recommendations for free scanner ?

can anybody recommend a second opinion / on demand virus / malware scanner ?

 

I use and recommend Malwarebytes Free secondary, on-demand scanning.

 

Here are another two second-opinion scanners you can use for free: HitmanPro and Emsisoft Emergency Kit

 

Emsisoft Emergency Kit, Avira PC Cleaner and Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool are my recommendations.

 

I don't see Avira PC Cleaner on Avira's site. Nor anywhere I consider reputable (subjective). Is it not officially supported?

 

Malwarebytes、AdwCleaner、Emsisoft Emergency Kit、
Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool、Norton Power Eraser、
ESET Online Scanner .

are all good free scanner tools .

Many people (including me) likes to use a tools name call " Zemana Anti-Malware " before ,
it's a pretty good tool for scan&remove malware at 2017 ,detection rate are quite good ,
and really good at cleaning Trojan and worm .

But now , Zemana it is not good as before ,
after Zemana operational difficulties and internal disputes ,
the detection rate are getting worse , and false alert issue never seems to fix ,
so .... Zemana is no longer my recommendation .

 

Comodo Cleaning Essentials
HerdProtect
Norton Power Eraser

 

RogueKiller Anti-malware

Code:

https://www.adlice.com/download/roguekiller/

 

It looks like they don't offer installer on their site any more. I downloaded it form Softpedia and tested it and it updates and runs fine. It's digitally signed by Avira and is not detected by any AV on Virustotal (both installer and executable). I hope that they don't stop offering updates for it any time soon.

 

I've been using Hitman Pro for many years as a free second-opinion scanner. It's given some false positives, though, so I wouldn't necessarily rip out files based solely on one scan. ADW Cleaner is another free on-demand scanner that's focused on spyware.

 

Weird does it not install? Because after "installing" it & searching for 'Avira' on my PC there are only 3 files: the exe & 2 shortcuts: Avira PC Cleaner & Remove Avira PC Cleaner. There is no Avira listed as installed nor a start menu listing for it.

 

No, it doesn't "install" in classical way. It just extracts in temp folder and creates shortcuts to run it and "uninstall" it (it just deletes folder with files and shortcuts). I copied that folder out of temp folder and run it from other location (so it doesn't get deleted by CClenaer).
First time it downloads 130+ MB of data but later it usually downloads 5-10 MB when running it weekly.

 

Scanners are good to detect malware, most of them are fine especially when used on the same system. Cleaning up is another issue which can only be achieved by restoring an image...

 

still on windows 8 or windows 10?
Windows Defender is same strong as commercial products.

not sure if still needed, but WD is able to detect adware also:
https://www.peerlyst.com/posts/registry-hack-turns-windows-defender-into-an-adware-killer

as a second opinion i suggest malwarebytes - free! against already present adware -> malwarebytes adwcleaner, ist specialized on adware in comparison to malwarebytes antimalware.

 

I couldn't find the temp folder. I'd like to do as you did. Would you list the path of the temp folder? Thanks.

 

1. How to delete temporary files and folders
2. C:\Users\'user name'\AppData\Local\Temp
   How to enable access to hidden folders

 

It "installs" in folder c:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Local\Temp\cleaner\.
You can also run it and when it's open insert USB key and use option Copy to USB device.



It will copy all necessary data to USB drive in folder Avira-PC-Cleaner which you can then copy wherever you want and run AvWebloader.exe from there. That way you'll get permanent "installation" of APC and you won't have to download all definitions each time you run it.

 

Ok found it, moved it created new shortcuts.

On my W7P64 in the temp folder the folder was named cleaner not Avira PC Cleaner.

 

Yes the path to temp folder ends in cleaner folder. If you use Copy to USB option the folder on USB drive is named Avira-PC-Cleaner. I don't know why.

 

Dr.Web CureIt

https://free.drweb.com/cureit

 

If you want a second, third, forth, fifth....... etc. opinion, Herdprotect has been recommended earlier.
That uses multiple detection engines like Virus Total, however is currently not distributed but can still be found in Major geeks.

If you want multiple engines on the job I would recommend OPSWAT Client.
It does not have as many engines as VirusTotal, but as it has the main good ones you need not worry about lacking ones you don't need anyway.
It will also look for any CVEs related to any of the software it finds.
https://www.opswat.com/free-tools

 

Trend Micro HouseCall
https://www.trendmicro.com/en_ca/forHome/products/free-tools.html

 

Which of these scanners is recommended for removing viruses and which for removing malware?

 

Viruses are part of malware.

I use:
Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool and ADWcleaner

 

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