| Version | 8.7 |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Topdownloads |
| Release date | Nov 8, 2008 |
| Date added | Apr 14, 2005 |
| Os requirements | Windows 95, Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows, Windows XP, Windows NT |
| Requirements | Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003 Server |
| Total downloads | 301,962 |
| Price | Free to try |
Description
Spyware and adware could be installed on your computer without your knowledge. These programs allow companies to monitor your Internet-browsing patterns and even to inundate you with annoying pop-up ads. SpyCleaner identifies and removes these surreptitiously installed applications. Using updatable reflists, which are similar to temporary Internet files, the program looks for traces of recognized adware modules. When it's finished searching, it displays a list of what was found and lets you select the items you'd like to remove from your system.
Version 8.7 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.
Review
Considering its stiff competition, SpyCleaner fails to stand out as a truly reliable weapon against adware. Although the program's main window is easy enough to understand and navigate, we wished it could be resized to more easily view a list of detected components. However, after witnessing the program's lackluster performance, we can safely say its interface is certainly not the biggest issue. The malware database is quite small, containing fewer than 400 items. Scanning our test PC took a lot of time, and the application didn't even remove all the adware components it located, leaving a number of files and registry keys on our system. Still, we did find a few useful features, such as the ability to restore erased components if removing them damages your computer in some way, and the Hijack Repair utility that keeps an eye on home-page hijackers. We've certainly seen worse antiadware applicationss, but most users can do a lot better.
