Install Microsoft Security Essentials In Windows Server 2008 to 2012 R2

Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) is free tool to help guard your Windows computer against viruses and other malware. In previous years, MSE is not in the list of top security guys for Windows, but now Microsoft is investing a lot on security problem and it is running to the top. So it is worth to have MSE on your Windows server to protect your server. MSE also rather doesn't take many resource vs. the other antivirus program, so it doesn't impact much on server performance.

But unfortunately it runs only on Windows desktop. It cannot run on Windows server by default. However, you can make it serves you by the following steps:

1. Go to this link: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/14210/security-essentials-download then choose right version for your server (32 bit or 64 bit) and download mseinstall.exe

2. Use Administrator user, right click on mseinstall.exe then choose Properties menu

3. Select Compatibility tab, then choose Run this program in compatibility mode for Windows 7. Then click OK.

4. Use command prompt, change folder to the folder containing mseinstall.exe then run below command:
mseinstall.exe /disableoslimit

5. Follow next steps and enjoy MSE installed on your Windows server.

You can download a test EICARs file on the link: https://www.eicar.org/86-0-Intended-use.html for checking if MSE is working.

Note for updating MSE:
When running Windows Update, you may see new update for MSE but the installation will be failed.
After Windows Update tried & failed, open the folder: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download\Install, then you may see UpdateInstall.exe file, let do step 3 & 4 above for this file, then you can install new update.

Good bye and good luck!
Any comment is welcome.