PC Tools Spyware Doctor with Antivirus was tested by this writer on Windows 7 and Xp Operating Systems over a period of two months.
PC Tools Spyware Doctor with Antivirus 2011 was quick and easy to install using the download method. It is important to note that, as with all antivirus programs, if you have an other antivirus program running, you must uninstall that program to prevent conflicts before installing Spyware Doctor. Once I had installed Spyware Doctor and run the updated antivirus database I glanced over the interface panel and was impressed with the clean, easy to read layout and eye pleasing design. Setting up the parameters to suit my particular needs was easily accomplished in less than 15 minutes.
Spyware Doctor with Antivirus has several new features lacking in other antivirus programs. Three of these features that I found highly commendable are:
- Password Protection
- Protection Report Card
- State Awareness Mode
Password Protection
There are many new viruses out in the wild that will attack your antivirus program and either shut it down or corrupt it to give false antivirus readings. Password Protection prevents any changes being made to Spyware Doctor without the password first being entered. Several months ago I was hit with a virus that not only disabled my antivirus program but also prevented any new antivirus program from being loaded and detecting it. Needless to say it was costly to wipe the hard drive and re-install all my programs. I have also seen occasions where unscrupulous technicians have taken PC's in for repair and removed the customers antivirus program to install their own choice of antivirus program, whether it's for preference or commission. PC Tools Password Protection will not allow any changes to be made to the program without your password first being entered. NOTE: Keep your password in a safe location where it can not be lost or stolen.
Protection Report Card
Have you ever wondered just what is your antivirus program doing, if anything at all? Now you can know. PC Tools Report Card feature gives you a breakdown of all activity it has done over the past month. This includes:
- Your Threat Rating
- Database Updates
- Scans performed
- Total items scanned
- Total items guarded
- Items blocked
- Items quarantined
- Items detected
- Items removed
State Awareness Mode
We have all experienced the frustration of having your PC suddenly slow down or 'hang' when playing a full screen game or running videos or animations because suddenly your antivirus program decides it is going to do a scan. The State Awareness Mode of the PC Tools Antivirus program detects when the CPU processor is running at high capacity and postpones running a scan until the peak load has dropped. This prevents those annoying slowdowns.
One minor glitch that occurred on two occasions during the two month trial period was the blocking of two web sites as bad that were in fact not infected or bad (one web site was one I had authored) . Apparently the database used by PC Tools to record 'bad' websites had somehow picked them up. A quick note to PC Tools help desk and an investigation was immediately started to correct the problem. PC Tools did block one web site that a client had asked me to review and submit a proposal for redesigning the site. The site was in fact heavily contaminated and used an unsecured system of multiple author access. Needless to say, I passed on the offer. Enough cannot be said about the excellent response from PC Tools Help Desk during these enquiries.
PC Tools has an excellent reputation for providing top quality PC software applications and their PC Tools Spyware Doctor with Antivirus 2011 is a glowing achievement.
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