All-in-one protection and maintenance
In one convenient package, Windows Live OneCare helps protect your computer, uses its optimization features to keep your PC running at its speediest, and even regularly backs up your important files:
- Protection Plus uses antivirus and antispyware scanners, a managed two-way firewall, and integrated anti-phishing technology to protect your computer from viruses, worms, Trojan horses, hackers, phishing, and other threats. It runs continuously, but you can scan individual files and folders for viruses on demand simply by right-clicking them. You can even scan attachments you receive via Windows Live Messenger or MSN Messenger.
- Performance Plus regularly defragments your hard disk, removes any unnecessary files that may clog your computer, and helps ensure important security updates from Microsoft are installed efficiently and on time.
- Backup and Restore regularly copies your important files and settings to CD, DVD, external hard disk, network drive, or other data-storage device.
- Instant Help provides online help anytime you need it, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Easy to use
Windows Live OneCare is always on, and constantly communicates the status of your PC's health in the notification area of your Windows taskbar:
| A green icon means your status is Good. Protection Plus features like antivirus, antispyware, and anti-phishing are up to date, and your computer is not due for a tune-up or backup. Windows Live OneCare is running in the background, monitoring your system to prevent threats from viruses and spyware. |
| A yellow icon means your status is Fair. Usually this means you have an action to take, such as scheduling or running a tune-up or backup or downloading a noncritical update. A yellow icon means there is no immediate threat to your system, but you should take care of the action as soon as you can to return your system to green. |
| A red icon means your computer is At Risk. This can happen if, for example, Windows Live OneCare is unable to update Antivirus with the latest virus definitions because of a lost Internet connection, or if the Windows Live OneCare Firewall is turned off. |
Always on and automated
Continuously working against threats, Windows Live OneCare is always on, and works with Microsoft Update to help ensure your computer is up to date with the latest critical security releases from Microsoft. You can also use OneCare to simplify home network tasks such as printer sharing, and centralized backup, on up to three computers. Keep your PC safe, secure, and 'green' with Windows Live OneCare.
Evolves to meet your needs
Windows Live OneCare provides automatic updates and service enhancements to subscribers the moment they're released. All PCs (up to three) within the OneCare circle of protection are kept current under the same subscription, giving you the latest technologies to protect your home network against emerging threats, and no worries about different antivirus software versions.
What's new?
With this new version of Windows Live OneCare, our aim was to help consumers better manage their home environment. Our research has shown that most homes now have approximately 2.5 computers. This means that in addition to securing and maintaining multiple PCs, consumers now need to do the extra work associated with connecting devices and securing networks. To ease this burden, features such as multi-PC and home network management as well as printer sharing have been added to OneCare to help address the needs of the modern home environment.
This new version also establishes a foundation to better fill the needs of small businesses. Many small businesses need to protect and maintain a number of PCs, but may not have the resources for extensive onsite IT support. To help solve this problem, centralized backup has been added to OneCare so local backup on a small business network is a simple step instead of a time consuming hassle.
Here's a quick overview of the new features added to OneCare version 2.0 to help keep users' PCs and networks safe, reliable, and performing well:
- Multi-PC and home network management: Helps ease management of multiple-PC environments by providing a single navigation bar for monitoring the security and maintenance of networked computers. Also enables one-click actions to resolve issues among computers within a home PC network.
- Printer sharing support: Makes it easy to connect printers to local networks so all users in the vicinity can use the same printer.
- Start time optimizer: Speeds PC boot time by removing rarely used applications from start-up menu. This helps to address one of the main areas of frustration for PC users as time goes on.
- Proactive fixes and recommendations: Windows Live OneCare constantly monitors the specific configuration of the user's system and makes proactive fixes and recommendations to improve the computing experience.
- WiFi security: Keep your home or small business wireless network safe with the new OneCare WiFi security feature.
- Centralized backup: Enables users to centrally configure and monitor backups for all PCs covered under the same OneCare subscription, with the data from all PCs backed up to a central location.
- Online photo backup: Keeps precious photos safe from theft or accidental loss by backing them up to a secure, offsite location in Windows Live (available to OneCare subscribers at an extra cost in the final v2.0 release).
