PC Tools Spyware Doctor Review
Status
Introduction
To begin my review I looked up the PC Tools company. I found that PC Tools are a security software company founded 2003 with their headquarters in Australia and offices in countries across the globe. They make a range of security software and optimization products including Spyware Doctor, PC Tools AntiVirus, Registry Mechanic and PC Tools Firewall Plus. The company was recently bought by Symantec, one of the largest security software companies in operation today.
Installation
Automatic Updates
The Spyware Doctor download was quick as the program is not too large. The installation process is very easy. Simply run the downloaded file. After installing, it automatically checked for updates to the program and installed the ones it found. This is a nice feature as I knew it would be up to date when I started using it. It then started with a scan of my computer to see if there was any spyware found. Also another good option.
Feature Set
It has all of the main features that are found in a commercial spyware scanner.
Status screen – shows the overall status of the program.
Start Scan – allows you to start a full scan of your PC to check for spyware.
IntelliGuard
IntelliGuard – provides protection against future spyware infections. Basically it runs in the background and watches for any spyware that might be installed. This is a must have feature as it is easier to prevent against infection rather than wasting lots of time trying to fix an infected computer. One drawback here is that background scanning might slow down some older PCs.
Settings – configures all of the program options. I found that I did not need to change anything in here as the default options were well thought out.
Smart Update – this button on the top of the screen checks for updates to the program and the spyware definition list (list of spyware). I really like the way the update process works, it is a “no-brainer”. All updates are retrieved and applied automatically. There is nothing worse than a complicated update process.
Scanning
Spyware Removal
After the scan has completed any spyware found is listed giving you the option to fix the problem and remove the spyware. For each problem that is found Spyware Doctor shows the threat level and gives the option to show more information. This is very useful if you are not sure what has been found.
After choosing to fix the problems on my test PC all of the spyware problems were cleaned up in under a minute. Much better than the 6-8 hours it would have taken me to do it manually.
Ease of Use
Scan Results
After installing Spyware Doctor I could tell that it has been designed for people rather than computer geeks. The screens are nicely laid out and it is very easy to use. During my research on the product I noticed that it won the People’s Choice Award in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Support
The online support is quite good with a friendly webpage that leads you through any issues to try to work out what is going on. You can also get direct support via email or on the phone. The manual that is downloaded with the product is simple. I feel there could be more documentation but the online support makes up for it.
Summary
PC Tools Spyware Doctor is an excellent choice to protect your computer against spyware and also to remove unwanted spyware from your PC. It is simple to use and easy to keep up to date. The manual is not as big as it could be but the online support completes the package.
