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View Full Version : webroot spy sweeper experiences


davidh
June 4th, 2006, 04:16 PM
I have been using Spybot Search and Destroy and Ad-Aware for some time. However, I decided to try the free spyware scan offered by my ISP Earthlink. It told me I had some spyware, even tho' Spybot and AdAware did not complain. So I bought Spy Sweeper at Best Buy. It did clean some stuff off my computer, but I think it was "traces" of dead spies, not live ones.

I think I scanned with Eartlink scan again and it told me I had some spyware again. But none of my 3 anti spy programs could find it.

Spy Sweeper turned out to be slow to load and slow to do scans, so I have only done complete scans once or twice.

Spy Sweeper also apparently re-enabled two tool bars in MS Internet Explorer that I had previously disabled.

I did try adding the ad sites to my hosts file (an option in Spy Sweeper). This does help a little by avoiding downloads of ad graphics on a number of sites. This is a one-time operation. The program does not need to stay loaded to keep this feature working. If I ever want to remove this feature, I could just delete the c:\windows\hosts file.

I bought spy sweeper because it's had pretty good reviews for a few years and I thought there might be some active spyware still remaining on my system.

If I still had children in the house, I'd probably keep using it (loaded in system tray). But for now I'm using mostly Spybot and AdAware to scan my system, instead of spy sweeper.

I use the "process list" tool and "startup" (similar to msconfig startup) tools in spybot (i don't think these are in sweeper) and find them handy sometimes.

Reviews claim that Sweeper is better at removing some spyware, so maybe I'll get my money's worth later if I get a nasty infection.

Purchase of CD of Sweeper included one year of updates.

David H.

Judy G. Russell
June 4th, 2006, 05:13 PM
Spy Sweeper also apparently re-enabled two tool bars in MS Internet Explorer that I had previously disabled.That alone would have me junking it.

earler
June 5th, 2006, 09:50 AM
Best to have spy sweeper run when you aren't using your system.

-er