- Quick specs
- Price: Free; paid upgrade available
- Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000
- Date added: October 13, 2009
- Total Downloads: 341,516,397
- Downloads last week: 599,838
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 11272 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on October 11, 2009
One of the first applications built to find and remove malware and spyware, Ad-Aware's reputation is well-justified. The latest version continues the publisher's tradition of adroitly addressing user concerns, but isn't yet perfect.
Building on the improvements made in version 8, former Ad-Aware users should be glad to hear that the program installs faster than it used to. Without a doubt, though, this version of Ad-Aware improves greatly on what has come before. It loads faster during your boot cycle, and scans are faster. Empirical tests noted that while the Quick Scan finished in less than 10 minutes for version 8, the current version's Quick Scan finished in under three minutes. Previous files that had been falsely detected as threats weren't flagged this time around, probably due in part to Ad-Aware's behavioral detection engine. Called Genotype, it's based on heuristics and uses a one-pass scanning system, Genotype isn't directly exposed to users, although you can opt in to anonymously contribute data from the Settings menu. The new version also explicitly calls out in the scan windows what the scan looks for.
New users should note that Ad-Aware Free performs faster than integrated antivirus and antimalware programs in part because only the paid version of Ad-Aware comes with an antivirus engine. Other important features are disabled in the free version. While rootkit detection is present, behavior-based heuristics and real-time registry protection are not. Ad-Aware Free cannot scan networked drives, and even a basic feature like the scheduler remains off-limits to nonpaying customers. The proprietary real-time defender Ad-Watch Live has been reconfigured to run more smoothly in the background, however, and long-time fans will notice the change. Ad-Aware continues to make improvements and seems to be unwilling to rest on its malware-removing laurels, but the free version is undeniably hamstrung.
Watch the CNET video review of Ad-Aware Free Anti-Malware:
Publisher's description
From Lavasoft :With behavior-based threat detection and integrated real-time monitoring, Ad-Aware focuses on core consumer security needs. Instead of adding layers of bells and whistles--thereby slowing your computer and scans down--we have decided to focus on what really matters. Ad-Aware provides advanced threat protection, and is significantly lighter and faster than our previous versions.
What's new in this version:
Version 8.1.0 includes new anti-malware technology with new Genotype detection and behavior-based heuristics, new usability features that allow you to tailor the program to fit your needs, and the community collaboration that will allow you to customize Ad-Aware to your needs.
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.8 stars out of 11272 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 205 user reviewsSee all 205 user reviews
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Version: Ad-Aware Free Anti-Malware 8.1.0
"Low resource usage AFTER bootup"
Pros: Celeron 430, WinXPp SP3, 4 GB ram, Ad-Aware 8.1.2
Good luck quantifying that the new version scans faster (than the "old" Anniversary Edition?). I seem to have given up on full scans, and just do smart scans, whatever they are.Cons: With the new version 8.1.2, there's still an extended time during boot up that Ad-Aware sucks 100% of my CPU cycles. Exactly how long was also unquantified in the article.
Summary: Ad-Aware uses 100% of my CPU cycles (for what seems like minutes) while booting up, which always makes it stand out as the one program that's keeping me (or my computer) from doing anything else during that time.
Seth, the CNET guy, wrote... read more >> -
Version: Ad-Aware Free Anti-Malware 8.1.0
"Great at finding sneaky items that infiltrate system."
Pros: Excellent at finding items that are inknowningly downloaded.
Cons: Full system scan seems to take forever... but I just start it whenever I get up from my computer for a while.
Summary: I've used Ad-Aware for about ten years now. I like the ease of update downloads and the ability to use it only when I want - not invasive nor overtakes (and slowsd down) my system without warning like some programs.
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Version: Ad-Aware Free Anti-Malware 8.1.0
Pros: Had this for years but this evening my home page got hijacked.Did a full scan which lasted over an hour & it found nothing. Downloaded Malwarebytes & it found several items & resolved the problem in minutes! How could that be?!
Cons: SEE ABOVE. Ad-Aware need to get this sorted out cos today I discovered what a useless program it is. Maybe they're taking things for granted but if this goes on then I'll be uninstalling this program & I think others will follow! This was shocking!
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Version: Ad-Aware Free Anti-Malware 8.1.0
Pros: I had two Trojan Viruses on my computer and spent days trying different "cleaners" to get rid of them. I noticed an ad for Ad-Aware on the CNet page. What did I have to loose it was free. Ad-Aware was the only product that found the Trojans.
Cons: One thing I have noticed is that since installing the Ad-Aware program, my system has slowed down a bit. This could be due to the fact that the Trojans were on the system for a couple of days before I found them.
Summary: Ad-Aware is easy to download and use. I like the fact that it was free which gave me the chance to try the product out before purchasing it. It is very easy to use and gets the job done for me. Compaired to other similar products it was the only one... read more >>
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Version: Ad-Aware Free Anti-Malware 8.1.0
"Removed programs but compromized home network"
Pros: Removed 500 adware programs that trend-micro didn't find.
Cons: In concert with Windows, brought down my home network.
Summary: Vista and XP computers could no longer access folders on XP server. They could find shared drive but not folders on it. Error message says "permissions may not allow access. Not enough storage is available to process this command." Microsoft hel... read more >>
- See all 205 user reviews Write review
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