SuperAntiSpyware version 4.25.1012

Finding several unknown folders created on my C: Drive, I believed that my computer was infected with some kind of virus or malware. I originally used programs like Adware SE Edition and Spybot: Search and Destroy to clean the HP Pavilion 716n, but the desktop still booted up and operated very slowly even after removing some of the threats. Frustrated, I started to search for other alternatives to Adware SE Edition and Spybot: Search and Destroy since I was convinced that there was still something wrong with my computer. Among the many suggestions, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and SuperAntiSpyware continually came up as the primary candidates.

SuperAntiSpyware version 4.25.1012 is a program designed to remove spyware, malware, and other harmful bugs from your computer. I installed SuperAntiSpyware, connected to the Internet to update to the latest definitions, and ran the program. Because of the HP Pavilion's slow performance and limited hardware (only 512MB of RAM), it took about 1 hour and 52 minutes for the scan to finish (my new computer can do it in under 15 minutes). Looking at the results, I discovered that the program found 10 or so items that the other programs (including Malwarebytes Anti-Malware) had missed.

I removed the infected items promptly, and my computer was relatively free of malware, spyware, and any other malicious software. The boot up time on the 716n is much faster, and opening programs has had a significant decrease in time as well.

The download size is around 5MB, making it easy to download on even the slowest Internet connection. The definitions are updated almost everyday, which is a good sign that the developers are finding and blocking new threats. It also does not consume much resources when scanning (although it took much longer to scan my system than Malwarebytes Anti-Malware); I was able to use it on an infected machine with only 512MB of memory.

There are some drawbacks to the program. With all computer programs such as this one, one has to be careful of "false positives," which are safe items mistaken for threats. Removing these may potentially be harmful to your computer. On my new desktop, I found 2 items from a recording video and audio application that were identified as adware were actually harmless; I removed the 2 items anyway without any negative consequences. For the most part though, I have not had many false positives on either the HP Pavilion 716n or my new computer.

On my new computer, which runs Windows Vista 64 bit, I have encountered one or two compatibility problems. For instance, when opening SuperAntiSpyware, I am continually brought to the setup window. The setup is only supposed to run once when the program is first installed, but mine runs each time the program is executed. I generally hit cancel, and it runs fine, but it is bit of an annoying inconvenience. Also, none of my preferences, such as the option to not activate the program on system startup, are saved because the program keeps resetting my options. Thankfully, I did not find any of these problems with my HP Pavilion 716n, which runs Windows XP 32 bit.

Despite some problems with Windows Vista 64 bit, SuperAntiSpyware is an effective tool to help your computer combat spyware. It is far better than the Adware and Spybot programs I previously used from 2003-2006. I would recommend using this in conjuection with MalwareBytes Anti-Malware since both are able to find threats that the other one may miss.