MSE/URL checker

[#1]

I think that I read somewhere that Microsoft Security Essentials does not have a url checker (doesn't check email either by the looks of things).  Anyway, the gist of the thread was that if you are using this it is a good idea to use something like the free McAfee Site Advisor. 
In my case am using MSE with FF as default browser and haven't downloaded anything else.
Just wondered what people think about this advice? 

[#2]

I think you are correct that Microsoft Security Essentials does not have a URL checker.
I see a lot of virused computers but it is often difficult to trace the origin.  Last time I could, it turned out to be a site related to something called Club Penguin, http://www.clubpenguin.com/ , a children's site that promotes itself as safe.  A child had done a Google search for "cheats" for the games on the Club Penguin site and high up the list was a site (nothing directly to do with Club Penguin) that popped up a fake security warning and persuaded the child to download the virus in the guise of a security check.  That computer was running AVG and that includes a site advisor feature but it didn't flag this site as bad or stop the virus.  So I have been a little sceptical about the value of these URL checkers ever since.     

[#3]

Firefox does include it's own URL checker (powered by data supplied by google) - aiming to block "attack sites" and "web forgeries" (see the Security tab in the options dialog). The Google search results page can tell you that the site may harm your computer, but I only knew about that from the time a while ago when google accidentally said that for every result.
I think even Internet Explorer 8 has a built in one.

[#4]

Yes, I thought that FF would fulfill this function so that is reassuring.  Not too keen on downloading extras so will leave things as they are for the time being.
Thank you for help and advice.

[#5]

You should set your computer(s) to make use of a DNS service that checks URLs and blocks bad ones.
Most users will be using the DNS service provided by their Internet Service Provider, which won't block bad URLs automatically.
All you have to do is change to one such as OpenDNS - http://www.opendns.com/ - which provides all of the information you need to use it.

[#6]

Talking of url checking, is there a site which can do it? - IE if I want to accept people adding links to my links page, is there a site I can connect to via php and check it? - free?

[#7]

Is this what you're looking for? -
Xenu Link Sleuth - http://home.snafu.de/tilman/xenulink.html
Xenu's Link Sleuth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenu's_Link_Sleuth

[#8]

If that reply was for me then no, thats not what I'm looking for. I was looking for a Url checker which will scan the Url for virus's etc and check to see if its safe.
I've since found virustotal.com