook and blogger using their mobile broadband service. They called me around 5 days later to get more details on what equipments I used. A day after that, prior to my instructions, they sent me an email to explain everything.

10 September 2009

Dear Mr Loh

Thank you for your email.

I wish to inform you that since you are using Sony Ericsson to add as a modem, you may call Sony Ericsson for further assistance. Handphone access to the Internet is using different format as that to a PC or laptop. That is why when you use your handset device to access direct, you are able to view properly.At SingTel Mobile, we are committed to be of service to you. For further enquiries or feedback, do call our mobile hotline at 1626 or +65 67380123 from overseas (IDD is payable). You may also email us at http://welcome.singtel.com/customer_service/cust_serv_emailus.asp.

We look forward to serving you.

Thank you

Ok, I am not the picky type. I should have told them Opera Mini render pages via their proxy server before sending them to my phone via wap. Case Closed but I should update that even opera mini is not loading facebook well in terms of application icons too. Time to move on to the next agenda.

Histories of my handphones

Warning. Boring story ahead. My apologies.

At this point of time, I am still not a gadget person. The most advanced type of gadget I owned is only the very common mobile phones. My Core Principle is Practical. It means a number of things when applied to Gadgets. For instance, suitable for current/multiple situation(s) and value for money. I like to point out that, every gadget I owned will always get my special treatment at some point of its lifetime.

Revisions


Year 2009 - SE W910i (Actively In Use), Apr 26, $0
For this upgrade, my expectation was just HSPDA. I was quite hesitated because this model was like a rejected model by the telco. It was actively published for many months as 0-dollar phone. In the end, it was Sony Ericsson that draw me back to this phone.

There was some regrets on its unstableness. Common faults include the sometimes-frequent self restart, hang during voice calls and choppy mp3 playback. The unstability is thankfully not affecting its HSPDA feature too much. I also embraced the power of Mobile Broadband at this time. Being notified of emails, surfing the net and using it as a broadband modem, I advanced to the next level. Phone as modem is simply the best IT choice I ever made so far.

Year 2007 - SE K610i (Retired as Spare), Feb 10, $0
That year, I embarked on the craze for mp3 players. I bought one AAA-battery powered Creative Nano Plus 512MB and used it quite often. It is now a down-graded USB Thumbdrive and is still very useful. Anyway, this phone was a good catch at the time. With memory card support, 2MP Camera, 3G as it's core features, upgrading from my previous phone was like rising up to the heavens.

Not much problems with this phone other than once-in-a-blue-moon self restarts when I tried to play some button-punching-intensive java games. I have yet to take this phone apart though. It's still in such a good working condition, I can't bear to do it.

Year 2004 - Sony Ericsson (SE) T630 (Explored, Retired as Spare), Dec 28, $98
I bought my first SE phone with discounts by phone contract bond. Worth upgrades includes a slightly larger colour display, VGA camera, IR & bluetooth, with joystick control.

It has a history of salty soy sauce dunk which caused the gold plated data link to disappear. It is still working even now, except that battery charging has to be done with a external battery charger.

Its most famous history is that the VGA camera IC module can be taken out rather easily. It is able to cause a tiny stir whenever there are Army Inspections. Camera phones are prohibited items as we know it. Just a look at the faces of the Inspectors, you will be proud of this phone.

Year 2002 - Nokia 3310 (Explored, Ragged-and-Boned), Before April, $200+
It survived around 30 months of brutal knocks when I was in the army full-time service. The most memorable moment was that one of my army pal composed a song on it using the Nokia Midi Composer. He is a natural talent, no doubt about it.

Apart from broken exteriors (like cracked eggs), the SIM-Card Reader was faulty and its Battery was already bloated. I have dissected this model to attempt DIY fixes, managed to get the SIM-Card reading for couple of weeks before its totally gone.