Named & Shamed
Junk offender: iobit Advanced Systemcare 13.5
iobit Advanced Systemcare 13.5
You’ll probably already be acquainted with my regular iobitthemed rants. But for anyone unfamiliar with the name, iobit is a software company that has seemingly devoted itself to an ongoing mission to fill the world’s computers with junk.
At first glance, iobit’s free tools often look very useful – software updaters, password generators and so on. But some harbour unwanted software in their installers, while others amount to little more than glorified adverts for the company’s paid-for programs. Advanced Systemcare Free is guilty on both charges.
On its web page, iobit claims the tool can thoroughly clean your PC, increase internet speeds and boost start-up times. But download it, and Advanced Systemcare soon reveals its true colours. Fail to notice the microscopic ‘Custom Install’ link (see screenshot 1 ) and you’ll end up installing several iobit background processes and services (look at all those pre-ticked boxes in screenshot 2 ), which will actually slow down your start-up.
The installer will also attempt to foist unwanted software on you as you click your way through the screens. And, once it’s installed, you’ll find it clutters your screen with plenty of unnecessary widgets and notifications – all pretty ironic for a tool that promises to “deeply clean junk files”.
What really annoys me, though, is the way that Advanced Systemcare pesters you to pay for its Pro version. Use it to scan for and ‘fix’ problems and it’ll give your PC a middling ‘Good’ health status, along with the suggestion that the only way to improve your health status and fix hundreds more ‘problems’ is to pay £16. Don’t be tempted.