Free PC Tools Spyware Doctor - Google Pack Review part 2

[Overclocked]

Spyware Doctor is yet another commercial application that Google provides for free as part of Google Pack that already includes plenty of other free applications (like Norton Security Scan, Star Office and others).

At a Glance:

version: PC Tools Spyware Doctor 5.0.5.259
OS: XP/Vista

Pros: Good detection and removal rates; easy to use.

Cons: Not all features (e.g. real-time browser protection) are available in the Google Pack version; larger footprint.

Overall Rating: 4.3 of 5

Detection and removal rate: 4.5

Speed and Footprint: 4

Features: 3.5

Ease of use: 4.5

As with all Google Pack applications, the setup was very straightforward. There was an option to download Spyware Doctor afresh, or add it to already installed Google pack applications through the Google updater.

The interface is intuitive and logical:

Spyware Doctor is capable of several scanning modes: intelli-scan, full scan and custom scan.

Scans and/or updates can be scheduled including time when Spyware Doctor starts:

Spyware Doctor provides the OnGuard real-time protection feature that prevents any malicious files (including unsafe e-mail attachments) from being accessed. There is also the Computer Immunization function that prevents malicious ActiveX-based installations on the system.

Spyware Doctor comes with some other useful options like kernel compatibility, removal of information-only items from the report and lowering scan priority to reduce CPU usage:

It was good to see that Spyware Doctor allowed for the creation of a restore point prior to spyware deletion - so all changes can be reverted should something go wrong.

Even though Spyware Doctor had a slightly bigger memory footprint when scanning (35 – 60 Mb) it should not be a problem for most of the systems.

The following list shows differences between the Google Pack version (Starter Edition) and the full version of Spyware Doctor:

Spyware protection: all versions

Adware protection: all versions

Scan and Remove: all versions

Smart Updates: all versions

OnGuard (real-time) Protection: in all versions

- File Guard: all versions

- Immunizer: all versions

- Startup Guard: full version only

- Browser Guard: full version only

- Process Guard: full version only

- Cookie Guard: full version only

- Keylogger Guard: full version only

- Network Guard: full version only

- Site Guard: full version only

Community support: all versions

Email support: all versions

Priority support: full version only

Phone support: full version only

Our verdict: very easy-to-use antispyware software with above average detection rates and no false positives.