GSA Cleandrive is an anti-spyware and optimization suite that helps people get rid of spyware infections while also optimizing their systems for maximum performance. A demo version of the application is offered with limited functionality.
Installation & Requirements
The application’s installation is quite fast and allows the user to create shortcuts in various places, including the desktop and the Start menu. The supported operating systems are Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8x.
Interface
At first glance, the application certainly did not instill confidence on me, owing to the very old-school feel of the user interface. This is mostly because I have recently come to expect better designs in applications aimed at system optimizing and cleaning. GSA Cleandrive might get a pass because it has been around for a very long time and the developers care more about updating the actual utilities than the UI itself and that is a reasonable choice.
In regards to the actual utilities themselves, the application excels in catering to users of all kinds. The one-click cleanup will immediately appeal to users that want to get this over with but the application offers a lot of customization options for those that seek it. Apart from the Custom Cleanup menu where users can select exactly what they want the application to scan and find, the exhaustive settings menu allows the user to fine tune the program for optimum results.
No matter what method you choose to employ, the application scans extremely fast as a full system-wide scan took a mere few minutes. GSA Cleandrive looks in some extremely specific places like the Windows Clipboard History so that users really have no trace of their activity on the PC. Although that is great for people who really do not like living browsing traces, it might be very annoying for people that enjoy the convenience such features offer. Of course, users that do not really care about such things would not use an application like this in a first place so cleaning such objects is beneficial to the program’s targeted audience.
To sum up with, the application honestly excels in finding items that privacy-concerned individuals will find offending, especially if they take the time to customize their settings in order to fit their needs. The fact that the application works very easily right out of the box is a huge plus, especially considering that you can even customize the cleaning process after you have scanned your entire system. More information about the scanning results would be nice, especially since the program just tells you the severity of the offending items without telling you exactly why they are offending.
Pros
-Incredibly fast scanning
-Extremely thorough
-Highly customizable
Cons
-Unpolished, outdated interface design
-Not enough information about infections
Conclusion
If you do not care about visual flair, GSA Cleandrive’s customizable configurations are great for finding all the spyware that your computer might be infected with. Although it will mostly appeal to experienced users, the program can also be a decent starting point for people who are just starting to look into spyware and privacy-offending items.
