- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 98
- Date added: January 17, 2006
- Total Downloads: 1,171,596
- Downloads last week: 18,726
- See full specifications
A newer version of A-squared Free is available.
(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 361 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
A-Squared Free seems to have worked out many of its major quirks, and has become a top-notch free malware remover.
When the program starts, it opens to the Security Status page. From there, you can run scans, update the program, access the A-Squared knowledge base and choose from among 20 display languages. Program options are arranged on the left nav: the aforementioned Security Status, Scan PC, Quarantine, and Configuration tabs. Scan PC contains four scanning options: Quick, Smart, Deep, and Custom. Obviously, Quick Scan is the fastest and most superficial, while the Deep Scan can take several hours.
If you choose a scan that examines your cookies, the app will recommend closing your Web browser. Custom lets you choose not only which folders to scan, but also lets you opt out of heuristic, tracking cookie, and spyware remnant scans. There is also a Whitelist where you can add folders or files, accessible at the bottom of the main Scan tab panel. The Quarantine tab uses a spreadsheet-style layout to manage isolated files, and the Configuration tab has options for Context menu scans, Update behavior, and Permissions settings.
There's an annoying design quirk, where important options like the Whitelist are placed in the bottom left of the active panel. But for an antimalware program that's free and doesn't install its own spyware on your machine, A-Squared 3 is the place to be.
Publisher's description
From Emsi Software :Scan your computer for malicious software (malware), such as describes Trojan horses, dialers, worms, spyware, and viruses. A-squared Free finds and removes these pests securely. The first step is the memory scan for detecting malware. The second step is the drive scan, which scans all files on your disks for malware. Currently more than 200,000 types of malware can be removed. After the scan has finished, you can select which malware files you want to remove automatically. Version 1.6.1 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.
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User reviews of A-squared Free 1.6.1
- Average user rating: 3.8 stars out of 361 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 9 user reviewsSee all 9 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
2 out of 5 people found this review helpful
Version: A-squared Free 1.6.1
"Not bad, I have had it for three years."
Pros: Despite the editors review, I like this program. The installation was a little lengthy and you do have to register an email address before you can use it. Overall I think it is worth the hassle and A-squared has found malware that Adaware and Spybot did not find!!. It is free and submitting your email address does not put you on a mailing list, and they DO NOT send it to anybody else. Scans are slow, but they have inproved over the last few version updates. Weekly if not daily updates keep the program current with the latest threats. Try it.... I like it and will continue to use it, just to be on the safe side, keeping my PC squeaky clean.
Cons: Installation and registration process seems pointless since this is freeware, but A-squared has been around for a looooooong time, so back then Im sure this was standard proceedure for certain freeware.They have not updated thier installation process but it really isn't a big deal. Would you rather register an email addy to use this program and be safe or have malware lurking on your PC if you decide not to use A-squared?
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1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Version: A-squared Free 1.6.1
"No one can beat this!!!!!!!!"
Pros: I have tried many spyware/adware removal tools like spybot, adaware, spyware doctor, but no one of them cleaned my pc 100% but when i used this program it got some malicious activities in my pc which top rated removal program could not find.
It is great that it is free!!!!!
Cons: It takes little more time to scan pc.
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Version: A-squared Free 1.6.1
"Not bad! Want the full version for free??? Read on"
Pros: Get the free and pro trial version. Install both and take the asquared.cfg and asquared.sys files from the trial version in the directory and add them to the directory of the free one, and PRESTO!!! You now have a full working pro version that expires in 2003 with their dumb little happy face next to the expiry ;) Who's smiling now uh! hehe
Cons: Not much I guess, it was ok, but got rid of it now. After a few months of it not finding anything, and realizing that the signature folder eats up about 30 megs of memory and grows with each update. Try it if you want, why not, you can have the full version for free now.
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: A-squared Free 1.6.1
"Good program if you don't want to pay for one"
Pros: Easy to use
Cons: No active guard, to get this you have to pay for upgrade
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: A-squared Free 1.6.1
"This free anti-trojan tool is great!"
Pros: This is mainly an anti-trojan scanner, not an anti-spyware scanner. It complements your spyware scanner and virus scanner (which often performs badly at trojans and backdoors).
It is very easy to use.
Cons: Although the installation process consists of 3 simple phases (1: Installing the program files. 2: Creating a user account at a-squared's web site. 3: Downloading the updates.), step 2 makes it a 4-8 minutes process total.
The reason is that step 2 involves receiving an email containing the registration code (which you simply cut-and-paste).
But this is the price for getting a great program at no cost.
- See all 9 user reviews Write review
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