After the evaluation period, you must enter a product key to activate the server or extend the evaluation period. You can use your newly installed server for a limited amount of time (known as the evaluation period) without entering a product key. The built-in Administrator account password is set to the same password as the new administrator account, and then the built-in Administrator account is disabled. No matter how careful you are online, it’s unlikely that you can avoid every single misleading link, phishing scheme, malicious popup and hidden malvertisement that comes your way, and an AV suite is much cheaper than losing all your files.After the installation finishes, you are automatically logged on to the server with the new administrator account that you added during installation. Whichever program you choose, just be sure you protect your system somehow. However, MSE, which can be downloaded for Windows 7 and Windows Vista here (opens in new tab), did better than each in the malware-protection sector.

Every program scored at least a 10 across the board, which earns it an AV-TEST Certification and (at least tentative) recommendation.

In fact, even if you have the three lowest-ranking programs, you're probably still protected pretty well.

If you have any of these programs, you probably don't need to worry much about your system's security. Credit: Microsoft)Īside from Microsoft, all the other programs tested fell between 16.5 and 14.5: AhnLab V3 Internet Security, Avast Free Antivirus, AVG Internet Security, Avira Antivirus Pro, BullGuard Internet Security, ESET Internet Security, G Data InternetSecurity, K7 Computing Total Security and ThreatTrack VIPRE Internet Security Pro. (Image credit: The home screen of Microsoft Security Essentials.

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