Security Question I have this Morning

Hi All

This is related mostly to older little Intel Atom System running Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit, it's a little sluggish with newest Avast on that model, Trying Defender on my main gaming system, so far it isn't affecting performance that much and might actually stick with it for once lol. Anyhow does Microsoft Security Essentials offer about same protection on Windows 7?

Memory is maxed out in that system, hard drive bolted to motherboard, system is Acer Aspire Revo R1600

General websurfing on that system, email writing, sometimes music listening, nothing too demanding ever done

Yeah I might continue using Avast, that little machine is a bit slow though, so not sure if I can keep that one on Avast lol, but It might run it ok still, will have to see.

This Desktop is 8 Core AMD FX 8310 3.4ghz (no issues running Avast if I should choose to)
Upstairs Machine Intel Atom processor, forget which model lol, I know 1.6ghz

Check to see if there is improved performance in clean boot:

How to perform a Clean Boot in Windows 10 - TechNet Articles - United States (English) - TechNet Wiki

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...oot-in-windows

Yes Clean boot performance much better on that Windows 7 Home Premium Little Intel Atom system, Peformance very well on 8 Core Desktop which is my main used PC

With clean boot improving performance you can leave it in clean boot or you can further troubleshoot to identify the problematic application(s).

To continue troubleshooting use msconfig and view the number of unchecked non-Microsoft applications.
If there are 32 unchecked boxes now check 1/2 of them and reboot.
Check the performance.
Return to the system configuration and un-check the boxes that were just checked and check the other 1/2.
Check the performance.
In most cases there should now be a difference in performance between the two groups.
Now you know that the application/service that is impacting performance is the identified group.
For the group of 16 that has impacted performance or 1/2 of the 32 for example now un-uncheck 1/2 of them and reboot.
Compare the 8 checked and 8 unchecked.
Keep reducing the number until you get to the problematic application/service.
Once you have the problematic application/service you have these choices:
1) always leave it unchecked
2) uninstall the application
3) uninstall and reinstall the application

Many people use their computer in selective startup to have the fastest boots and the best performance:

Windows 10 Performance and Install Integrity Checklist - Microsoft Community

Yes will look into that, system performance is excellent in fact on Windows 10 Desktop machine--nice and fast, as for second system(Windows 7 Home Premium--Acer Revo R1600) won't ever be as fast , think mainly just ram on it, only has 2gb lol

Ran sfc /scannow on this Desktop
removed some startup items
removed some other programs
cleaned temp folders

so think all good now on the Desktop system

still have to work more on the secondary system, but might save that til tomorrow lol