PCPitstop & Pest Patrol

Does anyone have any experience with PcPitstop or Pest Patrol.
good or bad ?

I ran PcPitstop and was impressed with the 'free' pc check. I applied a couple of their suggestions and certainly speeded up my pc.

One thing they seem to be against and suggest I remove from my system is Spyware and Ad-ware (I haven't as yet). Folks on this list seem to swear by those two utilities.

I'd be interested in hearing any comments - before proceeding any further.

 

I have used PC Pitstop since shortly after they started their site. I have never had any problems with it (although every once in a while my firewall will interfere with their tests). It has detected several issues on occasion and the advice they have given has always been good. The site provides clear instructions on how to correct the issue. Plus, depending on the problem, they offer an automated solution.

IMHO, it is a great site. I run a full set of checks on all 3 of my machines at home every couple of months.

 

I like PC Pitstop, and their suggestions have never led me astray. I only disable Norton's AV while running the tests, though- firewall stays on. They always lower my score because I use spyware (weatherbug) but I have never had them suggest that AdAware or Spybot are problems. My last test score was 935 in the 97th percentile of comps in its class. Made me smile.

Johanna

 

As I have had my browser hijacked, extra toolbars added, default search engines added, and homepages reset multiple times, among other things, on 2 PC's, and Spybot and AdAware have helped me find and remove/repair these problems, I feel they, or any two good spyware removal utilities are a MUST HAVE for everyone accessing the internet. I like PC Pitstop and stop in often for a checkup, but I sure wouldn't remove Spybot or AdAware just because they suggested it. Maybe they have there own utility to promote?!

 

*One thing they seem to be against and suggest I remove from my system is Spyware and Ad-ware (I haven't as yet). Folks on this list seem to swear by those two utilities.*

I think there is some confusion here

I know of no malware cleaner called "Spyware ", do know and use SpyBot.

Same for "Ad-ware ", do know and use Ad-Aware by Lavasoft.

I think what the site was saying is get rid of ad ware, as in advertisments and spyware, as in Grokster, Lop, etc.

Regards - Charles

 

Charles: It does not take make to confuse me. I cut and pasted
PcPitStop's tip, it was:

> TipsIn the tips and the tables, red indicates a serious problem, yellow a minor problem, and blue a suggestion.

• Remove spyware and adware <

Since I only have Spybot and Ad-Adware by Lavasoft installed, I assume these are the ones they are referring to.

I don't think I'll remove them anyway.

Johanna: My score was onyt 761, I ran it with Norton's 2002 AV enabled. Don't know if dis-abling it during the test would make a difference or not, maybe I'll try and see.

Thanks guys.

 

Spybot and AdAware are programs used to identify and remove spyware and adware from your system. You say you have them. Do you use them? How often? Do you let them clean up what they find?

Running the test with Norton AV will not change the score, just keep your Norton from going bananas trying to defend you while the test is running.

Johanna

 

Hello reknaw,

Perhaps this link, a google search page on spyware, will clarify things for you: http://mysearch.myway.com/jsp/GGmain.jsp?searchfor=spyware&st=site

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks Charles. I followed that url and downloaded a trial version of Pest Patrol...wow, after cleaning (i thought) with SpyBot and Ad-ware I ran Pest Patrol and Scanned 30,865 objects and it found 645 Pests...

The majority were Confirmed or Suspected in Adware & Spyware & 1 or 2 Hijacker. The trial version doesn't allow Delete or Quarantine. Now I don't know what to do. How good is Pest Patrol ? should I have to worry about these "pests" or should I buy the utility and get rid of 'em ?

Completely confused now - the main thing is everything "appears" to be working OK.

 

Hi reknaw,

Ok, lets take this one a time.

The heart of the matter, and why I posted to this thread in the first place, was your confusing names.

You're substituting this name *Spyware* for SpyBot Search&Destroy. Spyware is a generic term for malware: software, cookies, etc, that spy on you.

Same deal with *Adware* - which is also a generic term for spyware that delivers advertisments to your system w/o your consent. The *Adware" cleaning program's name is: Ad-Aware by a company called Lavasoft.

You're driving me crazy

To answer your question. You write that "The majority were Confirmed or Suspected in Adware & Spyware & 1 or 2 Hijacker. "

So use both SPYBOT and AD-AWARE to clean up your system before buying anything else and use your evaluation copy of PestPetrol to cross-check.

I would also recommend that you run the cleaning programs in safe mode - F5 or F8 on bootup. Not an absolute necessity, but thats what I would do. One more thing, because of the volume of **** on your system, I would do this cleaning a little at a time: do some cleaning, run your system for a while, then do some more. Both SPYBOT & AD-AWARE back up what they clean.

Regards - Charles

 

Charles - believe it or not but I did run SPYBOT & AD-AWARE
and deleted all they found. I ran Ad-Aware again and all was fine.

Then I ran the trial version of Pest Patrol and came up with the 645 pests.

I'll try running Spybot and Ad-Aware (sorry left out an "a" on last postin) again and see if any **** is there now.

 

Hi reknaw,

My appologies if I over reacted, but it seemed that you were all set to delete malware cleaners beause of a misunderstanding of what the Pit Stop site was telling you.

I used to use PestPatrol up to the end of last year, but got disenchanted with it, think the issue(s) were lack of timely updates and they seemed to have lost their way - neither this nor that, meaning, were they targeting viruses or trojans or spyware or ad ware? Don't know about the newer versions.

These sites are heavily security focused:

http://www.spywareinfo.com/yabbse/
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/index.php
http://www.net-integration.net/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.cgi

Search these sites for PestPatrol and see what the opinions are. I know that at the Wilders board, there are a number of threads on PestPatrol.

The net-integration site is where the forum for SpyBot is located.

Quite aside from PestPatrol, these sites are good to cruise if you're interested in security and privacy. So have a look around at all the various boards on the respective sites. Well worth anyone's time.

Regards - Charles

 

No apoligises needed Charles. Your last posting probably answered my original question the best. I was looking for anyones opinion of PestPatrol.

I did actually again run Spybot S&D 1.2 and Ad-Aware (6.0) and deleted the dozen or so files that showed up. Then I tried Pest Patrol and still came up with 600+ little pests.

I think I may know why.... about a year or so ago I had a crash and took the pc in for a "pro" to fix. In order to save my data, for some reason the only way was to re-install my XP under a different name and leave the old one on my disk. I'm sure he said after awhile when I'm sure I have everything I wanted transfered then I could delete the original XP......... maybe, for whatever reason, Skybot and Ad-Aware did not recognise the original XP and Pest Control did. Don't know if that makes any sense to you. I'll go see the guy next and see if he remembers what he did.

Thanks for all your help. At least everythings running OK.

 

One important item that I have not seen mentioned here If it was then I appoligize.

Before running ANY tests of the kind MAKE SURE YOU HAVE backups in place.

When checking online any little glitch or hangup can produce FALSE info.

And it is also I good idea to check BEFORE un-installing or installing anything. It could save you A LOT of headaches.

In 98 it would be the RB00X.CAB files in the C:\Windows\Sysbckup folder.

In ME or XP it would be System Restore.

And DO NOT count 100% on XP doing things for you as sometimes it does and sometimes is does not.

DO a MANUAL eyeball to file check to be sure the Restore points are there BEFORE running ANY KIND of cleaning Program. Online or not.

I have found 98 to be quite relaiable as to making the backup files. But XP does not seem to be that reliable. I got burned ONCE by not checking the RPs. I would bet that I do not get caught again.

I have installed two pieces of software in the last few days and NO RP was made. I installed some Windows updates and RPs were made.

From someone who has learned the time consuming, data losing HARD way.

BillyBob