PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition 4.0

Publisher's description of PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition

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PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition protects you against the most nefarious cyber-threats attempting to gain access to your PC and personal details. Going online without protection against the latest fast-spreading viruses, worms and Trojans can result in infections within minutes. Once infected, the virus will usually attempt to spread itself to your friends, family and associates by accessing your e-mail contacts and networked PCs. The infection may also allow hackers to access files on your PC, use it to launch attacks against other computers and Websites or to send mass spam email. That's why PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition provides protection, with rapid database updates, OnGuard real-time file, Internet & e-mail protection and comprehensive system scanning to ensure your system remains safe and virus free.

Version 4.0 features new improved scan engine, smaller memory footprint and much improved system performance.

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Editor's review of PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition

This novice-friendly freeware antivirus tool still expects a certain level of sophistication from its users. PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition's interface presents a minimum amount of buttons to control the application.

Checking your PC status, scanning for viruses, and switching on or off real-time protection are all a matter of clicking a single button. Scan speed and memory requirements are average for applications in this genre. Basic full-scan scheduling is easy to set. The virus database appears comprehensive, and the program automatically downloads updates.

This is the freeware version of the publisher's antivirus tool, but the differences are minor. Updates are downloaded from a slower server with this version, but not so slow as to cause user irritation. E-mail message tagging options are not configurable. E-mail and phone support isn't available.

Our big concern is the very basic Help function. Novice users will find it tough to navigate. Intermediate users will wish for better information before tackling any configuration changes. Nonetheless, users looking for an antivirus tool that can be set with default protection and that updates silently will be happy with this freeware.

User reviews of PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition

• Average user rating: out of 282 votes
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  PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition

  As slow and as basic as you could ever get!

  by: andyinteractive on 19-Jun-2008 06:42:24 PM

  Pros: Nice interface and (what looks like) a decent (ish) firewall.

  Cons: This has to be one of the slowest anti-virus scanning software programmes i have ever used. If you do a scan you could clean the car, take a shower and have a stroll down to your local shops and back before this has finished scanning your pc! For some reason i have heard good results about this programme...until i installed it. This programme also hogs your PCU so badly that you are limited to it's uses. Virgin Media are offering this programme FREE for broadband users in the UK...it's no wonder they are! My advice...there are far better out there than this. Use at your own peril as long as you have the patience of a saint.

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  PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition

  Better than AVG.

  by: megamannt92 on 24-Mar-2008 08:25:48 AM

  Pros: I think this is better than AVG. It has a cooler interface and seems to work better.

  Whatever you do, don't download Avast.

  Cons: Its missing some features that you have to pay to get. Nothing to crutial however.

  My sister seemed to have some problems with this on her laptop. It quit loading with Windows and gave her errors. I never did though.

  Was this review helpful? Yes | No (11 of 11 users said yes)

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  PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition

  excellent AVG replacement

  by: link48010 on 08-Jun-2008 05:23:28 PM

  Pros: The software has a small scanning time even on full scan and catches viruses well. Way better detection rates than AVG and easier to use by far.

  Cons: Had a few false positives. and it's kinda feature-less.

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  PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition

  Point 7.8 from scale 10

  by: Geekzy on 04-Apr-2008 12:25:50 AM

  Pros: It is light, fewer source to absorb (compared in my machine w/AVG or AVIRA).

  It has rel time protection also. It can heal and repair the virus(es) with no pay.

  we can expand also from intelli-scan to Deep inspection including scanning the network and emails

  Cons: There's still something missing, intelli signatures shows a small number of (is it virus or bugs or badwarez?).

  So basically our computer is still vulnerable. You must back it up with other AV if you use this guy

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  PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition

  Good antivirus, well, good enough

  by: stoncin3 on 10-Apr-2008 05:26:07 AM

  Pros: I like all PC Tools' products in general. This one is not excluded. The GUI is very simple. It looks very nice and it is so intuitive. The scan speed is average and on my PC the full scan has finished in a little bit more than an hour considering the disk is more than 20 GB large. I think it is also reliable like Spyware Doctor in the anti-spyware technology. The price? Well it's free. So I rate it a 5 stars product.

  Cons: No regrets so far. By the way I wouldn't know what the upgrade includes, but as I love the simple things this one is the right choice for me!

  Was this review helpful? Yes | No (2 of 2 users said yes)

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