| GUI:  Features: Ease of use: Value: |  | Yet another tool that any IT person should know about and have. Its single handedly, the most powerful tool in the respect that it allows users to manually reset certain windows settings that spyware/adware have done onto your system.
This software alone though is of little value. It is necessary to run this alongside a program like Microsoft AntiSpyware or SpySweeper or any program from the long list of spyware/adware removers out there. Unlike those programs, which scan your system for known locations of spyware, and remove the instances of those spywares, HijackThis focuses only on certain windows settings...and since it doesnt remove spyware, the spywares that are known to affect these settings will probably just reset everything to the way it was before you changed them.
HijackThis focuses on a few settings:
Windows Startup Entries (via the registry location)
Internet Explorer Downloaded Program Files (like ActiveX stuff, e.g. Yahoo Games, or Shockwave Flash)
Internet Explorer BHO's
Internet Explorer default webpages (like your start page or search page)
there are a few others, but you get the point.
It will show you everything in an easy to read log...
The hard part is understanding it.
For the computer novice, this is a daunting task. For the knowledgable computer person, its nothing terribly difficult. Thats why people suggest the computer novices save a log out of the program and let a knowledgable computer person analyze it. The program allows one to save logs very easily...
Another thing the program does is that it will backup any and all changes one makes for restoring, if deemed necessary.
Changing the settings can have dramatic effects on the system if not done with proper care, so the backup feature is a nice complement, which is why its suggested to have a knowledgable person to read the log file and suggest entries to be removed.
Overall, a FREE lightweight program that is one of the most powerful tools in rescuing a computer infected with spyware and adware. As stated above, this software alone is worthless, and needs accompanyment by a spyware/adware scanner like Microsoft AntiSpyware or Webroot SpySweeper or the sort.
Highly, highly recommended piece of software. |
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