How do I get rid of Slimware Utilities?
QI keep getting messages on my XP computer, including at startup, saying ‘10 Driver Updates available’. In very small print at the bottom the message says ‘Slimware Utilities Holdings’. This company, whoever it is, appears to know my computer’s serial number and Windows version! How does it know this information? Do you know what’s causing this? And what can I do about it? Alan J Waller
ASlimware Utilities is a legitimate software company and it produces several legitimate programs, including one called Driverupdate.
However, as we’ve mentioned many times in Computeractive, just because a tool is legitimate doesn’t necessarily mean it’s one that you want on your PC. The trouble is that some programs use decidedly sneaky methods to find a way on to your hard drive without your knowledge. Such programs are often referred to as ‘potentially unwanted programs’, or PUPS. While it’s not a virus or even remotely dangerous, Slimware Utilities’ Driverupdate has been described by some as a PUP.
Even so, it’s not entirely clear from your description whether your annoyance is caused by Driverupdate itself or by some other PUP whose apparent purpose is to advertise Driverupdate. Think about any other programs you might’ve installed recently, even if they seem completely unrelated. It’s possible — likely, even — that one of these had a hidden or disguised tick box that opted you in to installing Driverupdate (or an advertserving PUP).
The display of your computer’s serial number and Windows version isn’t of itself a worry, as that’s information that can be easily retrieved by any software. Indeed, if you’re curious you can do it yourself in a Command Prompt window, by typing wmic bios get serialnumber and pressing Enter. (To launch a Command Prompt window, click Start, type cmd, then click Command Prompt.)
Regardless, the solution is to identify and then remove either Driverupdate or whatever PUP is serving up the adverts for it. In Windows XP click Start followed by Control Panel and then ‘Add or Remove Program’. If Driverupdate is in the list, click to select it, then click Remove followed by Yes to confirm (see screenshot). If not, look through the list for other recently installed items, searching on Google to identify any you don’t recognise. If you detect a PUP, remove it.
If the problem persists, then use a Pup-cleaning tool, like the free Adwcleaner – www.snipca.com/23134. Just click the Scan button, then review the results. Tick the items you want to remove, then click the Clean button; or use the category tabs for more details and then, if needed, search online for guidance on whether or not a particular entry is safe to delete.