| Developer | Norton |
| License | Free |
| Download | Free Download |
Norton Power Eraser is popular for its aggressive scanning process. This anti-malware tool will target, detect as well as remove troublesome threats that other tools simply can’t remove. One of the best features this program offers is that it has the ability to detect and remove security risks which often impersonate legitimate applications such as fake antivirus software. This is not the only capabilities owned by Norton Power Eraser though. Below we elucidate why this is one of the best antivirus tools worth having.
Norton Power Eraser: A Thorough Scan
This tool has been proven effective to be able to breach into threats that usually get past your regular antivirus or even ones that prevent antivirus installation. Note that this is not meant to be a full-scale anti-malware and/or antivirus. Use this only when you need powerful cleanup.
Portable
You don’t need to do any kind of installation beforehand in order to run it. Additionally, it’s also available for free and it’s pretty easy to download as well, still, no installation needed, by the way. This program is portable and you can use it immediately. Then, on its main window, you will be able to run a quick scan for pretty much any unwanted applications. Add to that there is also a feature where you can undo the effects of a previous fix and scan or even go to the Advanced Scans page.
Generally speaking, you’ll probably use the System Scan most of the time for it will scan your entire PC for malware. Then, there is the Reputation Scan which will look up files in Norton’s cloud database. To end with, in case your PC happens to boot multiple window version (though it’s a pretty rare case!) you have the option to scan an installation different from the one that’s already running. Then, you can rely on the Reputation Scan to run on a collection of unique files that are not found elsewhere.
Running on Safe Mode
Here’s the tutorial for running this free tool in Safe Mode in case you can’t start your PC in Normal Mode.
- Start your PC in Safe Mode with Networking
- Exit all programs and open the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows + R keys
- Type in ‘msconfig’ and click Enter. Then click Yes/Continue in case the User Account Control emerges
- On the boot tab in the System Configuration Window, choose Safe boot and tap Network or /SAFEBOOT for Windows XP (on the BOOT.INI in the System Configuration Utility)
- Then click OK and restart if prompted
- Run the Norton Power Eraser where you’ll choose the Scan for Risk option and follow the on-screen instructions
- Restart your PC in Normal Mode
Downside
The fact that this program uses aggressive methods in order to detect threats leads to the possibility that there might be a risk that the program may select some legitimate programs for removal. Note that you should always carefully review the scan results page prior to removing all unwanted files.
Conclusion
Don’t worry if you happen to have a Symantec product on your PC because Norton Power Eraser is completely compatible with it and it will still run perfectly and scan threats!