Another so-called PC optimizer

Hi. I just installed and uninstalled PC PowerScan. I was curious about its abilities and decided to give it a spin. This is one of those Free services that installs a software program to scan the registry for problems. If you want to fix them Then YOU HAVE TO PAY.
I was not impressed with the results as they only gave limited info. Just computer techie types of problems with a count number for each. No real posting of the actual links in the registry and names of shared dll files no longer linked, etc. You get the idea.
First off it checks for updates and indeed it DID have an update right off.
Suspicious for a newly installed proggy. They also offer a free newsletter via a popup window if you close the Browser window or stray from it, with I think the claim was tons of support links for different sites.
When I clicked on several of these links a interesting page would load and then the screen would blink and I would be at the link below. Use this link with care as it will want to install their product when you click on it. Read the shifty little popup and cancel using Alt-F4 keyboard.

PC PowerScan


This is where you install the product to begin with. So where is all the great support info I was looking for ? I guess since this is not Freeware..Hmm
I decided to uninstall the product after they already got my Email
What gets me is for a product that claims to clean up PC problems it left behind a mess of references to their product and hompage right there in , you guessed it! The Registry. I ran MSReg to find and clean problems then to a look at the list. No less than 32 references. I also found a dll in the System directory that their optimizing proggy installed and left to clog up my system.
It justs sounds fishy to me and also I found absolutely No links to a Privacy Policy on their site. If you read the license agreement when installing the proggy it asks you to agree to this well hidden PP. I decided to go to the homepage and just type in privacy at the end of the url in the address bar.. and sure enough.. there is one.
Call me paranoid but I just don't think that this sounds like such a good deal and maybe they ripped off some other proggy just to get you there and get whatever info from you that they can for whatever greedy reason.
Maybe some one can benifit from my experience or set me straight on this deal.
Thanks for listening!
Larry

P.S I'm about to install SpywareBlaster and saw a link in the agreement to this board. That is how I found this and It looks like a good place for resources.

 

Hi Wizrobe ,and Welcome to the Forums,

Personally, I'm not paranoid either, but cautious. I've learned you really have to cross reference your intended selections carefully. I don't know much about this PC Powerscan (always the skeptic), so I can't advise there.

But to address your cleanup, before I get to actually try something new, I'll back up the registry first (have a look here),
then I set a restore point.

Now if you're on xp (not sure about other os), I'd check to make sure the program has an un-install, if not you can add
the program through the add/remove department.

If things don't work out, you can uninstall the program or remove it (add/remove), then remerge the back't up registry to alleviate the changes. If there's still ref's, stick the system restore second, then add the saved registry. This will keep that leftover junk to a minimum.

When you prospect a new tool, keep up on sites like this:http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm

You can find some good free stuff at this noteworthy site.

Best to You,
GF