Customer Reviews

Webroot Spy Sweeper - Windows

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I have been using WEBROOT Spy Sweeper for over a year and, unfortunately, just extended my subscription to the program. After having done that I was requested to allow a free upgrade (which is routine for the program) but in doing so WEBROOT installed the ASK TOOLBAR, which is as far as I am concerned nothing more than a advertisement program, not a true search vehicle. I had been using successfully the MOZILLA FIREFOX/GOOGLE setup, which I was totally satisfied and familiar with.

There are 7 issues here.

(1) It was unethical for WEBROOT to install a feature like a new toolbar on my computer without my permission. THAT IS WHAT THE PROGRAMS DO THAT WEBROOT IS SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING ME FROM!

(2) The program WEBROOT installed changed the interface with my computer, complicating my use of it and causing me a lot of emotional upset: frustration, annoyance, anger.

(3) Being basically a novice with the computer, I struggled to getting my computer back to the way it was, but never being able to do that with complete success. Ever since I got rid of the ASK TOOLBAR and got back to MOZILLA FIREFOX, when my computer starts up, my web pages won't load automatically as they did before.

(4) Now when WEBROOT requests to update to a new version of its program I don't allow it because I have lost confidence in the program. This does not improve the security of my computer.

(5) WEBROOT installed a program ASK TOOLBAR that is inferior to the one I was using before, my MOZILLA FIREFOX/GOOGLE set up.

(6) WEBROOT has caused me to waste a lot of my time fixing the program, figuring out what program I will replace WEBROOT with and writing this complaint, in addition to making using the computer/internet even more of a headache than it already is. WEBROOT's job was to make it EASIER!

(7) The WEBROOT program was recommended by BEST BUY when I bought my computer. I wish BEST BUY would first investigate the products their people recommend.

KUDOS to AMAZON.COM for providing customer evaluations with the products they sell. I use the evaluations all the time (though mostly for books).

Advice: Don't get too greedy, especially when you're already making a bundle. Think more about improving (rather than degrading) your product and helping (rather than frustrating) the customer.

This version of Spysweeper is somewhat improved over version 5.X. In particular, the availability of a "no extra charge" firewall, i.e., the Webroot Desktop Firewall, is a nice advance. It means that the chances of incompatibility between your anti-malware, anti-virus, and software firewall are now significantly reduced.

As noted in my earlier review of version 5.x, Spysweeper was one of the first quality anti-malware programs available. Although there are now a number of free products with similar or, arguably, enhanced capabilities. So an important question is how does this version stack up.

The software has not changed greatly. The interface is essentially identical. Full sweeps are still quite long, even on a quad core system with four gigabytes of RAM. Although one reviewer for an earlier version mentioned sweeps completed in 5-6 minutes, I've never had sweep times even approach those results for the earlier version or this later one. With this version my sweep times have been reduced below an hour, while they exceeded an hour with the earlier 5.X version. It's uncertain if inherent sweep speed has actually gone down or not, as my CPU, memory, and disk speeds are better than with the original system. Of course, it's also not clear if the relatively long sweep times are due to thoroughness or to inefficient algorithm designs. Faster sweeps can be achieved using the "quick sweep" option. However, if you're going to check you system for malware, it seems a "full sweep" is most appropriate.

Spysweeper continues to have implementation deficiencies. It still specifies the number of cookies it finds. However, unless it determines a cookie is a problem, e.g., a tracking cookie, it provides no further information. A clearly better approach would be for Spysweeper to list all cookies it finds with their location and allow users to decide which, if any, cookies to keep. However, Spysweeper has not advanced in this area from their previous versions.

Some of my disappointment with Spysweeper relates to the company's intrusive sales "nags" after purchase, while making it difficult to avoid or eliminate them. For example, when you select "Check for Updates" manually from the Spysweeper "Home" page, your browser is opened and you are taken to one of the company's web pages (nag screens) -- even if your product is up-to-date. There you'll find the option to add (buy) "Webroot Internet Security Essentials". This is an unnecessary, and time-wasting annoyance. Other competitor's products, some available for free, simply download program updates automatically if needed, without requiring your browser to be opened, and presenting you with nag ads each time you request a manual update. Spysweeper should certainly consider removing this "feature" in the near future.

During a Spysweeper installation, Spysweeper may not be the only software you will be installing. The default during the Spysweeper installation process is to also install the "Ask" search bar in your browser without requiring your specific approval. If you are not alert this will be done automatically. Clearly an "op-in" for a possibly undesired feature would be more appropriate than Webroot's "op-out" requirement. As the Ask toolbar is available for free download from Ask at anytime, the current default installation is not a service to Webroot customers. If you do not want the Ask toolbar added to your browser, carefully check your options as you install Spysweeper

Spysweeper is still a quite competent product, at least at the time of this review, although with some technical issues. However, in rating it I considered not only its technical features, but also how user-friendly I felt it was for a purchased product. In this comparison, Spysweeper's unnecessary sales pitch each time you manually check for an update, and its ill-advised tactic of opting you in for the installation of a browser toolbar without your explicit approval, were significant negatives. Hopefully, the decrease in user friendliness from early versions will not continue, but the future may prove otherwise. The value difference and user-friendliness between Spysweeper and free competitors appears to be diminishing.

I have been using Spy Sweeper for a number of years. I guess that it worked, because it said so. However, a few weeks ago I had a problem in that it wouldn't update. The first email response to my email request for a fix was in the form of a massive amount of FAQs.

Free telephone support is available, but apparently there are so many problems with Webroot's products, that their telephone support is overwhelmed. I have called countless times, and the announced hold time has never been less than thirty minutes. In one instance, after the announced hold time was thirty minutes, I waited for forty minutes, and still nobody had picked up.

Webroot's response to my second request for assistance merely instructed me to uninstall and reinstall the program. I followed the instructions, which included restarting my computer after the uninstall. However, I could not reinstall the program, and I kept getting an error message stating that the program was still installed. According to what I have read on the Internet, there are many other people who have not been able to completely uninstall this program.

The response to my third email, which was a request for a pro-rated refund (Spy Sweeper is a subscription, a pre-paid expense) advised me that I was out of luck as far as a refund is concerned. On top of that, it just advised me to...uninstall and reinstall the program. It appears that their repsonses are indeed form letters. However, they are really hustling their premium customer support! All I have to do is spend another $[...], and I allegedly will have access to decent support. It is as if they are bugging their programs to extort the support fee.

I am not alone in advising people to stay away from Webroot. (I had similar customer service issues with their Window Washer program too.)

UPDATE 7/2/2009

I just noticed that Webroot is advertising $[...] for installation support and $[...] for general tech support. I guess that they think that they are giving some customers a break by only charging $[...] for tech support. I wonder if they will soon charge a fee for processing orders in the first place. I have sent several more requests for a refund with an explanation as to why (cannot reinstall) since June 25, but those requests have gone unanswered.

I've run Spysweeper for years on a computer running Windows XP. But, for me, Spysweeper went wrong after version 5.5. I had to stick with older versions until version 5.8 came out and even then not every version of 5.8 was usable, and installing new versions often entailed a good bit of work. Through out this time Webroot tech support was less than helpful, constantly blaming me for problems of their creation. Webroot really likes to tell users of Spysweeper after a user has installed a newer version of Spysweeper that the user must uninstall Spysweeper, then run a special piece of software called Spysweeper Cleanup, and only then reinstall a version of Spysweeper, which still may or may not function properly.


Now that version 6.1 is out (March 2009), most of the really big problems have disappeared for me. I run Spysweeper 6.1 on an old Dell laptop with with only a 600 megahertz processor and 512 megabytes of RAM, with XP Home as the operating system.

That said, the process of renewing the software is a joke. One has to opt out of many silly things before making the purchase, the most difficult thing to opt out of is the auto renewal feature. Webroot really needs to fix the renewal process. In the past, Webroot simply sent out an email saying that your subscription was about to expire, and anyway the main software window still clearly states the expiration date for Spysweeper updates.


Forgot to mention when I wrote the above a month ago: When 6.1 installs it also installs a program called WBCustomerSer. Even though, this is apparently separate Webroot update software, don't close it in the system tray and think that will save RAM, closing this background program causes problems that can't be fixed without a system restart. It is irresponsible of Webroot to have designed the software this way.

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updated in early September 2009:

Webroot now forces the download and installation of their Antivirus Software. It is impossible to get spyware definitions updated and avoid this new software.

AVOID Spysweeper unless you want to have to use Webroot AV software. Webroot started this forced "upgrade" about a week ago. I complained to customer service immediately but never got a response, and haven't been able to update spyware defs in that time.

I've had mine for about 9 months - lately has frozen up. Will not sweep, update, or even display alerts. Efforts to obtain techical support directed me to re-install - hopefully it works, though you never know if it's really working until it doesn't

I have been a dedicated user of this program for the past 3 years. I have recommended it to others. I now concur with the other negative reviews.

I felt deceived when it added the Ask toolbar, without my knowledge. I also got tired of wasted time due to their nagging me to add the antivirus program. I suspect anyone paying for a spyware program is savy enough to already be using a good security program.

It also missed a keylogging program, as did Windows One Care, which resulted in credit card fraud. I switched to Norton 2009, and it found nothing. After becoming suspicious of nightly clicking noises from my computer, I checked CNET, added the free Spyware Terminator, and it immediately identified and removed the high threat program. The clicking stopped.

This program suffered from repeated lock-ups on my Windows XP computer. I'm glad my subscription expired and am rid of it. I don't think it ever found any malware, just caused problems.

Basically this software is terrible. It caused my computer to freeze up after just a few minutes of web browsing. The freeze-ups were so bad I could not even press ctrl+alt+del to bring up task manager. Explorer and the desktop stopped responding and all other programs stopped responding. After uninstalling this software the freeze-ups stopped. I have Windows 7 64-bit. I was under the impression that it was compatible with it. I went with Norton 360 and it works great.

After I updated the Webroot; I received a pop-up that the Adobe Install/Uninstaller has stopped working. This froze up my computer. A computer tech had to uninstall the Webroot to fix the problem. I now have Microsoft Securities Essentials and my computer is faster with no problems. I would avoid Webroot products like the plague!

It works, but had to manually register at webroots website for product. With a id like computer gamer, you'd think the products from the seller would be a winner. But product was inactivated product from Bestbuy, so product was no better than trial version. Will never buy new, except through an established seller like amazon.
As for the product, Kaspersky's Internet Suite is a better product than this piece of junk, as it occassionally alerts me to intrusions or ads.
Don't waste your time on this product. Get a more proactive antivirus/antispyware suite like Kaspersky's Internet Security, as I've only had experience with this one.