Windows OneCare Live is, well...live. ;)

[TripleRLtd]

http://www.windowsonecare.com/Default.aspx


It's in beta form and offers:

• Comprehensive, integrated, automatic computer health service
  
  • The Windows OneCare health meter gives you a clear, continuous indication of your computer's overall level of protection and performance. If Windows OneCare detects anything that you can do to improve the health of your computer, the service will automatically show you what action to take and give you a one-click solution.
  • Antivirus and Firewall help protect your computer from viruses, worms, Trojan horses, hackers, and other threats.
  • With a click of the mouse, you can directly scan individual files and folders for viruses. You can even check attachments that you receive through MSN Messenger for viruses or worms.
  Trustworthy, reliable Backup and Restore
  
  • Windows OneCare Backup allows you to copy your important files and settings to CDs, DVDs, or to an external hard disk. Regular backups can help you protect your important data from loss due to accidental deletion, viruses, or hardware or software failure.
  • If you use an external hard disk, you can configure Windows OneCare to perform an automatic backup of your important data as part of your regular Tune-up.
  Automated Tune-up for increased performance
  
  • Tune-up takes care of routine maintenance and helps improve your computer's performance. This automated service performs the following functions:
    
    • Automatically scans your computer for viruses.
    • Defragments your hard disk to help improve computer efficiency.
    • Removes unnecessary files from your computer to increase available hard disk space.
    • Helps make sure that important security updates from Microsoft are installed efficiently and on time.
    • Checks for changes to your important files as well as new files, then sends you a reminder when it's time to run Backup.
    • Automatically backs up your files for you if you use an external hard disk.
  Continual updates provide you with the latest technology
  
  
  • Windows OneCare updates itself automatically to counteract new viruses and other threats, and also works with Microsoft Update to help ensure that your computer is up-to-date with the latest critical security updates from Microsoft.
  • Windows OneCare continually updates its firewall policy to keep ahead of hackers and make sure that your legitimate programs have the Internet access they need.
  • Windows OneCare provides continuous feature updates to subscribers, providing you with the latest technologies to help protect you from emerging threats. If you're worried about a new virus or other threat, you can check for updates yourself with a single click.

So,does anyone plan on trying it? Tryed it yet?
What is the MS plan for this: future "paid" program?
What AV and FW are included?


I'll probably try it this week, and will post what I think about it, too.

[BOB IROC]

I inquired about this when I was looking for an antivirus program for Windows XP 64. They basically told me that it will eventually become a subscription program to get the virus Dats. Oh and it is not currently 64bit compatible unless they changed something in the last few weeks. I was thinking of trying it out myself.

[confus-ed]

Well until they try & charge for this I guess I'm in favour !

Downloading as I type ..

[emr]

Looks like it replaces Security Centre? Is this not one of the touted features of Vista that I've read about?

Does it actually add an MS AV or just monitor your third-party one?

Questions, questions.

emr

[BOB IROC]

From what I gather this is all supposed to be part of what Microsoft is calling "Windows Defender" which is supposed to be part of Vista and a later upgrade to XP. I think some of the features are going to be free, but others will be paid for. I think if MS offered FREE antivirus companies like Symantec and McAffee would be really ticked off.

[emr]

From what I gather this is all supposed to be part of what Microsoft is calling "Windows Defender" which is supposed to be part of Vista and a later upgrade to XP. I think some of the features are going to be free, but others will be paid for. I think if MS offered FREE antivirus companies like Symantec and McAffee would be really ticked off.

Windows Defender rings a bell. Vista replacement for MS AntiSpyware?

emr

[TripleRLtd]

Well, this one seems all-inclusive, and knowing the history of MS, I would think they'd end up charging for it, and try to monopolize the "security" segment, as well. Even though, in my opinion, the creater of such a sieve of an OS and browser should, at the least, provide protection as well....but, that's just my opinioin.
Anyway, I'm curious about the components themselves. So, I, as with Ed, have just d/l'ed it and will give it a shot, and let you know what I find.

[confus-ed]

From what I gather this is all supposed to be part of what Microsoft is calling "Windows Defender" which is supposed to be part of Vista and a later upgrade to XP. I think some of the features are going to be free, but others will be paid for..

.. yup this will be a vista feature, or something like it will be, a number of vista features will get released as 'value add-ons' for xp first, through this notion they have of 'back porting apps'; so we get to be free beta testers again ..

Anyways I downloaded this, to look at the one step backup bit, & hey presto, several bsod's, so this is a bit too beta for me just yet !

So I've uninstalled this, but it does come with anti-virus built in (it knew & recognised my exisiting product) & a two way firewall, but that wasn't very clever at all, & my exisisting firewall, consistently managed to fire first (so there's a weakness straight off - firewall should always load & fire first), & the installer didn't either warn me very well about removing existing products or at all..

Ed's conclusion: Needs work ! & definately needs fixing up to be more configurable on installation, to allow for existing subscriptions to be taken into account.

btw I don't think they should be able to charge for this stuff ever (not that my opinion is gonna have bearing on the matter!), xp got sold as a NOS (network operating system) & all this pack is doing is adding back features found in a real NOS, as opposed to what xp really is & that's a standalone o/s (but I can see that when we do get 7 flavours of vista, that this feature will be one of the distinguishing lines between grades of product)

[emr]

.. yup this will be a vista feature, or something like it will be, a number of vista features will get released as 'value add-ons' for xp first, through this notion they have of 'back porting apps'; so we get to be free beta testers again ..

Anyways I downloaded this, to look at the one step backup bit, & hey presto, several bsod's, so this is a bit too beta for me just yet !

So I've uninstalled this, but it does come with anti-virus built in (it knew & recognised my exisiting product) & a two way firewall, but that wasn't very clever at all, & my exisisting firewall, consistently managed to fire first (so there's a weakness straight off - firewall should always load & fire first), & the installer didn't either warn me very well about removing existing products or at all..

Ed's conclusion: Needs work ! & definately needs fixing up to be more configurable on installation, to allow for existing subscriptions to be taken into account.

btw I don't think they should be able to charge for this stuff ever (not that my opinion is gonna have bearing on the matter!), xp got sold as a NOS (network operating system) & all this pack is doing is adding back features found in a real NOS, as opposed to what xp really is & that's a standalone o/s (but I can see that when we do get 7 flavours of vista, that this feature will be one of the distinguishing lines between grades of product)

I would agree with you Ed. Nice but needs work. I'm still not convinced that it is going to be any more useful than present tools that we system administrators are already using.

It has a bit too much basic end-user simplistic feel to it for me at the moment.

emr

[BOB IROC]

It has a bit too much basic end-user simplistic feel to it for me at the moment.

Unfortunately I am sure that is what they were going for. The average consumer doesn't keep up on their AV program. Usually they let the subscription run out from when they buy the computer and never upgrade it. I fixed 7 computers in the last two weeks that were all due to infection. Most of them had their AV programs expire years ago. I know 7 doesn't sound like a lot, but that is to me as those jobs I do on the side.

So, if MS has to make this program obvious to the joe schmoe user then that is what they will do. Because you know its microsoft's fault that people get viruses, not the end user or the writers of the viruses. Heaven forbid if people had to maintain their PC like they maintain their car.

[TripleRLtd]

Absolutely right that is what they were going for: users who don't know anything and want something to just do the job for them.

btw: my take is I really don't like it. Last night it took over four hours to do a virus scan (overnight). Some that it thinks it found, when you click the link to "learn more", the web site has no info whatseover.
The "tune up" cleaned up a little and the defrag went pretty quickly. Obviously my pc is pretty much tuned to begin with, so, it didn't have much to do other than clean the temp folder.
Backup I didn't use. The firewall is pretty much a no brainer, as it approves apps for the web automatically, though the one it didn't recognize and asked for approval after first blocking it was a System Suite internet update access program.
It turns out that the AV is in fact the RAV AV that they aquired, and it seems that spyware is not included as of yet...so, MSAS needs to still be run. The f/w must be their own improvement upon the sp2 f/w with ingoing and outgoing protection now available, but I've yet to determine or investigate whether or not it is their own f/w.
I use System Suite f/w (sygate) and av (trendmicro) and it detected neither upon installation, so, OneCareLive failed to start upon reboot. After disabling both and rebooting it loaded with no problem.
Anyway, I simply don't trust it, and like to have total control over my f/w and av solutions. That being said, I would recommend it to people who have no idea whatsoever that system protection is needed. It has hardly any learning curve so to speak.
Now...let's see if removal/uninstall goes w/o a hitch, as I've read elsewhere that it is problematic in that regard.


btw: this went live on Dec 1st in the US. Where was our "news" guy on this one? Eh, TechZ?

[TripleRLtd]

Removal went without a hitch for me. That is real good news.

[confus-ed]

..The f/w must be their own improvement upon the sp2 f/w with ingoing and outgoing protection now available, but I've yet to determine or investigate whether or not it is their own f/w...

I believe that it's their own re-written interface wise, plus they've just added a process monitor to do whitelisting, which for 90%+ of folks will be just fine, M$'s primary concern seems to be to stop folks turning it off !!!(so make it compulsory then you idiots in the home versions) & There's much discussion about that here in the developers blog... but I think they still aren't understanding the issues for home users-they list 4 reasons why home users turn off firewalls, but all those come down to 'didn't understand the importance' which about sums up all users & quite a lot of fixers too