CNET Editors' review
This spyware remover looks good, offering security fundamentals but its efficacy is hard to judge on a clean or already-secure system. Advanced System Protector aims to rid your machine of spyware and malware, and it's generally a pretty thing to watch. The interface has a classy bar of tabs across the top, although the central pane feels a bit cluttered by deviating from the design scheme with a big, green Start Scan Now button.
Below that there are three choices for the type of scan: Quick, Deep, and Custom. The Quick scan took about 23 minutes, while the Custom scan lets you opt out of Cookies, Memory, Registry, and Files and Folders, or select specific folders and files to toss in the pot. Advanced System Protector is sensitive enough to pick up tracking cookies, although there didn't seem to be a method for fine-tuning that. The scheduler was surprisingly impressive, allowing for scans daily, once, and variations in-between. You can configure the program to run at startup, to update definition files automatically, and create a whitelist of files to never scan.
However, Advanced System Protector lacks an integrated antivirus component, which more and more solo malware battlers are now building in from the get-go. The real-time shields components are also kept behind a deadbolt unless you upgrade to the paid version. Overall, program runs well for what it can do and shouldn't be hard to use.
Publisher's Description
From Systweak:
Advanced System Protector is a solution to detect and remove the malicious programs intruding your computer. It offers protection against deceptive applications that affect start-up programs, cookies, Registry entries, and files and folders to hide themselves in your system. Check for infections in all vulnerable areas and safeguard your hard work and personal data. With the vast database of spyware detections you can efficiently control low-risk annoying pop-up adverts to high-risk infections that can steal confidential data to severe-risk malware that can even format your system in stealth mode. Advanced System Protector scans for spyware, adware, malware, riskware, key loggers, trojans, sniffers, BHOs, exploits, worms, and monitoring programs. It tracks all the infections present on your system, shows severity of every infection found, removes all the malicious entries and protects your data from prying eyes. It further provides complete protection by blocking the programs you suspect.
Version 2.0.323.1836 features improved update installation speed and database loading speed with better detections.
What's new in this version: Version 2.0.323.1836 features improved update installation speed and database loading speed with better detections.
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All versions:
3.2 starsout of 112 votes
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Current version:
3.0 starsout of 42 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Great FREE!!! AntiSpyware..."
Version: Advanced System Protector Personal Edition 2.0.323.1836
Pros
Real time protection and shields are the best
Cons
so far none
Summary
The best virus/malware scanner that can be found. This being a free tool, used alongside an AV will protect your system 99.9% paired with common-sense, you won't have any problems with malware.
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"Ruined My system"
Version: Advanced System Protector Personal Edition 2.0.323.1836
Pros
Some functions are good for free product
Cons
slow scan speed.slows down the system as much as it can. the scan proves wrong and have many false positives not better than MABM
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"Found spywares prominent programs did not"
Version: Advanced System Protector Personal Edition 2.0.323.1836
Pros
18 spywares/adwares found AND QUARANTINED for free, not found by Microsoft Security Essentials,Iobit, Spybot, Super Anti Spyware.
Cons
Updated maybe once a year, lengthy processing treats 200-400K items separately, link to online explanation not clear. Trying to sell $30(?) paid version but I understand that.
Summary
Good additional program at right price.
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"Works quite well!"
Version: Advanced System Protector Personal Edition 2.0.323.1836
Pros
Scans fairly fast and the entire system. Many options.
Cons
Can take up RAM.
Summary
My PC was running sluggish, and kept locking-up. Was seeing small color spots on the monitor. I thought my monitor was going. I installed System Protector that I still had a subscription on. Ran a scan, and it found Malware.Klone and Trojan-spy.Ardamax.j. It quarantine them, and I couldn't believe how fast my PC is. Runs like it's new. No more spots on the monitor or lock-ups. What so bad is the my Vipre, Superantispyware, and iobit 360 failed to find them. I ran several scans from them, but nothing.
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"So far this is the best cleaner I've ever used"
Version: Advanced System Protector Personal Edition 2.0.323.1836
Pros
Found and fixed what my others didn't and it's free
Cons
I've used this for 2 weeks and can't find anything negative to say
Summary
I'm using top rated programs / software that I paid for and it never found what this did. I really helped cleanup my PC
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"Top marks for a free spyware and malware"
Version: Advanced System Protector Personal Edition 2.0.323.1836
Pros
very good program" by papc01
Cons
It removes backdoor spyware ,most on my comp for some time
never knowSummary
Does very deep scan , ALL VIRUSES AND SPYWARES ON YOUR COMPUTER
. long time scanning your pc but your pc will be clean -
"It found some somethings but not all."
Version: Advanced System Protector Personal Edition 2.0.323.1836
Pros
This piece of software worked well once I had cleaned my system with Dr Web Cure It.
Cons
Unfortunately the software did not detect all infections & additional software was needed before this software would install,updat,operate correctly.The walware infection present, prevented ASP from properly updating the database of signatures.
Summary
A good piece of software on the whole, once installed and running correctly. The free version was not up to the job of detecting memory resident trojans which prevented its correct installation. Once these were removed using Dr Web Cure It, this software worked a treat at finding additional infections that Dr Web Cure It was unable to find. A good combination of the 2 pieces of software.
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"Never ending scans & not able to cancel"
Version: Advanced System Protector Personal Edition 2.0.323.1836
Pros
Caught some things others haven't
Cons
The scan takes over 4 hours, and it spends 2 of those hours scanning 2 files of its own program.
You cannot stop scan, even after selecting to stop it and confirming to stop it.Summary
Junk
After those 4 hours (2 hours of which spent on its own 2 files) i ctl+alt+del ended program because you cannot close it until stops scanning. which never stops.
i can only guess how much longer it would of kept scanning. Which makes this junk if it cannot tell if its own files are infections or not.
Complete junk, all programs after catching something leads you to action center if scan canceled. Not this one, it keeps scanning even after canceling it. and cannot do anything about what it catches! -
"Microsoft doesn't even know about this program!!!!!!"
Version: Advanced System Protector Personal Edition 2.0.323.1836
Pros
None, it looks like a rouge fake thing!!!
Cons
EVERYTHING!!!!
Summary
my friends dad works for Microsoft (in there programing section) and he's never heard of this program before!!!! and he knows all the software Microsoft makes!!!
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"Ruined my computer..........beware!"
Version: Advanced System Protector Personal Edition 2.0.323.1836
Pros
Found 358 instances of spyware and trojans.
Cons
Absolutely NONE. I would give this 0, or a -5 if it were possible.
Summary
Said it deleted all the spyware, then I ran it again, and it found the exact same things again. They were NOT deleted.
Then a message came up on my screen from MS saying my windows files had been replaced with unrecognizable versions, and to insert my WinXP disk to correct it. I tried several times to do a system restore to a previous point, but it froze up and would not work. So I was forced to reinstall WinXP.
Do not use this piece of garbage if you value your computer.
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