Why is anti-virus tool not bundled?

Q: I read your article regarding the need for anti-virus in Windows 7. Any thoughts on why Microsoft didn't make its free anti-virus tool part of Windows 7?

— James Shaw

A: Microsoft does indeed offer a set of free security tools — including anti-virus software — that can be used with Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7. The suite is called Microsoft Security Essentials and it can be downloaded at: www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/.

I'm still waiting for a reply from Microsoft on why it doesn't simply bundle it into Windows, but I can hazard a guess. In a word: antitrust.

Microsoft has spent a lot of money defending itself from legal actions revolving around its bundling and integration of its Web browser — Internet Explorer — with Windows. I would imagine the same thing would happen if it integrated anti-virus and other security programs directly into Windows.

Would doing so be a convenience for consumers? Yes. Would doing so also stifle competition and perhaps be a damper on innovation? Probably so.

Q: What kind of document is a MHTML document and how do I open it?

— Mitsuo Nakanishi

A: MHTML refers to Mime HTML. It is a Web-page archive format that can be used to save not only the HTML content of pages, but also linked external resources, such as Flash animations and Java applets.

You would open such a file with a Web browser, but not all Web browsers support MHTML. Microsoft Internet Explorer and Opera support MHTML, as does Mozilla FireFox (if you load an extension).

Q: You mentioned in a recent column that there is no anti-virus software with Windows 7. I am running Vista, subscribe to MSN and use the free McAfee anti-virus software on my laptop, as well as on my wife's laptop. Although I have had no problems with Vista (we are pretty plain-vanilla users), I have been considering purchasing Windows 7. I was not aware that I would no longer be able to obtain an anti-virus program. Now I am wondering if I might be better off sticking with Vista. Otherwise, I would need to purchase two copies of AV software in addition to Windows 7. Is my understanding correct?

— C. Johnson

A: Not to worry. Just as Vista does not come with anti-virus software, Windows 7 does not include anti-virus software. You need to install the anti-virus software separately.

Virtually all companies that provided anti-virus software for Windows Vista already have versions available for Windows 7. And if you already have an anti-virus program, the license probably allows you to uninstall it and reinstall on a new machine.

Most licenses also specify the number of machines you can install the software on, so check on that if you're going to use the same program on multiple machines. Of course, that won't matter with free versions of anti-virus software.

Q: I read your recent article about transferring items from one PC to another with the Windows 7 upgrade (Personal Technology, Jan. 2). My dilemma is that my laptop was running on Vista, and I had everything backed up on a Click backup system. My laptop hard drive subsequently crashed and my laptop was replaced. How do I transfer my backed-up data from the Click device to my new laptop running on Windows 7?

— Robert Smith

A: It's not clear from your e-mail whether you're using ClickFree or One-Click Backup. In either case, you'd simply need to install the manufacturer's backup utility on your Windows 7 computer and then attach the backup device.

Assuming the drivers for the device are supported in Windows 7, you should be in business. If the drivers aren't supported, contact the maker of your backup device.

Questions for Patrick Marshall may be sent by e-mail to pmarshall@seattletimes.com or pgmarshall@pgmarshall.net, or by mail at Q&A/Technology, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111. More columns at www.seattletimes.com/

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