- Quick specs
- Price: Free; paid upgrade available
- Operating system: Windows 2000/XP/Vista
- Date added: November 07, 2007
- Total Downloads: 341,029,318
- Downloads last week: 599,838
- See full specifications
A newer version of Ad-Aware 2007 is available.
(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 11498 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
One of the first applications built to find and remove adware and spyware, Ad-Aware's excellent reputation is well-justified. While the 2007 edition is still free, it does have some new features that may make you reconsider the height of the pedestal it sits on.
First off, the app's updater is now permanently on, running in your system's background. The irony of Ad-Aware running potential spyware is not lost on us. The interface has also been completely overhauled, and it's a bit more confusing. There are six tabs in the nav bar. Status and Scan initiate adware scans, and finish with a line-item list so you can select which components to remove and create a system restore point. The context menu offers some information about suspected adware, though it's light on details.
Other navbar buttons include Ad-Watch, offering real-time defenses but only in the paid version. Plug-ins are disabled in the free version, but the Tools and Plug-ins tab hosts TrackSweep, the new browsing tracks cleaner. Smoothly integrated into the app, it wipes the cache, cookies, and history, and other breadcrumbs left by major browsers. We couldn't help but notice, though, that the Web Update tab, which controls definition file and software updates, ran far more sluggishly than in previous editions, and sometimes even crashed the program.
The Settings tab provides access to auto-scans, browsers, scanning, the interface, and log files. The app does an excellent job of removing most malware components, although rescanning is necessary for a seriously infected machine. The freeware restrictions are mildly irritating, but they're nothing compared to some of the serious stability and background processes in the 2007 version. However, it is a fully functional adware remover, and it continues to do that well. With some hesitation, we recommend Ad-Aware 2007 as part of your arsenal.
Watch the CNET video review of Ad-Aware 2007:
Publisher's description
From Lavasoft :With the ability to scan your RAM, Registry, hard drives, and external storage devices for known data-mining, advertising, and tracking components, Ad-Aware 2007 easily can clean your system, allowing you to maintain a higher degree of privacy while you surf the Web.
Ad-Aware 2007 includes a redesigned engine, improved code sequence identification, incremental definition updates, one-click Web-history cleanup, multiple browser support, and other new features. Version 7.0.2.5 is a bug-fixing release.
Note: After installation, the program will ask you for a registration code. Just hit Cancel to run the free version.
What's new in this version:
Version 7.0.2.5 is a bug-fixing release.
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User reviews of Ad-Aware 2007 7.0.2.5
- Average user rating: 3.8 stars out of 11498 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 456 user reviewsSee all 456 user reviews
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3 out of 5 people found this review helpful
Version: Ad-Aware 2007 7.0.2.5
Pros: It removes spyware. Shiny interface, and works.
Cons: It used to have bad ratings, but so I heard it was updated, however I still didn't see any improvements on the scanning. The last version I downloaded when it came out took about 7 minutes to scan, and the "updated" version still took about the same time. Has anyone else seen the improvement? And I never understood the 20MB and where it came from. Loads of advertising on it that doesn't seem obvious, but the old SE Personal version didn't have that. I'm glad I saved a copy of the SE version. I haven't seen the improvement on this one yet, nor I feel it shoudl be 20MB.
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10 out of 10 people found this review helpful
Version: Ad-Aware 2007 7.0.2.5
"ok, this is more like it...fixed bugs & alot FASTER"
Pros: I've uninstalled & restalled 2007 AdAware so many x's that i don't know what to do w/ myself. I started feeling like Ad Aware's personal guinea pig, but yap all the testing is slowly payin off, so far. I'm not vouching in blood quite yet
In 5 wks this newer version worked better then the other 2007 versions & it's FAST like the older original version. It gives us a teeny bit more control & hasn't froze up in the 3 wks I've had it. I haven't recieved the upteen error & 'server too busy' signs as w/ the previous 2007either(well, maybe jus twice). One thing for certain, it's still beats out ALL the other top freebies & trialwares, so really we have no choice put to roll w/ it ; )
Cons: I did'nt like having to spend 1/4 of the yr 2007 uninstalling & reinstalling Ad Aware just b/c they wanted to fly their kite higher! If it ain't broke don't fix it. It's only obvious how many consumers AdAware would've lost if not for loyal customers & C/Net's "update alerts", etc
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5 out of 7 people found this review helpful
Version: Ad-Aware 2007 7.0.2.5
Pros: Improved update much better.
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Version: Ad-Aware 2007 7.0.2.5
Pros: Free.... Very easy to use... Nice interface
Cons: The main reason I got rid of this program was due to the fact it was deleting certain files connected to my system restore.I was losing my restore points for months and I read some forums it was down to Ad-Aware.I uninstalled it and since that day 4 weeks ago my system restore is back to normal.I lked the program a lot, but sadly I had no choice but to unistall it.
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0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Ad-Aware 2007 7.0.2.5
"As good as SE, only time will tell."
Pros: I was an SE fan. I updated the definitions regularly and kept my system clean. A few months ago, I started having problems receiving updates, connection error or some such thing. So I decided to upgrade to 2007. This Dec. '07, so I avoided alot of the beta and buggy releases. I did a final scan with SE, clean as a whistle. Downloaded 2007 and ran a quick scan after install... 17 data miners than SE had missed!! So far, so good. The scan itself took about 2 minutes, if that. So folks complain about it being slow... I'd suggest they speed up their machines first. I run Vista on a Duo Core AMD 64, with 4gig of RAM. I haven't had a single compatibility problem. There are more options for customizing your scans than before. I won't give it a written-in-stone thumbs up.. but can't find anything to hate about it yet!
Cons: Haven't found anything to ***** about yet.
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