Gizzmo's Blog!

Since I am using Microsoft Security Essentials for my computer, I have been searching a way to update the virus definitions more frequently. To make this happen, I have found a way to get this done by using a Windows Automated Task. I created a bat file for it to easily import this task. This task hourly launches a command prompt to update the virus definitions.

These are the steps to take to manually create the update task:

1. Create a new folder under C:\ > Give it the name “Tasks”
2. Open Notepad: ctrl+r > type “Notepad” > Enter
3. Copy and paste the following visual basic script code into notepad:
   Function RunWindowedCMD(a_cmd)
   winState = 7   ' Displays the window as a minimized window. The active window remains active.
   ' can be also 10 - Sets the show-state based on the state of the program that started the application.
   Set ShellObj = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
   RunWindowedCMD = ShellObj.Run( a_cmd, winState, True)
   '    Wscript.echo "CMD return " & RunWindowedCMD
   Set ShellObj = Nothing
   End Function
   RunWindowedCMD("C:\Tasks\MSSecurityEssentialsUpdate.bat")
4. Save this file as “MSE_start.vbs” > put this saved file under the folder C:\Tasks\
5. Open Notepad: ctrl+r > type “Notepad” > Enter
6. Copy and paste the following code into notepad:
   "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Essentials\MpCmdRun.exe" -signatureUpdate
   "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\Antimalware\MpCmdRun.exe" -signatureUpdate
   
7. Save this file as “MSSecurityEssentialsUpdate.bat” > put this saved file under the folder C:\Tasks\
8. Now you can create the task for hourly virus definition update, this can be done as follows:
   CTRL + R > copy and paste the following code into the text box:
   schtasks /Create /TN "MSE_Update" /TR "C:\Tasks\MSE_start.vbs" /SC hourly

You can also use the automated scheduled task install bat. Just download this zip file, extract it all and run the file INSTALL_MSSE_TASK.bat.

The code at step 6 is because there are two different versions of MSSE. The first code will run with Microsoft Security Essentials 1. The second code will run if you have installed Microsoft Security Essentials Beta 2.

Have fun with it!

Dada <(^_^)>