Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) Scheduled Scan Tips for Sleeping-Hibernated Computers

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I kept noticing my wife’s laptop was not doing it’s scheduled scan at 2am on Sunday. I did a little more research and found that by default MSE does not attempt to wake a sleeping PC/laptop to do the scheduled scan.

To fix this you need to go into the control panel and open up the Task Scheduler. Then select “Advanced” from the pull down menu and then select “View Hidden Tasks”.

From there you should see a task named “MP Scheduled Scan”. If you select the properties you’ll see a settings tab. In the settings tab you’ll see a power management box. You should check:
“wake the computer to run the task”
and
“stop this task if battery mode begins”

This works for Windows XP. In my opinion it’s an oversight.

As far as Windows 7 and Vista. I know my main PC does not seem to wake at 2am on Sunday to scan the PC. I can not find the task, hidden or otherwise shown, for MSE. This could also be an oversight on Microsoft’s part.

So in the case of Windows & and Vista, you might have to manually add a scheduled task by using the MpCmdRun.exe command and setting it to wake the PC.

“MpCmdRun.exe -Scan” is the correct syntax.

Update: I did a bit more digging in Windows 7/Vista and found the hidden task for MSE!

It can be found by launching “taskschd.msc” from the start menu. You then expand “Task Scheduler Library” to find “Microsoft”. From there you will see “Microsoft Antimalware” and then “MP Scheduled Scan”.

Under the properties select the “Conditions” tab. Under the “Power” section check:

“Stop if the computer switches to battery power.”
and
“Wake the computer to run this task”

For the life of me, I do not know why these options are not default”

Lots of good info here:
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/command-line-utility-for-microsoft-security-essentials

How to export passwords from Password Corral into KeePass

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These instructions assume you generally know what you are doing and are somewhat familiar with Password Corral and KeePass.

1) Export all passwords in Password Corral using the F3 key, or “File” -> “Export Passwords…”
2) Make certain you use “Create a plain text export of all password data” option when exporting your passwords.

Download the script package “Convert To KeePass 1.x CSV”: http://keepass.info/extensions/base/convert_to_csv/ConvertTo1xCSV-05.zip
located here http://keepass.info/plugins.html

3) Run “ConvertPWC.vbs” from the ConvertTo1xCSV-05.zip file.

USE ONLY KEEPASS-1.17, also known as the Classic Edition.
http://keepass.info/download.html

4) Launch KeePass-1.17 (attn: you may have to create a database first if this is the first time you are using KeePass) and use the “File” -> “Import From” ->

“CSV File” and select the output file from the “ConvertPWC” script. The file will be called xxxxx.kp.csv

And that’s it! You’re done. From here you can export or import that database from 1.17 into later version of KeePass such as 2.10, also know as the Professional Edition.

I found good info here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1060602

WPA or Winzip, 7-zip Encryption Key Generators

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Both Winzip’s and 7-Zip’s AES-256 encryption can use passwords up to 100 characters. I believe ever though the 100 characters well exceed the 256-bit length, a 256-bit hash is generated from those characters.

Although the below generators only generate lengths up to 63 ASCII/64 HEX characters, one can combine one or more keys generated from one or more sites to create a 100 character password for Winzip or 7-Zip.

This one is my favorite and it’s seems to have some good information in it too. It’s also hosted via SSL:
https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm

Here are some others I use:
http://darkvoice.dyndns.org/wlankeygen/
http://www.yellowpipe.com/yis/tools/WPA_key/generator.php
http://www.andrewscompanies.com/tools/wep.asp

All the sites listed above work great for wireless WPA/WPA2 keys.

At some point I’d like to put together a similar site or page that does up to any length key. Having said that, you can use password managers such a KeePass that have random password generators that allow up to any password length.