Ron E
Just Want To Have Fun!
I've been using the paid version of Registry Mechanic software by PC Tools on my computers for a couple of years now, so I decided to try their free edition of Spyware Doctor software on my main work computer, a HP laptop with Windows XP Home Edition on it.
After downloading it from the PC Tools web site, installing it, updating it and running a full scan for "malware", it reported that I had 17 separate infections of a "trojan", a particularly bad thing to have that steals your passwords, records your keystrokes, etc., all being things that can generally wreck your life if not dealt with pronto.
But this software indicated it did not have the "anti-virus engine" installed, so it could not remove this malicious trojan from my computer. The software suggested I "upgrade" to the version that had this antivirus engine integrated into it, for a fee. I didn't bite.
Instead I downloaded and installed their separate free version of antivirus software. I updated it with the latest virus info and ran it. It didn't find a single bad thing on my computer!!
Then I unleashed my paid version of the fully updated Norton antivirus software. It also found nothing. I then ran Ad-Aware by Lavasoft and Spybot Search & Destroy by Safer Networking Ltd., all being fully updated and capable of finding and dealing with a trojan. They found nothing !!
So, it appears to me that this particular free software by PC Tools is written to fake an "infection" on your computer just to scare you into buying their software. I now wonder how many other software publishers may use this tactic to sell their software. It is purely a scam !!
My computer has been running fine with no problems, other than the general problems of Windows itself, so I have no reason to doubt the results of the other antivirus/anti-malware software I use on a regular basis.
Has anyone else on the forum made any similar observations?
.
After downloading it from the PC Tools web site, installing it, updating it and running a full scan for "malware", it reported that I had 17 separate infections of a "trojan", a particularly bad thing to have that steals your passwords, records your keystrokes, etc., all being things that can generally wreck your life if not dealt with pronto.
But this software indicated it did not have the "anti-virus engine" installed, so it could not remove this malicious trojan from my computer. The software suggested I "upgrade" to the version that had this antivirus engine integrated into it, for a fee. I didn't bite.
Instead I downloaded and installed their separate free version of antivirus software. I updated it with the latest virus info and ran it. It didn't find a single bad thing on my computer!!
Then I unleashed my paid version of the fully updated Norton antivirus software. It also found nothing. I then ran Ad-Aware by Lavasoft and Spybot Search & Destroy by Safer Networking Ltd., all being fully updated and capable of finding and dealing with a trojan. They found nothing !!
So, it appears to me that this particular free software by PC Tools is written to fake an "infection" on your computer just to scare you into buying their software. I now wonder how many other software publishers may use this tactic to sell their software. It is purely a scam !!
My computer has been running fine with no problems, other than the general problems of Windows itself, so I have no reason to doubt the results of the other antivirus/anti-malware software I use on a regular basis.
Has anyone else on the forum made any similar observations?
.