Norton Removal Tool: Remove Norton leftovers

Norton Removal Tool is a tiny application that can scan your computer for any traces of various Norton programs, including the main antivirus one and the various utilities it encompasses. The program is provided by the company free of charge.

Installation & Requirements

There is no installation necessary for the application as it is an uninstaller of sorts by itself. The application supports most versions of Windows, considering that you need to have a Norton product installed in your PC in order to run it.

Interface

As I mentioned before, the application is a kind of uninstaller albeit a really targeted one. It also looks exactly like an installer/uninstaller does so every user should have a sense of familiarity with it. The stern warnings displayed throughout might be intimidating to some users but they serve a good purpose as they inform users that they should be careful with the application and that its effects are not reversible although that is probably the precise reason why you would use it.

Using the application is incredibly simple as users mostly have to go through a Next-to-Next process with a CAPTCHA image thrown in for good measure. The process should also be quite fast on most computers although that will depend on the amount of Norton products you had installed in your computer. After the scanning and removal process is over, the user will also be redirected to a Norton support page where they can learn about the best ways to re-install the company products without a hitch this time around.

In comparison to similar utilities by other antivirus and protection companies, Norton’s tool stands out as one of the most thorough ones and it actually ranks quite well on speed too. If you were having any issues reinstalling or uninstalling a Norton product, your issues are most likely to be fixed by the Norton Removal Tool which is great to know if you are currently using any company products or even thinking about using any in the future.

Pros

-Fast scan and removing
-Very thorough
-Can detect and remove the problematic apps with almost no effort from the user

Cons
-None worth mentioning

Conclusion

You obviously know what you are getting with Norton Removal Tool but the good news is that the application does work as promised and the whole process is over before you know it with most if not all of your issues fixed within minutes.

GSA Cleandrive: Clean and protect your PC

GSA Cleandrive is an anti-spyware and optimization suite that helps people get rid of spyware infections while also optimizing their systems for maximum performance. A demo version of the application is offered with limited functionality.

Installation & Requirements

The application’s installation is quite fast and allows the user to create shortcuts in various places, including the desktop and the Start menu. The supported operating systems are Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8x.

Interface

At first glance, the application certainly did not instill confidence on me, owing to the very old-school feel of the user interface. This is mostly because I have recently come to expect better designs in applications aimed at system optimizing and cleaning. GSA Cleandrive might get a pass because it has been around for a very long time and the developers care more about updating the actual utilities than the UI itself and that is a reasonable choice.

In regards to the actual utilities themselves, the application excels in catering to users of all kinds. The one-click cleanup will immediately appeal to users that want to get this over with but the application offers a lot of customization options for those that seek it. Apart from the Custom Cleanup menu where users can select exactly what they want the application to scan and find, the exhaustive settings menu allows the user to fine tune the program for optimum results.

No matter what method you choose to employ, the application scans extremely fast as a full system-wide scan took a mere few minutes. GSA Cleandrive looks in some extremely specific places like the Windows Clipboard History so that users really have no trace of their activity on the PC. Although that is great for people who really do not like living browsing traces, it might be very annoying for people that enjoy the convenience such features offer. Of course, users that do not really care about such things would not use an application like this in a first place so cleaning such objects is beneficial to the program’s targeted audience.

To sum up with, the application honestly excels in finding items that privacy-concerned individuals will find offending, especially if they take the time to customize their settings in order to fit their needs. The fact that the application works very easily right out of the box is a huge plus, especially considering that you can even customize the cleaning process after you have scanned your entire system. More information about the scanning results would be nice, especially since the program just tells you the severity of the offending items without telling you exactly why they are offending.

Pros

-Incredibly fast scanning
-Extremely thorough
-Highly customizable

Cons

-Unpolished, outdated interface design
-Not enough information about infections

Conclusion

If you do not care about visual flair, GSA Cleandrive’s customizable configurations are great for finding all the spyware that your computer might be infected with. Although it will mostly appeal to experienced users, the program can also be a decent starting point for people who are just starting to look into spyware and privacy-offending items.

sRemote: Control your PC via email

There are multiple ways to control your computer remotely and sRemote aims to put a twist into that. By connecting your Gmail account to the program, you can actually send commands via e-mail and control various parts of your PC through it.

Installation & Requirements

There is no installation required for the application. Download the archive, extract the contents in a desired location in your PC and run the sRemote executable file. You will need a Gmail account for this to work. Furthermore, you must go to your Gmail’s settings and enable the “Access for less secure apps” setting.

Interface

sRemote’s UI is pretty straightforward. The main interface will give you information about the last command executed and various time points like when the program last checked your email as well as how much is remaining till it checks again. Of course, this data will only appear after you have set up your e-mail settings within the application itself which can be found via the bottom toolbar.

That same toolbar at the bottom is where all of the application’s options and commands exist from enabling and disabling the monitoring process to changing the password and hiding the application in the computer. The list of available commands is also available in a text file although inexperienced users might have a bit of a hard time understanding how they are expected to format the commands and what to do with them.

Of course, if you are looking into controlling your PC via email, chances are you do not fall into that category and the commands really become simple then. The syntax is password();command(); which is very easy to remember and to get used to. Most of the commands work perfectly although it is disappointing that some important ones like the screenshot seem to fail all the time.

All in all, it is admittedly very cool to control various functions of your computer via email as you can do it through any internet-enabled device at any place. Setting the application to start with Windows also means that you can also restart your computer when something goes wrong and sRemote will still be there. The fact that the application also includes commands that allow you to run programs is also quite brilliant.

Pros

-Minimal system resources required
-A hearty list of commands at your disposal
-Decent configuration settings
-Quite simple considering its capabilities

Cons

-Might actually be too complex for some users
-Some commands just will not work

Conclusion

If you want to try another way of remote controlling your PC, sRemote’s email method is definitely something you should experience. If you do not mind manually issuing commands, the program’s capabilities are truly spectacular.

Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool: Remove prevalent malware

Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool is a free utility that checks for specific infections in your computer and cleans them for you automatically. The tool is not meant as a replacement to antivirus but it is recommended that you run it frequently.

Installation & Requirements

There is no installation required for the application. Just download and run the executable file and you are good to go. The software supports Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8x and Windows Server 2003.

Interface

If you have ever used a portable malware removal program before then the interface should look very familiar. If you have not, it really is quite simple. Portable malware removal applications look a lot like installers. You choose your options, click on Next, the application scans your computer, disinfects it and you are done.

The only real choice that users have when dealing with these kinds of applications, including Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, is what type of scan you want to run. There are three types of scans, namely quick, full and custom and their names reveal exactly what they do. Regardless of the scan that you run, the software will automatically remove the malware from your computer and might prompt you to restart your computer depending on the type of infection.

What separates Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool from similar applications is that it looks for very specific, prevalent malware that commonly infect PCs. In fact, the company regularly updates the application in order to include the latest prevalent malware so it stays relevant no matter what. After the scan and cleaning process is over, a full report is given so that you can see exactly which malware was infecting your PC and learn more information about it.

As Microsoft notes, this is not a replacement for an anti-virus application at all for many important reasons. First and foremost, it does not protect you in real-time so the malware can damage your PC before you even run Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool. In addition to that, this utility only looks for a defined list of malware while the web is littered with millions of different types of infections that can plague your computer if you are not protecting it adequately.

Pros

-A choice of three different scans
-Fast, easy cleaning

Cons

-Only removes specific infections

Conclusion

If you think that your PC might be infected with malware, go ahead and download Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool immediately. Although your infection might not be included in the program’s list, it never hurts to try just another disinfection utility.

Quick Heal Antivirus Pro: Proactive defense for your PC

Quick Heal Antivirus Pro is an antivirus security suite that can protect your computer from all kinds of infections from both online and offline sources in real-time. A free, fully featured trial is offered by the developers.

Installation & Requirements
To install the application, the user has to first obtain the download manager that will be used to get the installer from the web. After setting up the download, the setup can be run automatically while the user will have a few options regarding the installation here and there. Due to the large size of the application, the installation might take quite a while to complete. The supported operating systems are Windows 2000 SP4+, XP SP2+, Vista, 7 and 8x.

Interface

Although I initially had reservations about what the developers describe as a “user-friendly” interface, all my doubts were erased once I actually got to use Quick Heal Antivirus Pro. The dark red and white hues of the UI work surprisingly well and are extremely easy on the eyes. The various buttons and menus are very well-designed, look amazing and are very easy to navigate. There are some design choices that I definitely consider weird like the Facebook Like button on the bottom right corner but these issues are mild and not nearly as annoying as I would have thought.

Having said all that, I must admit that the program is a bit hard to get used to, at least at the beginning. For example, users will have to actually register their details if they want to get the full features of the free trial, including their name, country and city of residence. There is no actual check for these details, not even for the e-mail address, but I can definitely see some users being frustrated by this. Even when I did register, the application asked me to update immediately which took a surprisingly long time considering the installer was actually obtained via the web and should be up-to-date.

Thankfully, the criticisms of this security suite are limited to these annoyances. The actual antivirus engine and the various utilities are very good and quite varied so most security departments are covered. As is the case with almost every antivirus out there, Quick Heal Antivirus Pro wants to differentiate itself via the extra tools and services and I must say they all work great. Every single one of the utilities is something that the user might need at one point or the other like the Emergency Disk tool that allows you to create a disk that can recover your PC from infections in an emergency.

During the course of testing, none of these utilities presented a problem and they all worked decently fast. I actually found myself using some tools like the System Explorer and Windows Spy (both of which deal with processes) quite a lot, even when I was not actively testing the application. The scanning and cleaning processes were fairly standard with nothing really standing out. The greatest thing about them and the rest of the application is that minimal resources are used which is always what I am looking for in an antivirus program.

Pros

-Elegant design makes for a great UI
-Very useful tools and services
-Packs a ton of power in a minimal package

Cons

-Nothing that would really make it stand out
-Minor nuisances

Conclusion

Quick Heal Antivirus Pro is a great solution for those that are looking to try a new internet security suite as it is packed with utilities that will protect your computer from threats of all kinds. Even though it might not stand out as the most unique antivirus application out there, it is one of the worthiest ones for sure.

Spy Hunter – Spyware Remover: Protect your privacy

There are tons of different threats on the Internet as unfortunate as that might be and spyware are unfortunately very prevalent nowadays. Spy Hunter – Spyware Remover is one of those applications that will help protect you from prying eyes. The software offers a demo version with limited functionality.

Installation & Requirements

The application’s installation does not allow for a lot of choice as everything is done automatically. You will be informed that a Start menu entry and a desktop shortcut will be created and the installation begins. The supported operating systems are Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8x.

Interface

Spy Hunter – Spyware Remover does not hold anything back and you will immediately understand that as the application will start a scan right after the installation is done. The self-described malware security suite wants to remove any offending items from your PC as soon as possible because every minute counts with these kinds of infections.

Although the scanning process is very light on the system, it does take quite a while to complete as it goes through a ton of different areas in your computer like the Registry and even your browsers. In fact, you will be prompted to quit any open browsers so that the program can scan them for any offending items like tracking cookies. An interesting part of the process is that it also marks the safe areas of your PC so that you can read on the safe parts on real time.

The report is actually incredibly in-depth and it gives information about the location of the infections, their names and even a description of what the infection is. The descriptions are very long and informative, explaining everything in layman’s terms so that every user can understand what they are dealing with. Some spyware is more offending than others and some users might not want to remove every item that the application identifies as offending.

I really liked the fact that the application presented a mere couple of false positives and that is because I did not consider the items to be offensive. It picked up some real threats in my PC while giving me information about what was going on and the reasons why I would want to remove such items from my computer. It also gave me the choice of dealing with the infections separately so I could deal with each problem individually instead of just letting the application remove everything and possibly create annoying implications in my browser.

Apart from the main feature that can scan and disinfect your computer from any malware, the application also offers some extra utilities that can protect your computer from such threats in real-time. However, the most interesting utility of all is the Spyware HelpDesk. This little tool allows you to send a support ticket to the SpyHunter team requesting information about your PC and any errors and malware that the application has found. It is an intuitive way of doing things, especially for users that might require a bit more help in knowing how to deal with threatening malware situations.

Pros

-Very thorough scanning
-Detailed information about threats
-Caters to both experienced users and newcomers
-Very decent configuration options
-Helpful utilities

Cons

-Too expensive for its limited capabilities

Conclusion

Spy Hunter – Spyware Remover is great at discovering and dealing with threats, looks great and will help you understand all about the infections so there is really not much more you can ask. The fact that it only caters to spyware means that its target crowd is very niche but that is about the only issue you could have with it.

Sys Optimizer: Clean and improve your system

Sys Optimizer aims to improve your system’s performance with a variety of functions, including ones that clean up system and browser temporary files and other more dedicated performance-boosting tools. The application is offered entirely free of charge.

Installation & Requirements

The program’s installation is very quick, owing to the small file size but it misses some important elements like the option to create desktop shortcuts. Still, the whole process is pretty much over after accepting the EULA agreement which is great for users that do not want to mess around with a lot of options. The officially supported operating systems are Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8x although some features might be locked to specific versions.

Interface

After getting through the quick setup wizard, the main interface presents itself with several on-screen cues that give information on how to navigate it. This simple tutorial of sorts was a very nice surprise and it actually showcases why the UI is different than most. Navigating the interface is a breeze as you have a variety of ways to do that, either by clicking the traditional arrow buttons, sliding the interface from the edge like using a touchscreen or using the tab buttons at the top toolbar.

The minimal design is brilliant for a system optimizing application and is exactly what I personally look for in programs of this kind as cluttered applications tend to give a very negative impression, especially since they are specifically designed to unclutter your own system. Every part of the UI is elegantly designed and information like your PC’s configuration is presented clearly without being a strain on the eyes. A single glance on the main interface can give you information about recent scans, system data and the status of utilities like the Game Booster and Live Monitor.

Of course, the design is not the most important aspect in such programs and one has to look at the actual functionality in order to determine whether a system optimizer is worth their time. Thankfully, Sys Optimizer excels in this area as well with a fast and quite thorough scanning and cleaning-up process that takes care not to mess up with important files while removing everything that just clutters up your system. The user has full control over what happens during the scanning and they can obviously exclude areas that they would prefer to be left untouched.

The extra utilities I mentioned before like the Game Booster and Live Monitor are also very nice additions although they are not always on par with the rest of the application, owing to the fact that they are both mostly tests for now. This is explained in the Settings menu but not on the main UI which might also be a problem for most users. Although these two utilities will not exactly break anything, they might prove to be more trouble than they are worth if used incorrectly which can be problematic.

Pros

-Beautiful and modern interface
-Can be used by all kinds of users
-Fast, thorough and effective
-Decent configuration options

Cons

-Tries to do too many things at once

Conclusion

Sys Optimizer is one of the best looking and best performing optimization utilities in the market today. Its elegant interface compliments the great tools that make this application an all-around great choice.

trayTrix: A handy system tray launcher

trayTrix is a launcher that allows you to start your favorite applications, visit your saved links, search the web and more via its system tray icon. The application is offered as shareware, meaning that the user can try it for free but has to purchase a license to lift various limitations.

Installation & Requirements

The installation really is quite standard with all the usual suspects like opting for shortcuts and Start entries. The supported operating systems are Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7 and 8x. Both 32-bit and 64-bit systems are supported and the installer chooses the correct files for your PC automatically.

Interface

The basic interface of the application is quite sleek with two rows of six items each, totaling a default selection of 12 items. The programs that the launcher chooses to include by default are very important Windows and web utilities like a calculator, an alarm, notes, a screenshot utility and a utility that allows you to search the web via a ton of different search engines. The icons are quite well designed and the minimalistic look is great for those who are looking to reduce the clutter of their desktop.

Of course, there are not a lot of other reasons why someone would want to use a launcher except for having access to their programs without putting icons on the desktop and the developers know that. The interface is fully customizable and the user can add all of their favorite applications into the list. As you might expect, the imported icons do not always look great as the program sets everything in a specific resolution and some icons stretch or tighten a bit too much.

As far as usability goes, I personally find the application a bit strange. The only way to access its interface is through the system tray icon which I find very awkward to use. I would love to have an option to set the launcher in the taskbar but I guess that would defeat its whole purpose and even its name. Obviously, this boils down completely to personal preference and I am willing to bet there plenty of users will prefer this way of doing things rather than the taskbar.

A very cool thing about this launcher is that it provides the user with a lot of extra but completely optional utilities. As such, it can act as a central hub of sorts instead of merely being a way to launch your favorite applications. For example, it can spell-check your clipboard or selected text anywhere in your computer and you can then use that text to search the web with your query. A lot of these utilities interact nicely with each other even if they require some time to get used to.

Pros

-Minimal, neat interface
-Fully customizable
-A lot of very useful extra utilities and tools
-Includes web links and searches

Cons

-A few strange UI interactions
-Can be awkward to use

Conclusion

If you are looking for ways to spice up your desktop and you do not like to see it cluttered and messy, trayTrix really deserves your time. The fact that you have to pay to have access to any of the advanced utilities might deter some users but the demo version should be enough to let you decide if this is for you.

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الاثنين، 2 أكتوبر 2017

Norton Removal Tool: Remove Norton leftovers

Norton Removal Tool: Remove Norton leftovers