v4 vs v5

[tom.tdw]

while v5 is faster (when it works!) it probably won't work unless you can format before installing. v4 is slightly slower but it is 1000 times more stable. you would think that v5 would have some revolutionary new features but really it all boils down to the fact that compatibility has been sacrificed for a bit of speed and the fact that it looks better. v5 has some great potential but it really has been released prematurely, you would expect a program with such extensive problems still be in beta. what pctools should do is include a compatibility scanner in the installer which will tell users if v5 will break their computer.

[MAK]

Tom, v5 is working fine on my PC, try installing it in safemode.

[shoko]

Originally Posted by MAK

Tom, v5 is working fine on my PC, try installing it in safemode.

Why should anyone have to install commercial software in "safe Mode", reformat their drives, accept partially disabled products or go through a whole series of time wasting fixes or work arounds in order to make the unworkable workable. Are customers now required to "engineer" the software they pay for. A certain limited acceptance of "Bugs" in new software is acceptable provided that the software is inherently OK. The different damage reports following on from the installation of SD5 strains toleration.
Tom.Tdw suggestion re Compatability Scanners should be considered and investigated.

[Mario Brothers]

Verion 5.0 is much better than version 4.0. Its not just nicer interface.

1. It has almost triple the amount of signatures which allow it to detect some of the least known Spyware 439,000 in V5.0 vs 179,000 in V 4.0. V 4.0 can't even handle this many signatures.

2. It has the new Intelli scan that allows it to find in minutes any active malware on your PC. Version 4.0 doesn't do that neither does any other AntiSpyware I know.

3. It has much improved RootKit detection.

4. It has defense against AntiSpyware hackers

5. It has Vista support and fast user switching support.

6. Global Action list rather than local.

7. External Drive scanning.

8. Pause and resume functions.

9. AntiVirus support.

10. Automatic and incremental updates.

11. Email protection.

12. File protection at Kernal level.

13. SiteGuard technology that protects all sites regardless of the browser you are using.

14. Much improved Spyware blocking.

There are many more features that are perhaps less important but Spyware Doctor 5.0 over all has much higher level of protection. If SD 5.0 doesn't work on your machine use SD 4.0 for couple of weeks until PC Tools resolves your problem. SD 5.0 works fine on my PC without any issues at all.

[tom.tdw]

firstly intelli scan is just quick scan renamed and all the people that have been losing days of work jue to the problems don't get the chance to marvel at the new features. just to clear things up i am using version 5 but i had to format my hard drive to get it running (i fell for the nicer interface) i should defiantly not have to do this to use commercial software. anti-malware should be a case of set and forget (forgive me for quoting node32) formatting your hard drive or installing in sate mode (which by the way often doesn't work) i still like spyware doctor but many formally loyal users are experiencing hell. a compatibilities scanner and the label BETA would help make thing a bit more transparent.

[Robin Springall]

I've been trying to get some kind of understanding, through all the rants and stories of woe here, of what is the main reason why v5 so frequently just doesn't work. Is it because its built-in AV conflicts with other AV software users have on their PC, or what?

[Mario Brothers]

Hi Tom,

Intelli scan is not just renamed quick scan. Quick scan in V4.0 is not that quick. Its almost the same speed as full scan in V 4.0. Intelli scan is around 30 times faster than full scan in V5.0. While Quick scan in V4.0 avoided disk scan to make the scan faster Intelli scan looks specifically for active threats on the system. As I mentioned before I am using V5.0 and I have no issues at all. ZERO. The problems may be caused by conflicts with other AV's etc ... because V5.0 has Kernal and LSP components in it and V4.0 didn't. However you need those these days to detect some of the tougher malware. I am sure PC Tools is working hard to resolve this. You can see this in how many revisions of software they are putting out there. For now if V5.0 doesn't work for you, you may want to consider switching to V4.0. I am sure V5.0 will be up to spec in few days for people that experienced conflicts. Personally I have SD 5.0 running on 3 home machines and all is fine but I do understand that this is not experience of all the users. It may depends on what drivers and other kernal apps are already installed on your system. FYI V4.0 did have a small issue on my wifes PC that V5.0 fixed but than again my wifes PC is loaded with everything She loves the screen savers and all the free emotion icons you get on the web and most of this is Malware anyway so with the amount of rubish that SD removed over time I think she is way overdue for a reformat :S

[tom.tdw]

yes i know v5 has some nice new features like the speed but that is little consolation to those users whose computers have stopped working and they often lose vital files in the process. sure v5 works well for some users but a compatibility scanner would save some people from a lot of unnessery hassle. still you can't just rename an old service and call it a new one however much you improve it.

[Toby]

I am sorry don't shoot me down for this but V 5.0 is so much more powerful than version 4.0 its not even worth discussing. I don't see anything being renamed here. Even the download size is double. Its a different product all together and hence some compatibility and sociability issues. I feel sorry for people that experienced problems but I am not one of them. It screams on my PC and I will never go back to V 4.0. I know that’s not what people want to hear here but I think PC Tools needs to hear from us satisfied users too. For now I recon if SD 5.0 is causing issues on your PC revert to version 4.0 and wait for a notice from PC Tools when they feel they have dealt with all the reported issues. This seems to be the most logical step going forward. I don't usually even bother installing ANY new software until it has been in the wild for several months but I made an exception because I had some damn thing on my PC that was acting suspiciously and I thought Version 4.0 wasn't picking it up and sure I wans't going to step down and waste my time with Spybot.

Now having said all that, this is to PC Tools. Next time be more careful, I think more testing was warranted.

Toby

[shoko]

Originally Posted by Toby

I am sorry don't shoot me down for this but V 5.0 is so much more powerful than version 4.0 its not even worth discussing. I don't see anything being renamed here. Even the download size is double. Its a different product all together and hence some compatibility and sociability issues. I feel sorry for people that experienced problems but I am not one of them. It screams on my PC and I will never go back to V 4.0. I know that’s not what people want to hear here but I think PC Tools needs to hear from us satisfied users too. For now I recon if SD 5.0 is causing issues on your PC revert to version 4.0 and wait for a notice from PC Tools when they feel they have dealt with all the reported issues. This seems to be the most logical step going forward. I don't usually even bother installing ANY new software until it has been in the wild for several months but I made an exception because I had some damn thing on my PC that was acting suspiciously and I thought Version 4.0 wasn't picking it up and sure I wans't going to step down and waste my time with Spybot.

Now having said all that, this is to PC Tools. Next time be more careful, I think more testing was warranted.

Toby

To TOBY

What do you think of the Ton.Tdw suggestion of a Compatibility Scanner.
Such a facility would probably saved a lot of Users a lot of grief.
Shoko