Is XoftSpySE any good???

On Wed, 23 May 2007 08:40:21 -0400, "nybarton" <mynews.RemoveThis@nospam.invalid>
wrote:

>I ran a free scan using the subject program and among many potentially
>unwanted files, low risk and moderate risk items, it also turned up about 15
>high risk and severe risk items. It is rated as one of the top malware
>removal programs, but before I spend $40 to activate the removal process,
>does anyone have any comments about this program? Does it really remove
>malware completely? I'm a "dummy" about these things, but I do know my
>computer is running slowly and something needs to be done about it without
>my having to do complicated maneuvers that absolutely boggle me. In other
>words, I need a program that does it all without much input from me. Thanks.



Several points:

1. First, read what Eric Howes says about it here:
http://spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm#xos_note

Even though it's no longer listed as rogue, I wouldn't want to deal
with a company with such a history.

2. Even if the company were guiltless, this has never been considered
one of the better anti-spyware products.

3. Most important, with regard to your question " Does it really
remove malware completely?" it's important to note what Eric Howes,
who has done extensive testing on Anti-Spyware products, states:

"No single anti-spyware scanner removes everything. Even the
best-performing anti-spyware scanner in these tests missed fully one
quarter of the "critical" files and Registry entries" See
http://spywarewarrior.com/asw-test-guide.htm

So, no it won't remove everything.

4. Most of the best anti-spyware programs are free for personal use.

I personally run the following anti-spyware programs (all are free):

Spyware Blaster
Adaware
Spybot Search and Destroy
Windows Defender.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

"nybarton" <mynews RemoveThis @nospam.invalid> wrote in message
news:CdidnfkyMaNqqMnbnZ2dnUVZ_uOmnZ2d@adelphia.com...
>I ran a free scan using the subject program and among many potentially
>unwanted files, low risk and moderate risk items, it also turned up
>about 15 high risk and severe risk items. It is rated as one of the
>top malware removal programs, but before I spend $40 to activate the
>removal process, does anyone have any comments about this program?
>Does it really remove malware completely? I'm a "dummy" about these
>things, but I do know my computer is running slowly and something needs
>to be done about it without my having to do complicated maneuvers that
>absolutely boggle me. In other words, I need a program that does it
>all without much input from me. Thanks.

See http://spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm#xos_note

But even if it is no longer considered "rogue/suspect," why not just use
*free* anti-spyware apps?

These are all highly regarded:

AdAware: http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad-aware_se_personal.php

Spybot Search & Destroy: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

A-Squared: http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/

Spyware Blaster: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

CWShredder: http://us.trendmicro.com/us/products/personal/CWShredder/