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Sherr

459 Posts

22517

October 8th, 2007 22:00

Spyware Doctor

Has anyone experience with Spyware Doctor. How does it compare to  Windows Defender and Ad Aware. Would you replace Ad Aware with Spyware Doctor.
Windows XP Dimension 8250
Sherr 

dalem29

1 Rookie

 • 

2.2K Posts

October 8th, 2007 23:00

Hi Sherr:
 
I had Spyware Doctor as my first and only paid for antispyware program. It recently came out with a new version, and if I remember correctly, there were some issues with it. The version I had of it would download the whole database file instead of just the new updates. It seemed to work OK, but I was not impressed enough to buy it for another year.
 
You might consider Super Anti Spyware that comes recommended by the experts here on the boards. You can get it here and the home version is FREE!    http://www.superantispyware.com/
I try to cover all bases and have it, Windows Defender, Spyware Search and Destroy, AdAware SE, and Spyware Blaster. Use Zone Alarm Free for my firewall, and AntiVir for my anti-virus. Had AVG anti-virus previously and still use it with the Resident Shield turned off as a scanner and detector. All these products are free and recommended by the responders here. :smileyvery-happy:

joe53

1 Rookie

 • 

5.8K Posts

October 8th, 2007 23:00

Sherr:
 
PCWorld recently rated Spyware Doctor 5.0 as the best Anti-Spyware available for Vista, and much better than Windows Defender:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,136206/article.html
 
Spyware Doctor is a reputable program, and based on the above recommendation, I downloaded its "trial version". What I found:
 
1) Spyware Doctor's trial version was limited to detection only. To remove "infections" one would have to purchase the full program. Other reputable paid products (AVG Anti-Spyware, a-squared, Sunbelt's CounterSpy) I have tried have been been full-featured, including removal, for 30 days. PCWorld did not mention this.

2) I updated and ran a scan with SD 5.0: It found no less than 5 infections, all rated as " high" (its highest threat level). Every one of these detections was a false positive. The PCWorld tests claimed a 0% FP rate.
 
I can only conclude that PCWorld recommended as "best antispyware" a paid product that does not offer a full free trial, that only detected false positives, and that wanted my money to remove them.
 
Obviously not a program I could recommend, based on my test. (I note that this was on a PC with XP, not Vista). Others' experience might well differ, but I have yet to find a paid antispyware program that I would recommend over the free ones available.
 

trailrated1

86 Posts

October 9th, 2007 11:00


Sherr wrote:
Has anyone experience with Spyware Doctor. How does it compare to  Windows Defender and Ad Aware. Would you replace Ad Aware with Spyware Doctor.
Windows XP Dimension 8250
Sherr 

If you are still running Kasperky i would recommend Windows defender or SuperAntispyware as i have noticed that they tend to run the smoothest with Kaspersky.

ky331

3 Apprentice

 • 

15.2K Posts

October 9th, 2007 11:00

Joe,
 
since you get a kick out of testing things, here's something you might want to consider:
 
rather than the "trial" version of SD, there's also something known as the "starter edition", which is a completely free, non-trial version ---- included with the download of Google Pack:
 
 
[I hope to edit this post later, when I double-check on the version it downloads]
 
" The Starter Edition offers full scan and removal of threats, and basic real-time protection...
block[ing] all types of Spyware and Adware threats".
 
of course, assuming it shares the same database, this [probably] won't address your F/P concerns.   and I have no idea whether/if you wish to have Google Pack [with Google updater &etc] "lurking" on your system, so...


Message Edited by ky331 on 10-09-2007 10:27 AM

Sherr

459 Posts

October 9th, 2007 12:00

Yes I am still running Kaspersky. I'll try your suggestion. Windows Defender has been widely critized. I'm running that and Ad Aware also.Thanks.
Sherr


Message Edited by Sherr on 10-09-2007 09:40 AM

Binary Star

11 Posts

October 9th, 2007 15:00

Sherr Silver--I use Spysweeper--I think it is great (about $29 bucks)

joe53

1 Rookie

 • 

5.8K Posts

October 9th, 2007 21:00

Thanks David, for that reminder about the google pack offer (I had forgotten about that).
 
Ever since Google toolbar started updating itself without permission to increasingly bloated versions, I banned all things Google from my PC (and even added toolbar.google.com to my Hosts file).
 
The mere fact that SD piggybacks Google software in order to enable a fully functional trial version is reason enough for me to not recommend SD!
 

Bugbatter

20.5K Posts

October 10th, 2007 20:00

Binary Star, a note about SpySweeper:
Version 5.5 includes Ask Toolbar and Search Assistant by default, but the installation of these items is optional. Both are considered malware by some security experts.

I do prefer free versions of software, if possible, but I am unable to find a full free trial version of SpySweeper on the Webroot site -- only the scan-only version that scans and flags malware.(Hoping you'll buy the product in order to use the removal feature.)
There is a 14-day trial version that scans and cleans. It is currently available at links here (but I'm not sure for how long):
http://www.thespykiller.co.uk/index.php?page=15
or
http://spysweeper.thespykiller.co.uk

Binary Star

11 Posts

October 11th, 2007 00:00

Bugbatter--
          I know Spysweeper works for me. It block anyone/thing trying to "latch on" to my web/CPU. Yes, you have to pay for this but it is worth it to me. My computer works better this way.

Bugbatter

20.5K Posts

October 11th, 2007 14:00

Super AntiSpyware and AVG Anti-Spyware offer free trial versions. In my experience, both do a better job, than Webroot's SpySweeper Paid Version, and the free versions will remove malware.

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