RunScanner

Using the computer on a daily basis for work and leisure activities sooner or later gets it filled with various files or leftovers from removed programs. More threats are also a mouse click away while you're connected to the Internet, and an antivirus solution does not provide full protection. However, specialized applications like RunScanner give you the possibility to search for and eliminate any suspicious file, process or registry from your computer.

Luckily, the application doesn't need to be installed on your system to properly function so you can keep it on a removable storage device to use on multiple computers. System requirements are also not something to worry about, making it compatible with a wide array of configurations.

One thing you need to keep in mind though, is that the application is not meant to automatically detect and point out issues, but rather provide all necessary details so you can take care of cleaning yourself. As such, it's best to have some degree of computer and Windows knowledge before using it, or simply pay attention to the various hints and warnings found throughout the interface.

Unlike most applications of its kind, the scan process only triggers if you press the corresponding button, thus giving you some time to get acquainted with the interface and functions. It only takes a matter of seconds for the scanner to do its job, leaving you to handle the rest.

Two main features are found in separate tabs, namely malware hunting and extra stuff. The application retrieves an abundance of info it displays in a table along with info like description, path, company and signer to check for authenticity. Sadly, there's no criteria to sort by file format, but you can use the integrated search engine in this regard.

A bunch of operations can be performed to make sure specific files are safe. The context menu gives you the possibility to look up online with several search engines, upload to VirusTotal, or take matters into your own hands through the registry editor, file properties or opening its location.

Extra stuff mentioned earlier are mostly oriented towards application management. Needless to say that the scan process is also the one responsible for gathering all data. You'll be able to analyze and remove autostart items, and these also include processes, services and registries, but with no option to add new entries.

The same can be done with running processes, with options to kill selected ones with non-windows entries selected by default so you need to pay attention. Again, you won't find an option to start new processes. A host file editor is included so you can manage website and network permissions.

Whenever changes are made, a restore point is automatically created so you can quickly revert in case unexpected events occur. Moreover, you can save the log file for further analysis, which comes in handy when managing multiple computers because machine details are also included.

Taking everything into consideration, we can say that RunScanner is a powerful utility dedicated to advanced users that want to take a closer look at running processes, registries, installed applications and more, in an attempt to keep the operating system clean. Although no automation tools are implemented, the rich set of tools is sure to get the job done.