{"id":933,"date":"2009-10-03T13:05:55","date_gmt":"2009-10-03T07:35:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/198.58.113.91\/blog\/?p=933"},"modified":"2025-08-16T13:44:37","modified_gmt":"2025-08-16T08:14:37","slug":"updating-microsoft-security-essentials-using-command-line","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/updating-microsoft-security-essentials-using-command-line\/","title":{"rendered":"Updating Microsoft Security Essentials Using Command-Line"},"content":{"rendered":"

Microsoft Security Essentials includes a command-line utility which can be used to update the virus\/malware definitions, initiate a scan, undo a recent definition update and perform other tasks. To know how to use the command-line utility, open a Command Prompt window (CMD.EXE) and execute the following command:<\/p>\n

“%ProgramFiles%\\Microsoft Security Essentials\\MpCmdRun.exe” \/?<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Command<\/b><\/td>\nDescription<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
-? \/ -h<\/td>\nDisplays all available options for this tool.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
-Trace [-Grouping #] [-Level #]<\/td>\nStarts diagnostic tracing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
-RemoveDefinitions [-All]<\/td>\nRestores the installed signature definitions to a previous backup copy or to the original default set of signatures<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
-RestoreDefaults<\/td>\nResets the registry values for Microsoft Antimalware Service settings to known good defaults<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
-SignatureUpdate [-UNC]<\/td>\nChecks for new definition updates<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
-Scan [-ScanType]<\/td>\nScans for malicious software<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
-Restore -Name <name> [-All]<\/td>\nRestore the most recently or all quarantined item(s) based on name<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
-GetFiles<\/td>\nCollects support information<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

In addition to the above information, detailed information<\/strong> for each command-line parameter is shown when you run the above command.<\/p>\n

To update the MSE virus\/malware definitions, use this command:<\/p>\n

“%ProgramFiles%\\Microsoft Security Essentials\\MpCmdRun.exe” -SignatureUpdate<\/div>\n

The command-line tool can be useful if you want to update MSE using Batch file, Script or using Task Scheduler.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Microsoft Security Essentials includes a command-line utility which can be used to update the virus\/malware definitions, initiate a scan, undo a recent definition update and perform other tasks. To know how to use the command-line utility, open a Command Prompt window (CMD.EXE) and execute the following command: “%ProgramFiles%\\Microsoft Security Essentials\\MpCmdRun.exe” \/?   Command Description -? … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7],"tags":[326],"class_list":["post-933","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-windows","tag-mse"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":971,"url":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/update-mse-definitions-offline\/","url_meta":{"origin":933,"position":0},"title":"How to Update Microsoft Security Essentials Definitions Offline","author":"Ramesh","date":"November 28, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Microsoft Security Essentials uses Microsoft Update to check for, and download definition updates every 24 hours. 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However, it doesn't mention a useful switch that updates Defender signatures and runs a Quick Scan at\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Windows 10"","block_context":{"text":"Windows 10","link":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/category\/microsoft\/windows\/windows-10\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"windows defender scan event log","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/defender-scan-event-log.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/defender-scan-event-log.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/defender-scan-event-log.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":75146,"url":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/defender-definitions-update-frequency\/","url_meta":{"origin":933,"position":3},"title":"How to Change Microsoft Defender Definitions Update Frequency","author":"Ramesh","date":"May 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Microsoft Malware Protection Center releases security intelligence updates (a.k.a, definition updates) every 3-4 hours to update the virus definitions. 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